IF I LOVE AGAIN - Free Jazz Leadsheet

Written by Jack Murray and Ben Oakland in 1933, "if i love again" is a reflective ballad combining heartfelt lyrics with a soaring, melodic line. Its harmonic sophistication and expressive phrasing have made it a favorite for jazz vocalists and instrumentalists alike.

The first recording was by Leo Reisman and His Orchestra in New York in 1933. Later renditions by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nat King Cole highlighted its lyrical beauty and interpretive flexibility.

The lyrics contemplate the courage and hope involved in opening one’s heart again, while the musical structure uses a 32-bar form with elegant melodic contours, allowing for emotive interpretation and subtle improvisation.