Love Is the Sweetest Thing

"Love Is the Sweetest Thing" is a popular song written in 1932 by British band leader and singer Ray Noble. Using guest vocalist Al Bowlly, Noble's recording was a big hit on both sides of the Atlantic, bringing Noble his first American success.^[4] It was published by Francis, Day & Hunter Ltd.^[2] Like most compositions published in the period (commonly called Tin Pan Alley songs), its main refrain (in thirty-two bar A-A-B-A form) is preceded with what were then called "sectional verses" or "introductory verses" which are usually omitted from early recordings and modern performances.

The following artists, among others, have made recordings :-

• Ray Noble and His New Mayfair Orchestra (8 September 1932) – vocal by Al Bowlly.
• Jack Hylton and His Orchestra (4 October 1932) – vocal by J. Pat O'Malley.
• Jack Payne and His Orchestra (14 November 1932) – vocal by Jack Payne. Recorded for inclusion in the British musical drama film Say It with Music.
• Hal Kemp and His Orchestra (14 August 1933) – vocal by Skinnay Ennis.^[5][6]
• Perry Como – recorded circa mid-February, 1945 from a "Chesterfield Supper Club" radio broadcast and issued as a V-Disc Record Number A-444-B (Navy N-224-B).^[7]
• Mel Tormé (1946).
• Artie Shaw and His Orchestra (1950).
• Bing Crosby recorded the song in 1954^[8] for use on his radio show and it was subsequently included in the box set The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings (1954–56) issued by Mosaic Records (catalog MD7-245) in 2009.^[9]
• Mario Lanza – recorded for his Coca-Cola Radio Show in 1952 and included in the album The Touch of Your Hand (1955).
• Gogi Grant – included in her album Suddenly There's Gogi Grant (1956).
• Ferlin Husky – included in his album Sittin' on a Rainbow (1958).
• Frankie Vaughan – a single release in 1959.^[10]
• Dinah Washington – for her album Dinah Washington – In Love (1962).
• Operatic tenor, Saverio Saridis (The Singing Cop),^[11] went to #86 on the US Hot 100 with his recording in 1962.^[12]
• Mary Hopkin – included in her album Post Card (1969).
• Peter Skellern – for the album Skellern (1978).^[13]

• 1932 Say It with Music – performed by Jack Payne
• 1945 Confidential Agent – performed by Lynn Baggett at the road house
• 1956 Reach for the Sky
• 1959 The Lady Is a Square – sung by Frankie Vaughan
• 1959 The Captain's Table
• 1970 Country Dance – sung by Al Bowlly
• 1978 "The Sweetest Thing" (episode 2 of Pennies from Heaven) – sung by Al Bowlly
• 1980 Rising Damp
• 1990 Come See the Paradise – performed by Mark Earley
• 2004 Death on the Nile – the BBC-TV series with David Suchet as Hercule Poirot – sung by Al Bowlly
• 2004 Spider-Man 2 – performed by Peter Cincotti and The Peter Cincotti Trio

First introductory verse:

Whether you're 20 and starting in life

Whether to 30 you've grown

Whether to 40, a husband or wife,

Whether you're 50, a Darby and Joan

There's one thing certain that you'll have to own...

Start of main refrain (nowadays "Verse One"):

Love is the sweetest thing

What else on earth could ever bring

Such happiness to ev'rything

As Love's old story.

End of main refrain (nowadays "Verse Three"):

Love is the greatest thing

The oldest yet, the latest thing

I only hope that fate may bring

Love's story to you.