Softly, as I Leave You (song)

"Softly, as I Leave You"
"Softly, as I Leave You"
Single by Frank Sinatra
from the album Softly, as I Leave You
B-side	"Then Suddenly Love"
Released	1964
Genre	Traditional pop
Length	2:50
Label	Reprise
Songwriter(s)	Giorgio Calabrese, Hal Shaper, Tony De Vita
Frank Sinatra singles chronology

"Softly, as I Leave You"
"Softly, as I Leave You"
Single by Matt Monro
B-side	"Is There Anything I Can Do"
Released	1962
Genre	Traditional pop
Length	3:25
Label	Parlophone
Songwriter(s)	Giorgio Calabrese, Hal Shaper, Tony De Vita
Matt Monro singles chronology

"Piano"
"Piano"
Song
Language	Italian
English title	Softly, as I Leave You
Composer(s)	Tony De Vita (music)
Lyricist(s)	Giorgio Calabrese (Italian lyrics); Hal Shaper (English lyrics)

"Softly, as I Leave You" is a popular Italian song, originally titled Piano, composed by Tony De Vita with Italian lyrics by Giorgio Calabrese, and English lyrics by Hal Shaper.

Background

It was originally an Italian success by Mina, entitled "Piano" ("Softly"). Mina published a recording of the song first as a single in 1960 and later on an EP and on three LPs. English songwriter Hal Shaper noticed the song and in November 1961 wrote English lyrics to the melody, calling it "Softly, as I Leave You."

When he performed the song live in Las Vegas, Elvis Presley prefaced with a story about the origins of the song. Presley said the song originated when a man was dying and his wife was sitting by his bedside. As she began to doze off, he felt himself beginning to die and he wrote the words to the song on a notepad. However, Presley insiders claim that his explanation for the song was merely an example of Presley's flair for storytelling, so his explanation is most likely apocryphal. Presley said he heard the story "from some people in Florida." Elvis doesn't actually sing this song; he speaks the words while his backing tenor Sherrill Nielsen sings it. Presley's one recorded version of this song was a bootleg made by a fan in the Las Vegas Hilton show on 13 December 1975. RCA was able to release it commercially in March 1978^[1] and it now appears on the boxed set Walk A Mile In My Shoes: The Essential 70's Masters.

Cover versions

Matt Monro (1962) Parlophone 45 R 4868, whose single peaked at #10 in UK Singles Chart ^[2] Also include on the 1965 album, Hits Of Yesterday
Andy Williams (1964)
Bobby Darin (1965)
The Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of John Williams on their 1993 album Night and Day: John Williams and the Boston Pops Celebrate Sinatra.
Cliff Richard with the London Philharmonic Orchestra on Richard's 1983 live album Dressed for the Occasion.
David Whitfield did a cover of the song on New Zealand TV (1973).
Doris Day (1963)
Elvis Presley a version recorded live by a fan in Las Vegas in 1975 was released posthumously as a single by RCA in 1978.
Eydie Gormé reached No. 30 on the US Easy Listening chart in 1967 with her version.^[3]
Frank Sinatra on his 1964 album Softly, as I Leave You. This version went to No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the Easy Listening chart in 1964).^[4] The Sinatra family announced Frank's death on May 14, 1998, by placing an announcement on their website that was accompanied by a recording of the singer's version of the song.^{[citation needed]}
The Fleetwoods on their 1964 album Before and After.
John Gary released a version on his 1967 album John Gary at Carnegie Hall.
The Lettermen on their 1964 album She Cried
Robert Goulet (1964)
Shirley Bassey for her 1968 album This is My Life
The Sandpipers on their 1967 album The Sandpipers
We Five on their 1965 album You Were on My Mind
Lena Horne on her 1965 album Feelin' Good
Johnny Rivers on his 1966 album Changes (which also features his version of "Poor Side of Town")
Vic Damone on his 1982 album Over the Rainbow
Howard Keel on his 1984 album And I Love You So
Shirley Horn on her 1987 album Softly
Michael Bublé as the B-side to "Feeling Good" in 2004
Ramon "RJ" Jacinto on his 2014 instrumental album Fine as Wine Instrumentals
Mirusia on her 2017 album "From the Heart"
Patti LaBelle 2017 album "Bel Hommage"

References

^ "Elvis Presley - Unchained Melody". 45cat.com. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
^ "Matt Monro - Full Official Chart History". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 105.
^ "Frank Sinatra Songs • Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. 8 September 1929. Retrieved 23 July 2016.

[1] "Elvis Presley - Unchained Melody". 45cat.com. Retrieved 19 February 2020.

[2] "Matt Monro - Full Official Chart History". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 March 2018.

[3] Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 105.

[4] "Frank Sinatra Songs • Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. 8 September 1929. Retrieved 23 July 2016.

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v t e Frank Sinatra singles
Discography
Columbia singles (1939–1940)	"It's Funny to Everyone but Me" "On a Little Street in Singapore" "Ciribiribin" "All or Nothing at All"
RCA Victor singles (1940–1942)	"Imagination" "I'll Be Seeing You" "East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)" "I'll Never Smile Again" "The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)" "Our Love Affair" "We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me)" "Stardust" "Dolores" "It's Always You" "Oh! Look at Me Now" "Without a Song" "Let's Get Away from It All" "This Love of Mine" "Blue Skies" "Pale Moon (An Indian Love Song)" "Embraceable You" "Just as Though You Were Here" "Take Me" "In the Blue of Evening" "How About You?" "There Are Such Things"
Bluebird singles (1942–1943)	"Night and Day" "The Night We Called It a Day" "The Song Is You"
Columbia singles (1943–1953)	"Close to You" "You'll Never Know" "Sunday, Monday, or Always" "People Will Say We're in Love" "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" "A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening" "White Christmas" "Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night of the Week)" "I Dream of You (More Than You Dream I Do)" "Ol' Man River" "Stormy Weather" "When Your Lover Has Gone" "Dream" "If I Loved You" "You'll Never Walk Alone" "Mighty Lak' a Rose" "Nancy (with the Laughing Face)" "America the Beautiful" "Day by Day" "Full Moon and Empty Arms" "Soliloquy (Part 1 & 2)" "Begin the Beguine" "Silent Night" "Adeste Fideles" "Jingle Bells" "Oh! What It Seemed to Be" "September Song" "Five Minutes More" "Sweet Lorraine" "Time after Time" "Mam'selle" "Almost Like Being in Love" "Tea for Two" "My Romance" "So Far" "A Fellow Needs a Girl" "But Beautiful" "I've Got a Crush on You" "All of Me" "Nature Boy" "Everybody Loves Somebody" "My Melancholy Baby" "Autumn in New York" "Why Can't You Behave?" "Some Enchanted Evening" "Bali Ha'i" "Let's Take an Old Fashioned Walk" "I Only Have Eyes for You" "The Old Master Painter" "Peachtree Street" "Goodnight, Irene" "Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)" "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" "We Kiss in a Shadow" "April in Paris" "I Could Write a Book" "The Birth of the Blues"
Capitol singles (1953–1961)	"I'm Walking Behind You" "I've Got the World on a String" "My One and Only Love" "South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)" "I Love You" "Young at Heart" "Don't Worry 'bout Me" "Three Coins in the Fountain" "The Gal That Got Away" "Someone to Watch Over Me" "Melody of Love" "Learnin' the Blues" "Love and Marriage" "(Love Is) The Tender Trap" "You're Sensational" "True Love" "Well, Did You Evah!" "Mind If I Make Love to You?" "Hey! Jealous Lover" "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" "All the Way" "Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)" "Witchcraft" "Mistletoe and Holly" "French Foreign Legion" "High Hopes" "Old MacDonald" "My Blue Heaven" "I'll Remember April" "I Love Paris"
Reprise singles (1961–1983)	"Granada" "I'll Be Seeing You" "The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)" "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" "Without a Song" "Stardust" "Come Rain or Come Shine" "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" "Me and My Shadow" "Call Me Irresponsible" "I Have Dreamed" "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" "My Kind of Town" "Softly, as I Leave You" "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" "The Little Drummer Boy" "It Was a Very Good Year" "Strangers in the Night" "Summer Wind" "You Make Me Feel So Young" "That's Life" "The September of My Years" "Somethin' Stupid" "The World We Knew (Over and Over)" "My Way of Life" "My Way" "Goin' Out of My Head" "Something" "Bein' Green" "Send In the Clowns" "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" "Theme from New York, New York" "Here's to the Band" "To Love a Child"
Qwest singles (1983–1984)	"Teach Me Tonight" "Mack the Knife" "It's All Right with Me" "Until the Real Thing Comes Along"
Compositions	"This Love of Mine" "Sheila" "Peachtree Street" "Take My Love" "I'm a Fool to Want You" "Mistletoe and Holly" "Mr. Success"
Category

v t e We Five
Beverly Bivens Michael Stewart Jerry Burgan Pete Fullerton Bob Jones Debbie Burgan
Studio albums	You Were on My Mind Make Someone Happy The Return of We Five Catch the Wind Take Each Day as It Comes
Singles	"You Were on My Mind" "Let's Get Together" "My Favorite Things" "Walk On By" "Catch the Wind"
B-Sides	"Cast Your Fate to the Wind" "Somewhere Beyond the Sea" "Somewhere" "The First Time" "Here Comes the Sun" "Oh Lonesome Me"
Cover Songs	"Can't Help Falling in Love" "The Inch Worm" "Our Day Will Come" "Softly As I Leave You" "Soon It's Gonna Rain" "Tonight"