Love and Marriage


"Love and Marriage" is a 1955 song with lyrics by Sammy Cahn and music by Jimmy Van Heusen. It is published by Barton Music Corporation.

Frank Sinatra versions

"Love and Marriage" was introduced by Frank Sinatra in the 1955 television production of Thornton Wilder's Our Town, which aired on Producers' Showcase. Sinatra went on to record two versions of the song. The first was recorded for Capitol Records on August 15, 1955 and became a major chart hit. This first recording appeared on the 1956 album This Is Sinatra! The second version was recorded for the Reprise Records album A Man and His Music on October 11, 1965. The Capitol version was later used as the theme song for the 1987–1997 Fox TV sitcom Married... with Children.
Although both versions were arranged by Nelson Riddle, there are many slight but noticeable differences. For instance:
  • In the Capitol version, the opening lyrics are "Love and marriage. Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage." In the Reprise version, the opening lyrics are "Love and marriage. Love and marriage. They go together like a horse and carriage."
  • The Capitol version includes a crescendoing instrumental bridge, which was later played over the closing credits of Married... with Children. This bridge is missing from the Reprise version.
  • In the Reprise version, Sinatra ends the song by saying, "No, sir." The ending of the Capitol version is an instrumental version of "Shave and a Haircut" with a bassoon playing the final two notes solo – a C flat and a B flat.
In 1956, "Love and Marriage" won the Emmy for Best Musical Contribution from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Other versions and uses in media