What Is This Thing Called Love?

What Is This Thing Called Love?

Composer

Cole Porter

Lyricist

Cole Porter

Published

1955

Album

In the Wee Small Hours (1955)

Artist

Frank Sinatra

Release

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Recording

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Release

1955

Recording

March 4, 1955

Royalties

Audio

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"What Is This Thing Called Love?" is a song featured in Frank Sinatra's 1955 album In the Wee Small Hours.

History

"What Is This Thing Called Love?" was written by Cole Porter in 1929 initially to be used in the musical Wake Up and Dream. However, since this initial performance by Elsie Carlisle, the song as become quite popular and has been considered one of Porter's finer jazz standards.

Releases

Studio recordings

• In the Wee Small Hours (1955)

Reissues

• Concepts (1992)
• The Best of the Capitol Years (1992)
• Sinatra 80th: All the Best (1995)
• Frank Sinatra Sings the Select Cole Porter (1996)
• The Capitol Years (1998)
• Greatest Love Songs (2008)

Lyrics

What is this thing called love?
This funny thing called love
Just who can solve, its mystery?
And why should it make
A fool of me?

I saw you there, one wonderful day
But you took my heart
And you threw my heart away
That's why I ask the Lord
Up in Heaven above
Just what is this thing called love?

Other artists

Other artists that have recorded "What Is This Thing Called Love?."
George Metaxa Billie Holiday Ella Fitzgerald Clifford Brown and Max Roach Quintet Bill Evans Coleman Hawkins The Pasadena Roof Orchestra Wynton Marsalis Jazz Orchestra of the Delta Lemar Gwyneth Paltrow