Be My Love

{{Infobox song

| name = Be My Love

| cover =

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Mario Lanza

| album =

| EP =

| written =

| B-side = I'll Never Love You

| published =

| released = 1950

| format =

| recorded = 1950

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Traditional pop

| length = 3:29

| label = RCA Victor Red Seal

| writer =

| composer = Nicholas Brodszky

| lyricist = Sammy Cahn

| producer =

| prev_title = Toast of New Orleans

| prev_year = 1950

| title =

| next_title = Granada

| next_year = 1950

| prev_track =

| track_no =

| next_track =

}}

"Be My Love" is a popular song with lyrics by Sammy Cahn and music by Nicholas Brodszky. Published in 1950, it was written for Mario Lanza, who sang it with Kathryn Grayson in the 1950 movie The Toast of New Orleans. The song was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1950 but lost to "Mona Lisa". He recorded it on June 27, 1950, with Ray Sinatra's orchestra.{{Cite web|title=b|url=http://members.optusnet.com.au/johnhrogers/b.htm|access-date=2021-10-09|website=members.optusnet.com.au}}

Lanza's 1950 recording of the song (released by RCA Victor Red Seal Records as catalog number 10-1561) was his first million-seller, eventually selling over two million copies. It was on the Billboard charts for 34 weeks, going to number one. It was the theme song for Lanza's radio program, The Mario Lanza Show (1951–52). It eventually became so firmly linked to him that he wearied of it and resorted to spoofing it in private.

Other versions

Ray Anthony's rendition of "Be My Love" (Capitol F1352) also charted in 1951, peaking at No. 13.
Connie Francis recorded "Be My Love" in 1964 for her motion picture Looking For Love and for the subsequent soundtrack album.
Mel Carter released a version in 1967 which reached #23 in the Adult Contemporary category.
Tatsurō Yamashita recorded it for his 1993 album, Season's Greetings.
Cheryl Bentyne recorded it for her 2006 album, The Book of Love.
Jo Min-gyu of Forestella auditioned for the survival show Phantom Singer with "Be My Love" and later recorded a studio version as a B-side for his 2020 single album Shinsegae: New Age. This version was also included in his 2021 EP Shinsegae: Parana.

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite book |last1=Parish|first1=James R. |last2=Pitts |first2=Michael R. |title=Hollywood Songsters: Garland to O'Connor |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p3HWDtBhLykC&pg=PA494 |year=2003 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-0-415-94333-8 |page=494}}

{{cite book |last=Mannering |first=Derek |title=Mario Lanza: Singing to the Gods |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EEidc3nWdTgC&pg=PA116 |year=2005 |publisher=Univ. Press of Mississippi |isbn=978-1-61703-425-1 |pages=69; 74}}

{{cite book |last=Dean |first=Maury |author-link=Maury Dean |title=Rock and Roll |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i6RMBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA416 |year=2003 |publisher=Algora Publishing |isbn=978-0-87586-207-1 |page=416}}

{{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |title=Joel Whitburn's Pop Hits, 1940–1954 |year=1994 |publisher=Record Research |isbn=978-0-89820-106-2}}

{{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |title=Joel Whitburn Presents Across the Charts: The 1960s |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9OZ1DZ63NxAC&pg=PA72 |year=2008 |publisher=Record Research |isbn=978-0-89820-175-8 |page=72}}

{{cite book |last=Bessette |first=Roland L. |title=Mario Lanza: Tenor in Exile |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IFkVWI4zX6cC&pg=PA83 |year=1999 |publisher=Amadeus Press |isbn=978-1-57467-044-8 |page=83}}

}}

Category:1950 songs

Category:1951 singles

Category:1959 singles

Category:1967 singles

Category:Songs with lyrics by Sammy Cahn

Category:Songs with music by Nicholas Brodszky

Category:Mario Lanza songs

Category:Ed Townsend songs

Category:Andy Williams songs

Category:Number-one singles in the United States

Category:Capitol Records singles

Category:RCA Victor singles