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514:, which failed to make an impact, and then the song "Autumn Leaves". "Autumn Leaves" was recorded at the suggestion of Kapp one Friday, and Williams, who had previously thought that the song was titled "Falling Leaves", said: "The first thing that came to mind was to play all those runs down the keyboard, I tried to make it sound like falling leaves." He created the arrangement that Friday and the following Saturday night, and recorded the song on Monday. Williams played the tune with descending
232:
wrote the
English lyric and gave it the title "Autumn Leaves". The English lyrics are significantly shorter than the French version, consisting of only two verses. In the French original, the crucial line "C'est une chanson" starts at the 13th bar, while in English the line "the autumn leaves" starts
529:
in the U.S. in 1955, the first piano instrumental to reach number one. It stayed at No. 1 for four weeks in the bestsellers chart. The song is said to have sold two million copies around the world, and it remains the best-selling piano record of all time.
171:
Kosma was a native of
Hungary who was introduced to Prévert in Paris, and they collaborated on the song "Les Feuilles mortes". The song was legally deposited in 1945, and published in 1947. The song has its origin in the ballet music written by Kosma for
763:
In 2012, jazz historian
Philippe Baudoin called the song "the most important non-American standard" and noted that "it has been recorded about 1400 times by mainstream and modern jazz musicians alone and is the eighth most-recorded tune by jazzmen."
271:
180:, performed in Paris at the end of the Second World War. Large parts of the melodies are exactly the same as the ballet music, which was itself partially similar to "Poème d'octobre No. 4" by
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and it is one of the most recorded songs by jazz musicians. More than a thousand commercial recordings are known to have been released by mainstream and jazz musicians.
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when he heard
Williams playing in a hotel lounge. He was asked to change his birth name Louis Jacob Weertz to Roger Williams. Williams released an album
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522:. The first recording was just over 3 minutes long, and Kapp suggested that it be sped up to keep it under 3 minutes, which Williams duly did.
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of the song (1965), using the same principle of small repetitive cells of melody and rhythm first put in use in his breakthrough piece,
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Kapp released a new version with choral and orchestral backings to celebrate its 10th anniversary in 1965.
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The song was recorded steadily throughout the 1950s by leading pop vocalists including
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886:"EXTRAIT] LE RENDEZ-VOUS by Roland Petit (Alice Renavand & Mathieu Ganio)"
203:
1095:"Roger Williams dies at 87; 'Autumn Leaves' pop pianist found commercial success"
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in his later career. A few jazz vocalists have also recorded the song, including
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The song was also quickly adopted by many instrumental jazz artists, including
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in his 1954 album "Mambo with Tjader" with Cal Tjader's Modern Mambo
Quintet;
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and ii–V sequences which are typical of jazz. Although it is mostly played in
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The song's iv–bVII–bIII–bVI–ii–V–i chord progression is an example of the
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The most successful commercial recording of "Les
Feuilles mortes" was by
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1222:"The Cash Box Best-Selling Singles: Week ending October 29, 1955"
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1277:
Hit Songs, 1900-1955: American
Popular Music of the Pre-Rock Era
858:
Franz
Kerschbaumer; Laurent Cugny; Luca Cerchiari, eds. (2012).
217:(Columbia) in 1949, which sold a million copies within 5 years.
861:
Eurojazzland: Jazz and
European Sources, Dynamics, and Contexts
603:(whose rendition was the only other version to chart in 1955),
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Tonal
Harmony with an Introduction to Twentieth-century Music
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to make the first English-language recording in July, 1950.
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27:
1174:. Associated Press. October 9, 2011 – via Billboard.
990:. New York City: Oxford University Press. pp. 24–26.
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its dominant feature, backed by an orchestra conducted by
1146:(2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. pp.
1067:(7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 46, 238.
237:
at the time, and he selected Capitol recording artist
128:" is the English-language version of the French song "
1347:"Bluecoats remain fan favorite after nearly 30 years"
864:. Northeastern University Press. pp. 110–117.
644:A half-French half-English version was released by
324:, the original key of the composition was A minor.
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959:"Tchaikovsky: Hamlet, Overture-Fantasia, Op. 67"
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233:at bar 1. Mercer was a founder and partner in
1172:"Famed Pianist Roger Williams Dies at Age 87"
1116:. Nebraska Music Hall of Fame. Archived from
988:The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire
934:The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire
196:used "Les Feuilles mortes" for the 1946 film
136:in 1945. The original lyrics were written by
344:
277:Sample of a recording of "Autumn Leaves" by
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937:. Oxford University Press. pp. 30–31.
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767:The song is the official corps song of the
1026:"Cora Vaucaire / Ses Plus Jolies Chansons"
627:(1957). It was also used in the 1959 film
607:(included in the 1955 album re-release of
199:Les Portes de la nuit (Gates of the Night)
140:in French, and the English lyrics were by
1014:. Bibliothèque nationale de France. 1950.
818:"History and Analysis of 'Autumn Leaves'"
1302:"Fantasy Records Discography: 1953-1954"
1137:
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729:(1976). It became the signature tune of
1405:Number-one singles in the United States
1325:. Oxford University Press. p. 72.
1063:; Payne, Dorothy; Almén, Byron (2013).
978:
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965:. 24 November 2018 – via YouTube.
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619:whose title was inspired by the song),
202:, where it was sung/hummed in parts by
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1093:Nelson, Valerie J. (October 9, 2011).
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225:who first recorded a version in 1949.
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908:Les Joachim: Une famille de musiciens
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144:. An instrumental version by pianist
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148:was a number one best-seller in the
1012:"Les Feuilles mortes; Yves Montand"
610:Nat King Cole Sings for Two in Love
221:recorded it (1947 or 1948), as did
13:
1450:Songs with lyrics by Johnny Mercer
892:. 3 June 2021 – via YouTube.
251:
132:" ("The Dead Leaves") composed by
14:
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1245:. Colin Morgan. London: Boxtree.
1210:. September 29, 1955. p. 30.
1192:. September 25, 1965. p. 16.
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816:Baudoin, Philippe (2012-07-01).
295:Problems playing this file? See
267:
190:Hamlet Overture-Fantasia, Op. 67
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769:Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps
701:who also recorded it live for
1:
1186:"Kapp Launches Williams Push"
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159:"Autumn Leaves" has become a
1455:Compositions by Joseph Kosma
1349:. 2022-12-15. Archived from
613:, and used in the 1956 film
7:
506:was signed by Dave Kapp of
10:
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1280:. McFarland. p. 334.
316:consists almost solely of
1138:Murrells, Joseph (1978).
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345:Roger Williams' recording
103:
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65:1946 by Enoch & Cie (
61:
53:
45:
26:
21:
1445:Little Willie John songs
1142:The Book of Golden Discs
67:Enoch (Ă©dition musicale)
1204:"Best Sellers in Store"
1038:Spitzer, Peter (2001).
890:Opéra national de Paris
1239:Henson, Brian (1989).
256:
1425:Jerry Lee Lewis songs
1319:Carl, Robert (2009).
1242:First hits, 1946–1959
704:Miles Davis in Europe
556:Best Seller in Stores
255:
22:"Les Feuilles mortes"
1390:1940s jazz standards
1376:at jazzstandards.com
1040:Jazz Theory Handbook
188:'s 1888 composition
38:, English lyrics by
16:Song by Joseph Kosma
1440:Nat King Cole songs
1274:Tyler, Don (2007).
931:Gioia, Ted (2021).
689:Cannonball Adderley
284:Live at Blues Alley
130:Les Feuilles mortes
1435:The Coasters songs
1430:Manfred Mann songs
1322:Terry Riley's In C
822:www.crj-online.org
740:Crazy and Mixed Up
737:in her 1982 album
691:in his 1958 album
674:Concert by the Sea
671:in his 1955 album
630:Hey Boy! Hey Girl!
525:The song became a
471:singles chronology
257:
1420:Eva Cassidy songs
1306:www.jazzdisco.org
1099:Los Angeles Times
1074:978-0-07-131828-0
997:978-0-19-993739-4
963:Leonard Bernstein
910:. Paris: Fayard.
800:on July 12, 2019.
684:Ellington Indigos
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512:The Boy Next Door
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458:Jacques Prévert
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368:from the album
352:"Autumn Leaves"
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304:The song is in
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281:from the album
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263:"Autumn Leaves"
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235:Capitol Records
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138:Jacques Prévert
112:Jacques Prévert
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49:"Autumn Leaves"
32:Jacques Prévert
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709:Vince Guaraldi
694:Somethin' Else
679:Duke Ellington
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587:Other versions
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504:Roger Williams
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491:"Wanting You"
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223:Juliette Gréco
182:Jules Massenet
174:Le Rendez-vous
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154:charts of 1955
146:Roger Williams
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1120:on 2015-09-07
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633:performed by
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544:Chart (1955)
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484:Autumn Leaves
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462:Johnny Mercer
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230:Johnny Mercer
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219:Cora Vaucaire
216:
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204:Irène Joachim
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161:jazz standard
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142:Johnny Mercer
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126:Autumn Leaves
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116:Johnny Mercer
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46:English title
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40:Johnny Mercer
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1400:1955 singles
1355:. Retrieved
1351:the original
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1122:. Retrieved
1118:the original
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825:. Retrieved
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798:the original
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738:
725:(1962); and
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623:(1956), and
614:
608:
593:Steve Conway
590:
573:
560:
532:
524:
511:
508:Kapp Records
502:
483:
444:Joseph Kosma
369:
326:
310:jazz harmony
303:
294:
282:
227:
215:Yves Montand
212:
208:Yves Montand
197:
194:Marcel Carné
178:Roland Petit
173:
170:
158:
151:
134:Joseph Kosma
129:
125:
123:
98:Joseph Kosma
36:Joseph Kosma
1415:Torch songs
1112:Anonymous.
748:Terry Riley
731:Ben Webster
699:Miles Davis
665:Ahmad Jamal
639:Keely Smith
635:Louis Prima
601:Steve Allen
597:Bing Crosby
520:Glenn Osser
452:Lyricist(s)
438:Composer(s)
383:"Take Care"
332:progression
279:Eva Cassidy
239:Jo Stafford
186:Tchaikovsky
106:Lyricist(s)
92:Composer(s)
1395:1945 songs
1384:Categories
1357:2023-11-19
1124:2006-11-07
984:Gioia, Ted
827:2021-12-14
775:References
752:contrafact
713:Bill Evans
697:featuring
661:Cal Tjader
653:Artie Shaw
648:in 1951.
646:Édith Piaf
297:media help
167:Background
114:(French),
1208:Billboard
1190:Billboard
1042:, p. 81.
746:Composer
727:Ryo Fukui
707:in 1964;
657:Stan Getz
621:Doris Day
561:Billboard
549:position
516:arpeggios
306:AABC form
228:In 1950,
152:Billboard
118:(English)
1261:19389211
986:(2012).
906:(1999).
793:AllMusic
760:(1964).
711:(1958);
667:(1955);
659:(1952);
655:(1950);
599:(1950),
595:(1950),
575:Cash Box
388:Released
62:Released
715:(1959,
681:(1957,
493:(1955)
488:(1955)
322:G minor
312:as the
80:Chanson
54:Written
1329:
1284:
1259:
1249:
1154:
1071:
1046:
1028:. EPM.
994:
941:
914:
868:
537:Charts
408:Length
378:B-side
358:Single
318:ii–V–I
287:(1996)
1148:77–78
425:Label
397:Genre
75:Genre
1327:ISBN
1282:ISBN
1257:OCLC
1247:ISBN
1152:ISBN
1069:ISBN
1044:ISBN
992:ISBN
939:ISBN
912:ISBN
866:ISBN
757:In C
637:and
547:Peak
430:Kapp
391:1955
206:and
57:1945
34:and
28:Song
721:);
687:);
641:.
572:US
554:US
402:pop
360:by
192:.
176:by
156:.
150:US
84:pop
30:by
1386::
1304:.
1255:.
1224:.
1206:.
1188:.
1150:.
1097:.
1083:^
971:^
961:.
888:.
836:^
820:.
806:^
790:.
771:.
743:.
677:,
580:1
567:1
564:)
486:"
460:,
417:59
334:.
210:.
82:,
1360:.
1335:.
1308:.
1290:.
1263:.
1228:.
1160:.
1127:.
1101:.
1077:.
1050:.
1000:.
947:.
920:.
874:.
830:.
558:(
482:"
415::
413:2
299:.
124:"
69:)
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