Beyond the Sea is the English-language version of the French song La Mer by Charles Trenet. La Mer was written by Trenet and first recorded in December 1945, with the French version appearing publicly in 1946; the English lyrics by Jack Lawrence reframed it as a love song. Bobby Darin popularized the tune in 1959, releasing the single in January 1960 from the album That’s All; the recording was made on August 24, 1958 and runs about 2 minutes and 48 seconds, with a big band - pop - swing style. Prior to Darin, instrumental versions such as Benny Goodman (1948) and Roger Williams (1955) had charted, and the first Beyond the Sea recording was by Harry James and His Orchestra in 1947. Notable later covers include George Benson in 1985 and Robbie Williams on Swing When You're Winning, and the song has earned UK Silver and New Zealand Gold certifications.
