"Isn't It Romantic?" is a popular

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetitio ...

and part of the

Great American Songbook The Great American Songbook is the loosely defined canon of significant early-20th-century American jazz standards, popular songs, and show tunes. Definition According to the Great American Songbook Foundation: The "Great American Songbook" is ...

. The music was composed by

Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American Musical composition, composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the most ...

, with lyrics by

Lorenz Hart Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include " Blue Moon", " The Lady Is a Tramp", "Manhattan", "Bewitched, Both ...

. It has a 32-bar chorus in A–B–A–C form.

Alec Wilder Alexander Lafayette Chew Wilder (February 16, 1907 – December 24, 1980) was an American composer. Biography Wilder was born in Rochester, New York, United States, to a prominent family; the Wilder Building downtown (at the "Four Corners") ...

, in his book ''American Popular Song: The Great Innovators 1900–1950,'' calls it "a perfect song." It was introduced by

Maurice Chevalier Maurice Auguste Chevalier (; 12 September 1888 – 1 January 1972) was a French singer, actor and entertainer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including " Livin' In The Sunlight", " Valentine", "Louise", " Mimi", and "Thank Hea ...

and Jeanette MacDonald in the

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...

film '' Love Me Tonight'' (

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...

). It has since been recorded numerous times, with and without vocals, by many jazz and popular artists. The song has also since been featured in a number of other movies. In ''Love Me Tonight'', the song is used in a sequence in which it is first sung by

, a tailor, and then taken up by others (his customer, a cabby, a composer, a troop of soldiers, a band of gypsies) and is finally heard and sung by a princess, played by Jeanette MacDonald. The lyrics in the film are not the same as those in the published version. In 2004 this version finished at #73 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema. The title is often used in headlines in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', such as "The Recession. Isn't It Romantic?", "Italy: Isn't It Romantic?", and "In Madrid, Isn't It Romantic?".

Notable recordings

*Harold Stern & His Orchestra (vocal by Bill Smith) – a popular recording for

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

(catalog No. 2718) in 1932. * Jeanette MacDonald – recorded both in English and in French for Victor Records (catalog No. 24067B and 24068, respectively) on July 5, 1932. *

Hildegarde Hildegarde Loretta Sell, known as Hildegarde (February 1, 1906 – July 29, 2005) was an American cabaret singer, who was well known for the song "Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup". Early life She was born Hildegarde Loretta Sell in Adell, Wisco ...

– recorded for

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...

(catalog No. 23135) on June 19, 1939. * Steve Conway – released in 1948 by

(UK). * Cyril Stapleton and his Orchestra, with vocals by

Dick James Dick James (born Leon Isaac Vapnick; 12 December 1920 – 1 February 1986) was a British music publisher and singer. He and Brian Epstein established the Beatles' publisher Northern Songs. Later, with his son Stephen, James founded the DJM rec ...

and

Pearl Carr A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is composed of calcium carbo ...

– released in 1948 by Decca Records (UK). * Vic Damone and

Patti Page Clara Ann Fowler (November 8, 1927 – January 1, 2013), known professionally as Patti Page, was an American singer and actress. Primarily known for pop and country music, she was the top-charting female vocalist and best-selling female ar ...

– recorded for

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...

(catalog No. 5192) (1948). *

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

– ''Chet Baker Quartet Records Eight Cool Sides'' (1954). *

Mel Tormé Melvin Howard Tormé (September 13, 1925 – June 5, 1999), nicknamed "The Velvet Fog", was an American musician, singer, composer, arranger, drummer, actor, and author. He composed the music for "The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts Roasting on an Op ...

– '' It's a Blue World'' (1955) *

Tal Farlow Talmage Holt Farlow (June 7, 1921 – July 25, 1998) was an American jazz guitarist. He was nicknamed "Octopus" because of how his large, quick hands spread over the fretboard. As Steve Rochinski notes, "Of all the guitarists to emerge in th ...

– '' Tal'' (1956) *

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

recorded this on her 1957

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

release ''

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers & Hart Song Book ''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers and Hart Song Book'' is a 1956 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, with a studio orchestra conducted and arranged by Buddy Bregman, focusing on the songs written by Richard Rodgers and Lore ...

'' * Carmen McRae – '' Book of Ballads'' (1958) *

Jeri Southern Jeri Southern (born Genevieve Lillian Hering, August 5, 1926 – August 4, 1991) was an American jazz singer and pianist. Early years Born Genevieve Lillian Hering in Royal, Nebraska, United States, Southern was the granddaughter of a German pig ...

''Jeri Southern Meets Johnny Smith'' (1958). * George Shearing – ''

Beauty and the Beat! ''Beauty and the Beat!'' is a 1959 album (see 1959 in music) by Peggy Lee, accompanied by the George Shearing Quintet. Sleeve notes The notes on the back cover of the original 1959 LP are in the exaggerated style that was common at the time an ...

'' (1959) *

Bill Evans Trio William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, block ch ...

– '' At Shelly's Manne-Hole'' (1963) *

Jack Jones Jack Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music *Jack Jones (American singer) (born 1938), American jazz and pop singer *Jack Jones, stage name of Australian singer Irwin Thomas (born 1971) *Jack Jones (Welsh musician) (born 1992), Welsh mu ...

– ''Without Her'' (1967). * Tony Bennett – ''Tony Bennett Sings The Rodgers & Hart Songbook'' (1973). *

Pasadena Roof Orchestra The Pasadena Roof Orchestra (PRO) is a contemporary band from England that specialises in the jazz and swing genres of music of the 1920s and 1930s, although their full repertoire is considerably wider. The orchestra has existed since 1969, a ...

– ''Isn't It Romantic'' (1973). *

Michael Feinstein Michael Jay Feinstein (born September 7, 1956) is an American singer, pianist, and music revivalist. He is an archivist and interpreter for the repertoire known as the Great American Songbook. In 1988 he won a Drama Desk Special Award for cele ...

– ''Isn't It Romantic '' (1988) and ''

Romance on Film, Romance on Broadway ''Romance on Film, Romance on Broadway'' is a 2000 album by American vocalist Michael Feinstein arranged by Alan Broadbent and John Oddo. It was Feinstein's third album for the Concord label. Reception The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded t ...

'' (2000) * Mervyn Warren &

Josie Aiello Josie Aiello is an American singer-songwriter originally from Chicago, Illinois. Her albums include ''Unkunvenshunal Girl'', ''Where I Am'', and ''Ashes to Beauty''. She is known for her pop vocals on '' Music & Songs from Starlight Express,'' i ...

– '' The Out-of-Towners'' (1999) *

Johnny Mathis John Royce Mathis (born September 30, 1935) is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standard music, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum s ...

– '' Isn't It Romantic: The Standards Album'' (2005) *

Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...

– '' Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III'' (2004) * Diana Krall – ''

Turn Up the Quiet ''Turn Up the Quiet'' is the thirteenth studio album by Canadian singer Diana Krall, released on May 5, 2017, by Verve Records. Background The album consists of 11 jazz standards. The Japanese edition of the album includes "How Deep Is the Ocean ...

'' (2017)

Other film appearances

William Seiter William Alfred Seiter (June 10, 1890 – July 26, 1964) was an American film director. Life and career Seiter was born in New York City. After attending Hudson River Military Academy, Seiter broke into films in 1915 as a bit player at Mack Sennet ...

's ''

Hot Saturday ''Hot Saturday'' is a 1932 American pre-Code " programmer" drama film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Cary Grant, Nancy Carroll, and Randolph Scott. This was Grant's first role as a leading man. Based on the novel ''Hot Saturday'' b ...

'' (

) – heard on soundtrack when Nancy Carroll arrives at

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one o ...

's house. * Archie Mayo's '' Night After Night'' (

) – heard on soundtrack when

George Raft George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is ...

chats with Constance Cummings at his speakeasy. * Michael Curtiz’s " Private Detective 62" (1933) *

Mark Sandrich Mark Sandrich (born Mark Rex Goldstein; October 26, 1900 – March 4, 1945) was an American film director, writer, and producer. Early life Sandrich was born in New York City on October 26, 1900 into a American Jews, Jewish family. His siste ...

's '' Skylark'' (1941), * Preston Sturges' '' The Lady Eve'' (1941) (played often in the score) and '' The Palm Beach Story'' (1942) (sung by Rudy Vallee during ballroom sequence). *Several

Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Holl ...

films, including ''

The Major and the Minor ''The Major and the Minor'' is a 1942 American comedy film starring Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland. It was the first American film directed by Billy Wilder. The screenplay credited to Wilder and Charles Brackett is "suggested by" the 1923 play ''C ...

'' (1942), '' A Foreign Affair'' (1948) and ''

Sabrina Sabrina may refer to: * Sabrina (given name), a feminine given name, including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name People * Sabrina (actress), stage name of Norma Ann Sykes (1936–2016), a British glamour model and actres ...

'' (1954) (sung by an unidentified male singer during the first Larrabee party, whistled by David while driving in the car, played when Sabrina and Linus are dancing). *Featured in the 1999 remake of '' The Out-of-Towners'' when it was performed by

and Mervyn Warren.

References

{{authority control 1932 songs 1930s jazz standards Songs with music by Richard Rodgers Songs with lyrics by Lorenz Hart Maurice Chevalier songs Jeanette MacDonald songs Pop standards