Laura

By David Raksin & Johnny Mercer
1945

The haunting melody was written by Raksin as the main theme of Otto Preminger's 1944 film noir classic of the same name, starring Gene Tierney. Preminger had wanted to use "Sophisticated Lady", but Raksin insisted it was wrong. The following year, Mercer added equally haunting lyrics. The song was a major hit, with five top-ten recordings that year alone, the first of which was by Woody Herman. Raksin was reportedly inspired by a "Dear John" letter written to him by his wife.

Lyrics:

You know the feeling of something half remembered?
Of something that never happened, yet you recall it well?
You know the feeling of recognizing someone
That you've never met, as far as you could tell? Well...

Laura
Is the face in the misty light,
Footsteps that you hear down the hall.
The laugh that floats on a summer night,
That you can never quite recall.

And you see Laura
On the train that is passing through.
Those eyes, how familiar they seem.
She gave your very first kiss to you
That was Laura,
But she's only a dream.

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Ella Fitzgerald
Dick Haymes
Julie London
Charlie Parker