"The Best Things in Life Are Free": Song history, Commentary, Discography, Performances on Video

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The Best Things in Life Are Free
Written: 1927	Music by: Ray Henderson	Words by: B.G. (Buddy) De Sylva and Lew Brown	Written for: Good News (show, 1927)
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code (Please complete or pause one video before starting another.)	Artist performing "The Best Things in Life Are Free" with Personnel/at (year) More Performances of "The Best Things in Life Are Free in the Cafe Songbook Record/Video Cabinet (Video credit )

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"The Best Things in Life Are Free"

Critics Corner || Lyrics Lounge

About the Show Good News / Origins of the Song

Other songs written for the show Good News currently included in the Cafe Songbook Catalog of The Great American Songbook: none

For a complete song list of songs from the original Broadway production of Good News, see IBDB song list.

For a complete list of songs used in the 1947 movie Good News, see the IMDB Soundtrack.

In the movie Good News, made in 1947, "The Best Things in Life Are Free" is first sung by June Allyson (Connie Lane) to Peter Lawford (Tommy Marlowe) as they start to fall in love. Later the coed couple having romantic difficulties overhear the song sung by Mel Tormé (Danny) and begin to renew their love. Next, Lawford and Allyson get back on the right track as Lawford sings the song to Allyson in French (in which she has been tutoring him). Finally, in the penultimate scene of the film when Lawford and Allyson realize they are in love and want to marry, the melody is played in the background.

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Credits

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The Cafe Songbook
Record/Video Cabinet:
Selected Recordings of

"The Best Things in Life
Are Free"

(All Record/Video Cabinet entries below
include a music-video
of this page's featured song.
The year given is for when the studio
track was originally laid down
or when the live performance was given.)

Performer/Recording Index
(*indicates accompanying music-video)

Performer 1 (year)
Performer 2 (year)