The term April in Paris originated with the Broadway song.
The song was composed in 1932, by Vernon Duke {music} and E. Y. Harbug {lyrics}. April in Paris first premiered in that year’s play, Walk a Little Faster.
The following year, Freddy Martin recorded the song.
Almost two decades later, the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, recorded the song in 1952. This version placed in the Cashbox Top 50 chart.
The song has been recorded by numerous artists such as Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday and Doris Day
The most well-known version of the song is by Count Bassie. His version earned him an induction performance into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Count Bassie would perform the song again for the 1974 film, Blazing Saddles.
Doris Day stared in a 1952 musical named for the song.
Composer Alec Wilder writes, “There are no two ways about it: this is a perfect theater song. If that sounds too reverent, then I’ll reduce the praise to ‘perfectly wonderful,’ or else say that if it’s not perfect, show me why it isn’t.”[
The song recounts the charms of spring and the feeling that “no one can reprise” of April in Paris.