Early in 2016 I wrote my first listicle, a rather long one containing 57 songs that rhyme “heart” with “part” or “apart”. It’s here, on the Lyrics Menu. As it says, “There’s nothing wrong with rhyming the word “heart” with either “part” or “apart”. Shakespeare did it, Hal David did it, Bob Dylan has done it. But I’m always grateful when a lyricist avoids it and surprised when someone who has avoided it previously decides to use it.”

I have continued to note down, somewhere, any examples of the rhyme that occur in songs old and new, and the list passed 100 some time ago. Those extra 40-odd song titles have now been added to that original piece. This was prompted by hearing Alfie Boe sing “The Way You Look Tonight” earlier this week during the “Britain’s Got Talent” live shows. He was a guest during one of the Results Shows, as you’d expect, not competing with the other acts for a place in next Sunday’s Final.

“The Way You Look Tonight” was written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields. It featured in the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers film “Swing Time” and won the Oscar for Best Song in 1936. It has been recorded many times but never reached the UK Top 30. Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust” (lyrics by Mitchell Parish) was written in the 1920s and is one of the 20th century’s most recorded songs. Nat King Cole’s version made it to #24 here in 1957. Both songs rhyme “heart” and “apart”. The remainder of this piece quotes the relevant lines from these songs, and then from a further 10, to give you a dozen examples.

“The Way You Look Tonight”

With each word your tenderness grows / Tearing my fears apart / And that laugh that wrinkles your nose / Touches my foolish heart

“Stardust”

And now the purple dusk of twilight time / Steals across the meadows of my heart / High up in the sky the little stars climb / Always reminding me that we’re apart

“Ain’t no Mountain High Enough” (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, written by Ashford & Simpson)

My love is alive / Way down in my heart / although we are miles apart

“Save the Last Dance for Me” (Drifters, written by Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman)

While we’re apart don’t give your heart to any one

“First cut is the deepest” (Rod Stewart, written by Cat Stevens)

I would have given you all of my heart / but there’s someone who’s torn it apart

“Frozen” (Madonna)

If I could melt your heart / we’d never be apart

“Invisible Touch” (Genesis)

She seems to have an invisible touch yeah / She reaches in, and grabs right hold of your heart / She seems to have an invisible touch yeah / It takes control and slowly tears you apart

“Pyjamarama” (Roxy Music)

The world may keep us far apart but up in heaven, angel / You can have my heart

“I get by” (Liam Gallagher)

It’s only love, only love can break my heart / Only love, this thing will tear us all apart

“I can’t stop loving you” (Ray Charles, written by Don Gibson)

They say that time heals a broken heart / But time has stood still since we’ve been apart

“One day in your life” (Michael Jackson)

You’ll remember me somehow / Though you don’t need me now / I will stay in your heart / And when things fall apart / You’ll remember one day

“Red, Red Wine” (UB40, written by Neil Diamond)

It’s tearing apart my blue, blue heart