Love for Sale (song)

"Love for Sale" is a song by Cole Porter introduced by Kathryn Crawford in the musical The New Yorkers, which opened on Broadway on December 8, 1930, and closed in May 1931 after 168 performances.

[2] Because of the complaints, Porter shifted the setting of the song in the musical to the Cotton Club in Harlem, where it was sung by an African American, Elisabeth Welch, instead of white singer Kathryn Crawford.

Instrumental versions included those by Sidney Bechet, Erroll Garner, Stan Kenton, Charlie Parker, The Three Sounds, Art Tatum, Cannonball Adderley, Dexter Gordon, Buddy Rich, Ryo Fukui, and Cecil Taylor.

[14] The duo's rendition of the Cole Porter standard is an old-fashioned duet, trading lines and harmonies over the joyous, up-tempo big-band arrangement.

[17] Justin Curto of Vulture believed that Bennett and Gaga's fruitful collaborative relationship is "on prime display" in the song, which sees "the singers go toe-to-toe on the sensuous standard".

"[19] According to Derrick Rossignol at Uproxx, the song "shows that Bennett hasn't lost his vocal chops even at 95 years old and that Gaga remains an excellent accompaniment for the legend.

"[20] Ross Horton of The Line of Best Fit thought that "Love for Sale", along with the album's opening two tracks "It's De-Lovely" and "Night and Day", showcase how well the duo's vocals come together, saying: "Bennett and Gaga's voices seem to bounce off each other, and become emboldened and enlivened by its presence.

"[22] Eric Handerson from Slant Magazine was critical of their version of the song, which "sung from the POV of a sex worker, makes literally no sense as a duet.

[18][24] Entertainment Weekly's Joey Nolfi called the music video "tear-jerking", "which highlights their deep, mutual adoration as they stare lovingly into each other's eyes while singing the tune.