What Is This Thing Called Love? (song)

"What Is This Thing Called Love?"is a 1929 popular song written by Cole Porter, for the musical Wake Up and Dream. It was first performed by Elsie Carlisle in March 1929. The song has become a popular jazz standard and one of Porter's most often played compositions.

Wake Up and Dream ran for 263 shows in London. The show was also noticed in New York, and the critics praised Tilly Losch's performance of the song. The show was produced on Broadway in December 1929; in the American rendition, "What Is This Thing Called Love" was sung by Frances Shelley. Ginny Simms performed the song in the 1946 biographical film about Porter's life, Night and Day.

Jazz musicians soon included the song in their repertoire. The recordings of Ben Bernie and Fred Rich made it to the charts in 1930, and the song was also recorded by stride pianist James P. Johnson, clarinetist Artie Shaw and guitarist Les Paul. The piece is usually performed at a fast tempo; the 1956 recording of Clifford Brown and Max Roach with Sonny Rollins is one of the best-known uptempo instrumental versions. Saxophonist Sidney Bechet made a slow rendition in 1941 with Charlie Shavers.

The chord progression of the song forms the basis of several jazz compositions, such as:
 * "Hot House" by Tadd Dameron
 * "Barry's Bop" by Fats Navarro
 * "Subconscious-Lee" by Lee Konitz
 * "Fifth House" by John Coltrane
 * "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am" by Charles Mingus

Notable recordings

 * George Metaxa - single (1929)
 * Libby Holman - single (1930)
 * Billie Holiday with Bob Haggart and His Orchestra (Joe Guy on trumpet, Bill Stegmeyer on alto saxophone, Armand Camgros and Hank Ross on tenor saxophones, Stan Webb on baritone saxophone, Sammy Benskin on piano, Tiny Grimes on guitar, Bob Haggart on bass and conductor, Specs Powell on drums, and a strings sextet) in New York City on August 14, 1945 for Decca.
 * Frank Sinatra – In the Wee Small Hours (1954)
 * Ella Fitzgerald – Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook (1956)
 * Clifford Brown and Max Roach Quintet – Clifford Brown and Max Roach at Basin Street (1956)
 * Bill Evans – Portrait in Jazz (1959)
 * Coleman Hawkins – Live in England '64 with Harry "Sweets" Edison (Jazz Icons Series IV) (1964)
 * The Pasadena Roof Orchestra – The Best of the Pasadena Roof Orchestra (1973)
 * Wynton Marsalis – Standard Time Vol.2 (1991)
 * Jazz Orchestra of the Delta - Big Band Reflections of Cole Porter (2003)
 * Lemar – De-Lovely Soundtrack (2004)
 * Gwyneth Paltrow – Infamous Soundtrack (2005)
 * Dexter Gordon on his album "The Other Side of Round Midnight" (1985)