Out of This World is an American popular song composed by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It was first recorded by Jo Stafford with Paul Weston and His Orchestra in 1944 and released in 1945. The tune was introduced in the 1945 Paramount film Out of This World, sung by a character voiced by Bing Crosby. Music analyst Alec Wilder described the melody as having a modal feel in E flat Dorian and noted its direct, deliberately unrhythmic line that supports Mercer's lyrics. The song quickly became a jazz and pop standard, with early notable versions by Crosby (1944) and Jo Stafford (1944/45), plus instrumental takes by Tommy Dorsey and Woody Herman in 1945. John Coltrane recorded it on Coltrane in 1962, and The Three Sounds released a 1962 Blue Note album titled Out of This World. The tune is celebrated for its ethereal mood and enduring appeal across vocal and instrumental jazz.
