‘My One And Only Love’ was one of two bonus tracks on the deluxe edition of Paul McCartney’s 2012 album Kisses On The Bottom.
With music written by Guy Wood and lyrics by Robert Mellin, ‘My One And Only Love’ was published in 1952. Frank Sinatra recorded it on 2 May 1953.
A number of other versions followed. Doris Day and Andre Previn recorded it for the 1962 album Duet, and the following year it appeared on John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman’s eponymous masterpiece.
These versions helped propel ‘My One And Only Love’ to American standard status. In the years since, the song has been recorded by artists including Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Rickie Lee Jones, Sonny Rollins, Oscar Peterson, Jamie Cullum and Gwilym Simcock.
There’s one [song] that’s quite famous, particularly in jazz circles, called ‘My One And Only Love’, which I’d never heard, it had passed me by. But it’s beautifully crafted, one of my favourite songs now.
It was recorded by Sting for the 1995 film Leaving Las Vegas, and by Rod Stewart for his 2005 album Thanks For The Memory: The Great American Songbook Volume IV.
In the studio
The basic track for ‘My One And Only Love’ was recorded in March 2010 at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, with the orchestra overdubbed at Abbey Road Studios in London. The rhythm arrangement was by Diana Krall.
Lyrics
The very thought of you
Makes My heart sing
Like an April breeze
On the wings of spring
And you appear in all your splendour
My one and only love
The shadows fall
And spread their mystic charms
In the hush of night
While you’re in my arms
I feel your lips so warm and tender
My one and only love
The touch of your hand is like heaven
A heaven that I’ve never known
The blush on your cheek
Whenever I speak
Tells me that you are my own
You fill my eager heart
With such desire
Every kiss you give
Sets my soul on fire
I give myself in sweet surrender
My one and only love
The touch of your hand is like heaven
A heaven that I’ve never known
The blush on your cheek
Whenever I speak
Tells me that you are my own, mmm
You fill my eager heart
With such desire
Every kiss you give
Sets my soul on fire
I give myself in sweet surrender
My one and only love
