Softly, as I Leave You (song)
Encyclopedia
"Softly, as I Leave You" is a popular
song
composed by Hal Shaper, Antonio De Vita (1932–1998), with original Italian
lyrics by Giorgio Calabrese
.
It was originally an Italian success in 1960 by Mina
, at the Sanremo Music Festival, entitled "Piano" ("Softly"). Mina published a recording of the song first time as a single in 1960, and later as well on an EP and on three LPs.
The English songwriter Hal Shaper noticed the song and in November 1961 wrote English lyrics to the melody, calling it "Softly, as I Leave You". It is best known in versions by Matt Monro
(#10 on the British charts in 1962
, Monro had US "Bubbling Under the Top 100" entries in Billboard in 1962 and 1964), and Frank Sinatra
(#27 on Billboard Hot 100 in 1964
). Other recordings have been made by artists such as Bobby Darin
, Andy Williams
, Robert Goulet, Doris Day
(1964), Shirley Bassey
(1968) for her album This Is My Life
, Elvis Presley
(recorded in 1973, released as a single in 1978), David Whitfield
on New Zealand TV (1973), Eydie Gorme, and Cliff Richard
(1983).
The Lettermen
also recorded it, including it as a track on their 1964
album She Cried. We Five
also recorded it, including it as a track eleven on their 1965 album You Were On My Mind. The song also haunted jazz legend Shirley Horn
, who recorded a very intimate version on her 1987 album Softly. "Softly, as I Leave You" was reprised by Michael Bublé
as a B-side on his 2004 EP Feeling Good
.
The Sinatra family announced Frank's death on May 14, 1998 by placing an announcement on their website that was accompanied by a recording of the singer's version of the song.
The Sinatra version is in the key of B Major; it then modulates to key of D major, before returning to B. The general form of the chord progressions is: I, III, IV, V; (B major, D # minor, E major, F # major.) It transposes to key of D major, before falling back to B.
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
composed by Hal Shaper, Antonio De Vita (1932–1998), with original Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
lyrics by Giorgio Calabrese
Giorgio Calabrese
Giorgio Calabrese is a songwriter and frequent collaborator with French pop music star Charles Aznavour.Calabrese wrote the original Italian lyrics for the popular song Softly, as I Leave You, and the Italian version of Aznavour's famous song She, titled Lei.-References:...
.
It was originally an Italian success in 1960 by Mina
Mina (singer)
Anna Maria Quaini, Grand Officer , known as Mina, is an Italian pop singer. She was a staple of Italian television variety shows and a dominant figure in Italian pop music from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s known for her three-octave vocal range, the agility of her soprano voice, and her image as an...
, at the Sanremo Music Festival, entitled "Piano" ("Softly"). Mina published a recording of the song first time as a single in 1960, and later as well on an EP and on three LPs.
The English songwriter Hal Shaper noticed the song and in November 1961 wrote English lyrics to the melody, calling it "Softly, as I Leave You". It is best known in versions by Matt Monro
Matt Monro
Matt Monro was an English singer who became one of the most popular entertainers on the international music scene during the 1960s...
(#10 on the British charts in 1962
1962 in music
-Events:*January 1 – The Beatles and Brian Poole and the Tremeloes both audition at Decca Records, a company which has the option of signing one group only...
, Monro had US "Bubbling Under the Top 100" entries in Billboard in 1962 and 1964), and Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
(#27 on Billboard Hot 100 in 1964
1964 in music
-Events:*January 1 – Top of the Pops is broadcast for the first time, on BBC television.*January 3 – Footage of the Beatles performing a concert in Bournemouth, England is shown on The Jack Paar Show....
). Other recordings have been made by artists such as Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin , born Walden Robert Cassotto, was an American singer, actor and musician.Darin performed in a range of music genres, including pop, rock, jazz, folk and country...
, Andy Williams
Andy Williams
Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
, Robert Goulet, Doris Day
Doris Day
Doris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
(1964), Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
(1968) for her album This Is My Life
This Is My Life (Shirley Bassey album)
This Is My Life is a 1968 album by Shirley Bassey. The mid to late sixties was a period of declining popularity for traditional pop. How much the changing tastes in popular music directly affected Bassey's record sales is difficult to quantify; but her record sales had been faltering since the...
, Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
(recorded in 1973, released as a single in 1978), David Whitfield
David Whitfield
David Whitfield was a popular British male tenor vocalist. This operatic-style tenor had a formidable and predominantly female fan base in the 1950s.-Life and career:...
on New Zealand TV (1973), Eydie Gorme, and Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
(1983).
The Lettermen
The Lettermen
The Lettermen are an American male pop music vocal trio. The Lettermen's trademark is close-harmony pop songs with light arrangements. The group started in 1959...
also recorded it, including it as a track on their 1964
1964 in music
-Events:*January 1 – Top of the Pops is broadcast for the first time, on BBC television.*January 3 – Footage of the Beatles performing a concert in Bournemouth, England is shown on The Jack Paar Show....
album She Cried. We Five
We Five
We Five was a 1960s folk rock musical group based in San Francisco, California. Their best-known hit was their 1965 remake of Ian and Sylvia's "You Were on My Mind", which reached #1 on the Cashbox chart, #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart...
also recorded it, including it as a track eleven on their 1965 album You Were On My Mind. The song also haunted jazz legend Shirley Horn
Shirley Horn
Shirley Valerie Horn was an American jazz singer and pianist.-Biography:Encouraged by her grandmother, who was an amateur organist, Horn began piano lessons at the age of four. At twelve, Horn studied piano and composition at Howard University and later majored from there in classical music...
, who recorded a very intimate version on her 1987 album Softly. "Softly, as I Leave You" was reprised by Michael Bublé
Michael Bublé
Michael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was...
as a B-side on his 2004 EP Feeling Good
Feeling Good
"Feeling Good" is a song written by English singer-songwriters Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd starring Cy Grant, who sang the original version of the song...
.
The Sinatra family announced Frank's death on May 14, 1998 by placing an announcement on their website that was accompanied by a recording of the singer's version of the song.
The Sinatra version is in the key of B Major; it then modulates to key of D major, before returning to B. The general form of the chord progressions is: I, III, IV, V; (B major, D # minor, E major, F # major.) It transposes to key of D major, before falling back to B.