They Can't Take That Away from Me

George Gershwin composed "They Can't Take That Away from Me" in 1936, with lyrics by his brother Ira Gershwin, for the 1937 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film Shall We Dance. It was among the last songs George wrote before his death in July 1937. The melody is built on a distinctive repeated-note motif, with the chorus centering on a pattern of reiterated eighth notes on a single pitch before leaping to a new tone, a device that creates subtle rhythmic tension beneath the wistful romantic lyric. The harmony draws from closely related pentatonic scales, lending the tune a lingering, nostalgic quality. Ira Gershwin's lyrics catalog small, cherished details of a departing lover, a conceit that proved deeply resonant with audiences. Fred Astaire's 1937 recording with Johnny Green and His Orchestra reached number one and held the top spot for ten weeks. The song received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. It quickly entered the jazz repertoire and has been interpreted by countless musicians across styles, from intimate vocal ballad readings to uptempo swing arrangements. The Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong recording from their celebrated 1956 Verve collaboration showcases Armstrong's trumpet playing alongside one of the most iconic vocal pairings in jazz history. The tune remains a cornerstone of the Great American Songbook.