Top 10 Romantic Jazz Songs (Part 1)

10 of the Best Romantic Jazz Songs

1. Ella Fitzgerald—“All the Things You Are”

“Queen Ella” may just be the best jazz vocalist who has ever lived, making it hard to pick out only one song to represent her gifts. A good example, however, would be “All the Things You Are,” a 1939 show tune that finds sublime expression in Ella Fitzgerald’s hands (or throat, as we should say).

2. Louis Armstrong—“Dream a Little Dream of Me”

Legendary jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong is almost as well known for his unique, raspy voice as for his virtuoso playing. He is widely considered to be the most important figure to popularize jazz in the early twentieth century. Armstrong’s version of “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” a 1931 standard, is as sweet as they come.

3. Frank Sinatra—“As Time Goes By”

Here we have a combination of two pinnacles of romance: crooner Frank Sinatra and the movie Casablanca. Although the song was written in 1931, its use in Casablanca exposed millions of people to it for the first time. A newly popular tune, it went on to become a staple among prominent jazz

4. Billie Holiday—“Crazy He Calls Me”

Billie Holiday, one of the most famous jazz singers, recorded this song in 1949. Although at the time it was a modest hit on the charts, it has since become much-loved and was even inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Holiday was known especially for her emotional style, and it finds great expression in this jazz classic singers such as Sinatra.

5. Nat King Cole—“Unforgettable”






“Unforgettable” is the signature song of Nat King Cole, one of the jazz greats and also a successful variety show host in the 1950s. He faced the harsh effects of racism throughout his career, but still became world-famous. He was an admired crooner, considered to be in the same class as other legends Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.