THE LAMP IS LOW - Free Jazz Leadsheet

"The Lamp Is Low" was adapted in 1939 by Peter DeRose, Bert Shefter, and Mitchell Parish, who fashioned the song from Ravel’s "Pavane pour une infante défunte." The first notable recording appeared shortly after publication by Mitchell Ayres and His Fashions in Music, who helped bring the tune into the popular music sphere.

Its haunting melody has since inspired recordings by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and numerous instrumentalists. Drawing directly from Ravel’s harmonic world, the tune retains a classical elegance while fitting into a 32-bar popular-song form, blending impressionistic harmony with a lyrical, romantic theme.