(Love Is) The Tender Trap

"(Love Is) The Tender Trap" is a popular song composed by Jimmy Van Heusen, with lyrics by Sammy Cahn.^[1]

"(Love Is) The Tender Trap"
Song by Debbie Reynolds and Frank Sinatra
from the album The Tender Trap
B-side	"Canoodlin' Rag"
Released	1955 (1955)
Genre	Traditional pop, big band
Label	MGM
Songwriter(s)	Sammy Cahn
Composer(s)	Jimmy Van Heusen

It was written for the 1955 film The Tender Trap, where it was introduced by Debbie Reynolds and Frank Sinatra, who each sing the song separately.^[1] It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, but lost to "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" from the film of the same name.^[1]

A version by Frank Sinatra became a major hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at no. 2 in February 1956.^[2] It reached no. 7 in the US charts.^[3]

Other recordings

• Bing Crosby recorded the song in 1955^[4] for use on his radio show and it was subsequently included in the box set The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings (1954–56) issued by Mosaic Records (catalog MD7-245) in 2009.^[5]
• Debbie Reynolds (1956).^[6]
• Denny Dennis (1956).^[7]
• Ella Fitzgerald (1956).^[8]
• Frank Sinatra recorded it again in 1962 for his album Sinatra–Basie: An Historic Musical First.^[9]
• Sammy Davis Jr. – for his album The Wham of Sam (1961)^[10]

• Billy Eckstine – for his album Don't Warry bout me (1962) "The Wham of Sam – Sammy Davis Jr.
• Billy Eckstine – for his album Don't Warry bout me (1962) Songs, Reviews, Credits
• Robert Palmer – from the album Robert Palmer (1992), which was also used on the soundtrack of the film True Romance. ^[11]
• Stacey Kent – included in her album Love Is...The Tender Trap (1998)^[12]
• Steve Lawrence – for his album Academy Award Losers (1964).^[13]

References

1. The Tender Trap at IMDb
2. British Hit Singles & Albums (18th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Ltd. 2005. p. 459. ISBN 1-904994-00-8.
3. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). New York: Billboard Books. p. 575. ISBN 0-8230-7499-4.
4. "A Bing Crosby Discography". Bingmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
5. "The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings 1954–56 – Bing Crosby | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
6. "Debbie Reynolds – (Love Is) The Tender Trap". 45cat.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
7. "Denny Dennis Discography". Dennydennis.co.uk. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
8. "Ella Fitzgerald – My One And Only Love". 45cat.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
9. "Sinatra-Basie: An Historic Musical First – Frank Sinatra, Count Basie | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
10. "The Wham of Sam – Sammy Davis Jr. | AllMusic"". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
11. "Robert Palmer – Ridin' High". Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
12. "Love Is...The Tender Trap – Stacey Kent | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
13. "Academy Award Losers – Steve Lawrence | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 April 2021.