Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"A Fine Romance" is a popular song composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields, written for the 1936 RKO musical film Swing Time. The song was introduced as a witty duet by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and Astaire's solo recording topped the charts for five weeks.

The song is a 32-bar AABA form in the original key of C major, typically performed at a brisk quickstep tempo. The melody features conversational phrasing with playful intervallic leaps that mirror the sarcastic, banter-filled lyrics. The A sections employ straightforward diatonic harmony, while the bridge introduces brief modulations that add harmonic variety. The charming tension between the ironic lyrics and the cheerful, lilting melody gives the song its distinctive character and enduring appeal among jazz performers.

Among the most celebrated jazz recordings is the 1957 duet by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong on Ella and Louis Again. Frank Sinatra recorded a swinging big-band version arranged by Johnny Mandel for his 1961 album Ring-a-Ding-Ding!. Ella Fitzgerald also delivered a sophisticated solo rendition on her 1963 Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Jerome Kern Song Book for Verve Records.