NANCY - Free Jazz Leadsheet

“Nancy (With the Laughing Face)” was composed by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Phil Silvers in 1942. It is famously associated with Frank Sinatra, who recorded the song and popularized it as a tender ballad dedicated to his daughter Nancy.

The first major recording was by Sinatra in 1944, accompanied by Axel Stordahl’s orchestra. Subsequent interpretations by jazz vocalists and instrumentalists have highlighted the song’s intimate and affectionate lyricism. Its structure follows a standard 32-bar AABA form, with a flowing melodic line that lends itself well to expressive phrasing and soft swing arrangements.