“My Foolish Heart” was composed by Victor Young with lyrics by Ned Washington for the 1949 film of the same name. It became a jazz ballad essential after the Bill Evans Trio’s achingly slow performance on the 1961 album Waltz for Debby, recorded live at the Village Vanguard.
The form is a 32-bar ABAC, commonly in Bb major. The harmony is rich and romantic, moving through ii-V progressions, secondary dominants and chromatic passing chords. The melody is long and lyrical, with sustained notes that invite tender interpretation.
For improvisation, keep it simple and expressive. Paraphrase the melody, decorate it with neighbor tones and use guide tones to outline the harmony. Bill Evans’s interpretation is the model: incredibly slow, with every note voiced carefully and plenty of space. Pianists should study his rootless voicings and his delicate touch.
Practice at a very slow tempo, around 50 BPM or slower. Learn the melody by singing it. Focus on tone, dynamics and patience.
Arrangement idea: follow Bill Evans’s lead and play the whole tune at a very slow tempo, with the bass playing long notes and the drums on brushes. Let the bassist take a short melodic solo. End with a quiet rubato tag on the last phrase, holding the final chord with an added ninth for a soft, unresolved feeling.
Ear training with the My Foolish Heart Lead Sheet PDF: before reading along, listen to two different recordings and try to hear where each section starts. Then follow the lead sheet while listening. Connecting what you see to what you hear is how lead sheets turn into tunes you truly know.
Is it hard to play? The notes are approachable; the expressive control is the real challenge. Recordings to study: Bill Evans’s Waltz for Debby and vocal versions by Tony Bennett and others. Learn more about the composer on Victor Young’s Wikipedia page, and find more jazz ballads on Minedit.