Love For Sale

With Oscar Peterson on piano, "Love for Sale" is a song by Cole Porter, from the musical The New Yorkers which opened on Broadway on December 8, 1930 and closed in May 1931 after 168 performances. The song is written from the viewpoint of a prostitute advertising various kinds of "love for sale": "Old love, new love, every love but true love". The song's chorus, like many in the Great American Songbook, is written in the A-A-B-A format. However, instead of 32 bars, it's 64, plus an 8-bar tag. The tag is often dropped when the song is performed. The tune, using what is practically a trademark for Porter, shifts between a major and minor feeling. "Love for Sale" was originally considered in bad taste, even scandalous. In the initial Broadway production, it was performed by Kathryn Crawford, portraying a streetwalker, with three girlfriends (Waring's Three Girl Friends) as back-up singers, in front of Reuben's, a popular restaurant of the time. As a response to the criticism, the song was transferred from the white Crawford to the African American singer Elisabeth Welch, who sang with back-up singers in a scene set in front of Harlem's Cotton Club. Despite the fact the song was banned from radio airplay, or perhaps because of it, it became a hit, with Libby Holman's version going to #5 and the "Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians" version going to #14, both in 1931. (All other 1931 recordings of the song were as an instrumental.) Billie's accompanied by Charlie Shavers (trumpet) Flip Phillips (tenor saxophone) Oscar Peterson (piano) Barney Kessel (guitar) Ray Brown (bass) and J.C. Heard (drums). Recorded in Los Angeles, April, 1952. Love for sale Appetizing, young love for sale. Love that's fresh and still unspoiled. Love that's only slighty soiled. Love for sale. Who will buy? Who will like to sample my supply? Who's prepared to pay the price For a trip to paradise? Love for sale. Let the poets pipe of love In their childish way. I know every type of love Better far than they. If you want the thrill of love I've been through the mill of love. Old love. New love. Every love, but true love. Love for sale. Appetizing young love for sale. If you want to buy my wares, Follow me and climb the stairs. Love for sale.