You're Just In Love

Album: Call Me Madam (1950)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "You're Just In Love" is also known as "Just In Love," "(I Wonder Why?) You're Just In Love," or "You're Just In Love (I Wonder Why?)". The brackets are understandable, but the questionmark? This song was written by Irving Berlin for Call Me Madam.
  • There are very few popular songs written in counterpoint, and even fewer that succeed, this being a rare exception.
  • Although this has been recorded many times, the original, by Russell Nype and Ethel Merman, is still arguably the best; Merman having quite the most extraordinary voice for a woman, although she was said to be have been unimpressed with this number at the time.
  • Call Me Madam was a big success, even by Berlin's high standards, running for 644 performances at the Imperial Theatre, New York City from October 12, 1950. Merman also performed the song in the film version, three years later.
  • "You're Just In Love" was published by Irving Berlin Music Corporation in 1950 and recorded no less than three times in the early fifties, by Perry Como with The Fontane Sisters and Rosemary Clooney with Guy Mitchell in addition to Merman with Dick Haymes.
  • Irving Berlin was born in 1888, was already a big name in American popular music by World War One, had been widowed in his early 20s, and by 1950 had been married to his second wife for the best part of a quarter of a century, so to lapse into the vernacular, he was no spring chicken, and had also been around the block a bit. Nevertheless, with "You're Just In Love" he captures the at times daffy way people behave on Cloud Nine as well as if not better than many writers half his age. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for all above

Comments: 2

  • Ann O'brien from MarylandOur favorite song!
  • Katy from Atkinson , NhI was just in the Irving Berlin musical Annie Get Your Gun
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!

Superman in Song

Superman in SongSong Writing

Not everyone can be a superhero, but that hasn't stopped generations of musicians from trying to be Superman.

Rick Astley

Rick AstleySongwriter Interviews

Rick Astley on "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Cry For Help," and his remarkable resurgence that gave him another #1 UK album.