"My Funny Valentine" was regularly included in his concert performances, and is considered by some to be his signature song.

Baker then requested to record a full album of his singing, to the skepticism of his producer Dick Bock.

According to James Gavin, Bock was alarmed as Baker struggled to sing in key, and he reportedly had to make numerous takes on every song.

He was coming from a musical place, and the words were mere notes to him.Side one: Side two: This issue features additional tracks 1–6, which were recorded on July 23 and 30, 1956.

[10] The perception of his voice conflicted with the social standards of the era, where gender roles were rigid and homophobia was rampant.

It also conflicted with the macho stereotypes of male jazz singers, with examples of Billy Eckstine and Louis Armstrong.

In Metronome, Mimi Clar Melnick criticized Baker's "abysmal vocal deficiencies", and compared his singing to "a four-month-old baby's lack of coordination because he can't walk".

[12] In the year of the album's release, audience polls in DownBeat Magazine's named him the best trumpeter and best vocalist, above Miles Davis and Nat King Cole respectively.

It inspired Carlos Lyra, Roberto Menescal, Nara Leão, Oscar Castro-Neves, and João Gilberto.

When Baker later performed in Brazil in August 1980, he was reportedly unaware and surprised that his album had made such an impact there.