Autumn Leaves (1945 song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to navigationJump to search

"Les feuilles mortes"

Song by Yves Montand and Irène Joachim

English title "Autumn Leaves"

Written 1945

Released 1946 by Enoch & Cie (fr)

Genre Jazz, pop

Composer(s) Joseph Kosma

Lyricist(s) Jacques Prévert (French), Johnny Mercer (English)

"Autumn Leaves" is a popular song and jazz standard composed by Joseph Kosma with
original lyrics by Jacques Prévert in French, and later by Johnny Mercer in English. An
instrumental version by pianist Roger Williams was a #1 best-seller in
the USA Billboard charts of 1955.

Contents

 1Background
 2Structure and chord progression
 3Other versions
 4References
 5External links

Background[edit]
Kosma was a native of Hungary who was introduced to Prévert in Paris. They collaborated
on the song ''Les Feuilles mortes'' [fr] ("The Dead Leaves") for the 1946 film Les Portes de la
nuit (Gates of the Night) where it was sung by Irène Joachim.[1] Kosma was influenced by a
piece of ballet music, "Rendez-vous" written for Roland Petit, which was itself borrowed
partially from "Poème d'octobre" by Jules Massenet.[2] The first commercial recordings of
"Les Feuilles mortes" were released in 1950, by Cora Vaucaire [fr][3] and by Yves
Montand.[4] Johnny Mercer wrote English lyrics and gave it the title "Autumn Leaves".[1]

Structure and chord progression[edit]

 "Autumn Leaves"

MENU

0:00
Sample of a recording of
"Autumn Leaves" by Eva
Cassidy from the album Live
at Blues Alley (1996)

Problems playing this file? See media

help.

The song is in AABC form.[5] "Autumn Leaves" offers a popular way for beginning jazz
musicians to become acquainted with jazz harmony as the chord progression consists
almost solely of ii–V–I and ii–V sequences which are typical of jazz. It was originally, and is
most commonly, performed in the key of G minor, but is also played in E minor and other
keys. Eva Cassidy's version (clip on the right) is played in B-flat minor.
Its iv7–VII7–IIImaj7–VImaj7–iiø7–V7–i chord progression is an example of the circle-of-
fifths progression.[6]