The Jaguars: The Way You Look Tonight

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This is one of my all-time favourite songs. It was written for the 1936 film Swing Time by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. Here is the scene with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers:

It topped the US charts for six weeks.

Another version from 1936 was by the Teddy Wilson Band with vocalist Billie Holiday, then aged 21.

The Jaguars recorded it in 1956. It was not a national hit but it became popular after it was included on the 1959 Oldies But Goodies album series. I love it.

An awful version by the Lettermen in 1961 somehow got to No 13 in the States and No 36 in Britain. It really is poor.

Rod Stewart recorded it for his 2002 album It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook.

Here’s a live performance.

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