Pop Standards
The song was written by Hal David and Sherman Edwards and first published in 1958. Sarah Vaughan, known for her inspired work as a jazz vocalist, had a hit with it in 1959, as it went to #7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on the R&B Chart. It also rose to #3 in Canada and #7 in the U.K. The story is that Vaughan thought the song was kind of corny, but, nonetheless, it sold more than one million copies and earned an RIAA gold record (her first). It was also in her concert repertoire over the years.
Sarah Lois Vaughan, also known as “Sassy” and “The Divine One,” was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1924. Her career spanned nearly 50 years, from 1942 to 1990. She was praised for bringing an “operatic splendor” to pop and jazz standards with a large vocal range from soprano to a female baritone. She died in 1990 at the age of 66.