"This Is Always" is a romantic ballad with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Mack Gordon, composed in 1946 for the 20th Century Fox film Three Little Girls in Blue. The song was used instrumentally in the film's September 1946 release, reflecting Warren's extensive work in Hollywood musicals during the 1940s. Warren, a three-time Academy Award winner, was one of the most prolific composers of the American popular songbook, and his collaboration with lyricist Mack Gordon produced numerous hits including "You'll Never Know" (1943 Oscar winner) and "Chattanooga Choo Choo." "This Is Always" features a smooth, lyrical melody that evokes tenderness and longing, with straightforward harmonic progressions suited to both orchestral arrangements and intimate jazz interpretation. Jo Stafford with Paul Weston and His Orchestra made the first recording in 1946, establishing the tune as a post-war ballad standard. Charlie Parker recorded the composition in 1947 for Dial Records with his quartet featuring Erroll Garner on piano and Red Callender on acoustic bass, bringing it into the bebop repertoire. In the broader jazz canon, "This Is Always" occupies a place among Warren's mid-tier standards, less ubiquitous than blockbusters like "At Last" or "That's Amore" but recognized and performed in both vocal and instrumental jazz contexts.
