THE LAST TIME I SAW PARIS - Free Jazz Leadsheet

"The Last Time I Saw Paris" was written by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and published in 1940. Kate Smith made the first widely distributed recording that same year, soon followed by performances in the 1941 film "Lady Be Good," where the song gained further recognition.

The tune captures nostalgic longing for a city changed by wartime conditions and has been recorded by artists including Tony Bennett and Dinah Shore. Its flowing 32-bar melodic design supports reflective interpretation, combining Kern’s characteristic harmonic warmth with Hammerstein’s evocative lyric imagery.