“When I Fall in Love” was composed by Victor Young with lyrics by Edward Heyman for the 1952 film One Minute to Zero. The lyrics did not, however, appear in the film, the plot of which is summarized in an IMDb entry:

Wartime drama about an idealistic young UN official (Ann Blyth) who finds out about the horrors of war when she falls in love with Colonel Steve Janowski (Robert Mitchum), the officer in charge of evacuating citizens from Korea.

Hence the tone of the lyrics, e.g.,  “In a restless world like this is, love is ended before it’s begun.”

There are many covers of this song, including by: Doris Day (1952), Nat King Cole (1956), Johnny Mathis (1959), Sandra Dee (1960), The Letterman (1962), and Tom Jones (1966).

While familiar with the lovely Nat King Cole version, the Letterman cover is actually my favourite, though I will post the first recording here, which was released by Jeri Southern in 1952 (with Victor Young arranging and conducting).

I can’t say I am knew of Ms. Southern. Her AllMusic bio says this:

A converted piano player and vocal coach, Jeri Southern became one of the most underrated jazz vocal interpreters of the 1950s despite a voice regarded as subpar. Transforming a potential failing into her prime strength, Southern was devastatingly effective at delivering songs charting the downhill romantic life of world-weary everywoman characters. After recording for Decca, Roulette, Capitol and Jasmine during the 1950s though, she abruptly retired after growing tired of the music industry.

“Charting the downhill romantic life of world-weary everywoman characters.” Quite a niche market.