"You Are Love" is a song by

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...

and

Oscar Hammerstein II Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II (; July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was an American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) director in the musical theater for almost 40 years. He won eight Ton ...

from their classic 1927 musical play ''

Show Boat ''Show Boat'' is a musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the performers, stagehands and dock worke ...

''. It is sung twice in the show - first, by Magnolia Hawks, the heroine, and riverboat gambler

Gaylord Ravenal Gaylord Ravenal is the leading male character in Edna Ferber's 1926 novel ''Show Boat'', in the famous Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II 1927 musical play of the same name based on the novel, and in the films made from it. He is a handsome, compu ...

when they agree to marry near the end of Act I, and again in the penultimate scene of Act II by Ravenal when he returns to Magnolia after having deserted her for 23 years. Some productions—notably the 1936 film version of the show—shift the song's Act II reprise to the show's final scene. (Both Magnolia and Ravenal sing the reprise in the film.) In the 1951 film version of the musical, the song is sung only once (by

Howard Keel Harold Clifford Keel (April 13, 1919November 7, 2004), known professionally as Howard Keel, was an American actor and singer, known for his rich bass-baritone singing voice. He starred in a number of MGM musicals in the 1950s and in the CBS tel ...

and

Kathryn Grayson Kathryn Grayson (born Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick; February 9, 1922 – February 17, 2010) was an American actress and coloratura soprano.Ronald Berganbr>Obituary '' London Guardian'', February 19, 2010. From the age of twelve, Grayson train ...

), and reprised instrumentally as background music in the final scene. Reportedly, Jerome Kern hated the song even though he wrote the music for it, believing it too "operetta-ish", and unsuccessfully sought to have it deleted from the 1936 film.

References

Songs from Show Boat Songs with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II Songs with music by Jerome Kern 1927 songs {{1920s-song-stub