Heart and Soul is a 1938 jazz standard composed by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics by Frank Loesser. It was first recorded and released in 1938 by Larry Clinton and his Orchestra with Bea Wain on vocals for Victor Records, and that version became the song’s most successful charting record, notable for a reggae-like beat that hadn’t yet existed. The tune is often taught as an easy two-hand piano duet because its A-section uses a simple I-vi-IV-V progression, sometimes called the 50s progression. Over the years it has been recorded by many artists, including Al Bowlly with Geraldo (1938), Eddy Duchin (1939), Al Donahue (1939), The Four Aces with Jack Pleis (1952), and Johnny Maddox (1956). A rhythm and blues doo-wop arrangement by The Cleftones in 1961 became a hit, reaching No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helping the song endure in popular culture; that version was released on Gee Records. The song has appeared in films such as American Graffiti and Big, and has continued to surface in TV, ads, and other media.
