"The Nearness of You" is a popular song written in 1938 by Hoagy Carmichael, with lyrics by Ned Washington. The song was performed in the Paramount film Romance in the Dark (1938) by the lead actress Gladys Swarthout of the Metropolitan Opera. However, some debate this origin.
The first big-selling version was recorded on April 28, 1940 by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, with a vocal by Ray Eberle (Bluebird catalog number B-10745-A). This recording first reached the Billboard Best Seller chart on July 20, 1940 (though this is misleading, as this was Billboard's first chart) and lasted eight weeks on the chart, peaking at #5.
Other popular contemporary versions were recorded by Kay Kyser's orchestra (vocal: Harry Babbitt, Columbia catalog number 35488), by Dinah Shore with Paul Weston's orchestra (Bluebird catalog number 10793), and by Eddy Howard with Lou Adrian's orchestra (Columbia catalog number 35511).
In 1953, Bob Manning reached #16 on the pop charts with this song on Capitol Records #2383
Jonathan Frakes[4] performed the song on trombone in "11001001" (1988), the 15th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, while in a holographic simulation of a 1958 New Orleans bar.
Sheena Easton released her version from her standards album in No Strings (1993) and for the soundtrack of Indecent Proposal (1993), in which she appears in a cameo singing the song with Herbie Hancock playing the piano in the movie.
Steve Buscemi sang/cried a version of the song as the not so happy character, Happy Franks, in the film The Impostors (1998), after the band leader protests that it is a little slow.
The song was performed by Norah Jones on her album Come Away With Me (2002), and (partially) in the film Two Weeks Notice (2002). It was also performed by Diana Krall on the Geoff Keezer album, Turn Up the Quiet.
A well-known bootleg recording exists featuring the Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards performing a solo version, accompanying himself on piano. Richards performed the song live during the Stones' 2002-2003 Licks Tour. A performance was captured and released on the live album Live Licks (2004).
German jazz and pop artist Marc Secara recorded the song with the Berlin Jazz Orchestra on the CD You're Everything (2008); this was arranged for big band by Steve Gray.
Norah Jones performed the song live at the Steve Jobs Memorial/Celebration of Life, at the Apple, Inc. corporate headquarters on October 19, 2011.
Paul Anka
Ray Anthony
Eddy Arnold
Shirley Bassey
Perla Batalla
Brook Benton
Jackie Gleason
Pat Boone
Boston Pops Orchestra
Connee Boswell (Decca) with "Blueberry Hill")
James Brown
Michael Brecker and James Taylor
Les Brown
Ray Brown
Chick Bullock (recorded April 26, 1940, Vocalion) with "Fools Rush In")
Cake
Hoagy Carmichael
Bill Charlap
Larry Clinton (recorded May 22, 1940, Victor) with "When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano")
Rosemary Clooney
Arnett Cobb
Nat King Cole
Cy Coleman (MGM) with "You Call It Madness")
Bing Crosby
Vic Damone
Dorothy Dandridge
Sammy Davis, Jr. (1957, UK, Brunswick) with "Mad Ball")
Bill Doggett (1970 King) with "Moon Dust")
Bill Doggett Quartet (King) with "Honey")
Lou Donaldson (Blue Note) with "Mack the Knife")
The Dorsey Brothers
Jimmy Dorsey
Sheena Easton
Ray Eberle
Percy Faith
Robert Farnon
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong on Ella and Louis (Verve, 1956)
The Flamingos (1965 Philips) with "Don't Cheat On Me")
The Four Freshmen Golden Anniversary Celebrations (2001)
Judy Garland
Red Garland
Crystal Gayle
Stan Getz
Dizzy Gillespie
Robert Goulet
Stephane Grappelli
Lionel Hampton
Roy Hargrove
Johnny Hartman
Hash Brown (1963, Philips) with "I Got My Job Through The New York Times")
Ray Herbeck (Vocalion) with "When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano")
Woody Herman (recorded June 25, 1950, Capitol) with "Johannesburg")
Fred Hersch
Billie Holiday
Eddy Howard (Columbia) with "Fools Fall in Love")
Leslie Hutchinson
Milt Jackson
Etta James
Harry James (recorded May 1940, Varsity) with "Mister Meadowlark")
Joni James (1956, MGM) with "Let There Be Love", also included in her album Let There Be Love)
Dr. John
Norah Jones
Lisa Kelly & JB Scott (2013)
Marie Knight (1963 Diamond) and in Canada by Apex both with "Walk Away")
Kay Kyser (recorded April 30, 1940, Columbia) with "Blue Lovebird")
Annie Lennox
Abbey Lincoln and Hank Jones on When There is Love (February 22, 1994, Polygram)
Guy Lombardo (Decca) with "Blue Lovebird")
Julie London
Barbara Mandrell
Bob Manning (Capitol) and by Australian Capitol, both with the flip side "Gypsy Girl"; also by UK Capitol in 1953 with the flip side "All I Desire")
Mat Mathews Quintet (released 1952 by Brunswick with "Bag's Groove")
Brad Mehldau
Byron Melcher
Helen Merrill
Glenn Miller
Mina
Matt Monro
Little Joey Morant (Mala, 1960) with "The Great Pretender")
Gerry Mulligan
Peter Mulvey
Ricky Nelson
Willie Nelson
Eva Olmerová
Charlie Parker
A. Pouw and T. Kok
Della Reese on An Evening with Della Reese, 1958
Dianne Reeves
Joe Reisman Orchestra and Chorus
Marty Robbins
Amália Rodrigues
Rolling Stones
Al Romero (RCA Victor) with "Keep It Gay")
The Roommates (1963, Philips) with "Don't Cheat On Me")
George Shearing The Swingin's Mutual! (with Nancy Wilson) (1961)
Dinah Shore (recorded June 25, 1940, Bluebird) with "Maybe")
Frank Sinatra
Keely Smith
Tab Smith (Checker) and by Quality Records in Canada both with "Because of You")
Jo Stafford
The Stepping Stones (1963, Philips) with "I Get My Job Through The New York Times")
Rod Stewart
Ted Straeter (MGM) with "Everything I Love")
Barbra Streisand
Reinhold Svensson (recorded September 19, 1950, Discovery) with "Strike Up the Band")
Inga Swearengen
Andrea Tessa
Three Sounds (Blue Note) with "One For Renee")
Steve Tyrell
Sarah Vaughan
Bee Watson
Johnny "Guitar" Watson (King)
Elisabeth Welch
Vic West (Planet, 1957 (Australia) with "This Love of Mine")
Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio
