“I Wish You Love” is the English version of Charles Trenet’s 1942 French song “Que reste-t-il de nos amours?”, with English lyrics by Albert Beach. Keely Smith, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra recorded it, and it’s a favorite for singers and lounge gigs.
The song moves through ii-V progressions and secondary dominants with a warm, romantic feel. It works as a ballad or a light swing.
For improvisation, outline the ii-Vs with guide tones and keep the phrasing lyrical.
Practice at a relaxed tempo. Learn the melody from a vocal recording.
Section by section: the verse-like opening is gentle and conversational, so phrase like a singer, starting phrases softly and letting them grow. When the harmony moves through ii-V progressions into the main refrain, outline each chord’s third and seventh and resolve smoothly. In the final section, the melody reaches its emotional high point; match that with your solo’s peak and then wind down. Bossa nova and light swing both suit the tune, so practice it both ways and choose based on the singer or the room.
Practice tip: learn the original French version alongside the English one; hearing Charles Trenet’s phrasing gives you a deeper sense of the melody’s shape and helps you play it with authentic feeling.
Practice checklist for the I Wish You Love Lead Sheet PDF: play the melody from memory, play roots through the form, play guide tones, improvise one chorus of chord tones only, and finally record yourself soloing over a play-along. Listening back is the fastest way to spot what to fix next.
Memorizing the I Wish You Love Lead Sheet PDF: learn the form in sections, not all at once. Play the first eight bars until you can do them with your eyes closed, then add the next section. Within a week or two you won’t need the page at all, which is the real goal of any lead sheet.
Is it hard to play? It’s beginner to intermediate. Recordings to study: Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra’s versions. Learn more about the composer on Charles Trenet’s Wikipedia page, and find more classic song lead sheets on Minedit.