IF I SHOULD LOSE YOU - Free Jazz Leadsheet

Composed by Ralph Rainger with lyrics by Leo Robin in 1936, "if i should lose you" is a sophisticated, emotionally resonant ballad. Its harmonically rich and rhythmically flexible composition made it a natural for jazz interpretation.

The first recording was by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra in New York in 1936, capturing its lyrical and poignant qualities. Later versions by Nat King Cole, Chet Baker, and Billie Holiday expanded its reach into the jazz canon.

The lyrics express the vulnerability and fear of losing love, while the song’s 32-bar AABA structure allows for subtle melodic variations and improvisational phrasing.