BECAUSE OF YOU - Free Jazz Leadsheet

"Because of You" was composed by Dudley Wilkinson with lyrics by Arthur Hammerstein in 1940. Initially introduced in the film I Was an American Spy, it gained immense popularity in 1951 when Tony Bennett’s version topped the Billboard charts, marking his first major hit.

The earliest recording was by Larry Clinton and His Orchestra in 1940, but Bennett’s Columbia session in New York, arranged by Percy Faith, gave the song its enduring identity. Later interpretations by Connie Francis, Ray Conniff, and Dexter Gordon further demonstrated its adaptability across genres.

The song follows a 32-bar AABA structure with lush romantic harmonies and a lyrical theme of love and gratitude. Its smooth melodic contour makes it ideal for expressive phrasing and emotional delivery. Today, it remains one of the quintessential mid-century ballads linking popular and jazz traditions.