From a 1936 review of the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers film, "Swing Time":
"Right now we could not even whistle a bar of 'A Fine Romance', and that's about the catchiest and brightest melody in the show. The others... are merely adequate or worse."
This came to mind as I was listening to an over-the-hill rock star butcher that song. Even though it should not have been in that artist's oeuvre, it's still performed, often and by many. I can't speak for the long-departed NYT critic, but not only can I whistle portions of "A Fine Romance", but even sing some of the other "adequate or worse" songs from the film like "Pick Yourself Up" and "The Way You Look Tonight".
Which lead me to an appreciation of Dorothy Fields. Who, you might ask? The music from "Swing Time" is almost always credited to the composer, Jerome Kern. But, as far as I'm concerned, what makes them special are the lyrics written by Fields. Although you may not be aware of it, you have heard her lyrics many times, and may have even sung them to yourself.
They include:
BIG SPENDER
BY THE BEAUTIFUL SEA
CUBAN LOVE SONG
DINNER AT EIGHT
I CAN’T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE
I WON’T DANCE
I’M IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET
PORGY
SINGIN THE BLUES
TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, A
Note that she wrote the lyrics to memorable songs in stage productions and films from the 1920's to the very different world of 1969 ["Big Spender" is from Sweet Charity]. She won an Oscar and a couple of Tony awards for her work.