The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Taking a Chance on Love

The song of the day for Friday, September 11, 2026, is “Taking a Chance on Love.”

About This Song

“Taking a Chance on Love” was composed by Vernon Duke, with lyrics by John LaTouche and Ted Fetter, for the 1940 Broadway musical Cabin in the Sky, where it was introduced by Ethel Waters.

About This Version

Tony Bennett made his first recording of “Taking a Chance on Love” 70 years ago on September 11, 1956, for his 1957 album Tony. Ray Conniff wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“Taking a Chance on Love,” as well as Tony, is available on Apple Music.

We have an excellent recording of Ethel Waters singing “Taking a Chance on Love” from the 1943 Cabin In The Sky soundtrack.

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Song of the Day: Look For The Silver Lining

The song of the day for is “Look For The Silver Lining.”

About This Song

“Look For The Silver Lining” was written by Jerome Kern and Buddy DeSylva for the unsuccessful musical Zip, Goes a Million. They used it again the next year for Sally, where it sung by Marilyn Miller and gained popularity. Significant recordings include those by Susannah McCorkle and Judy Garland.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Look For The Silver Lining” for his 2015 album The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, accompanied by Bill Charlap, who wrote the arrangement and produced the album.

The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern won The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

“Look For The Silver Lining,” as well as The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, is available on Apple Music.

I found this charming 1920 recording of “Look For The Silver Lining” by Marion Harris.

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Song of the Day: All For You

The song of the day for Wednesday, September 9, 2026, is “All For You.”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett wishes Susan Benedetto a very happy birthday!

About This Song

“All For You” was composed in 1940 by Django Reinhardt as “Dark Eyes,” with lyrics by Tony Bennett in 2004. Tony Bennett’s son, Danny, had long encouraged his father to write a song. While performing in Hawaii, he dropped into a small jazz club and heard the Django Reinhardt song “Dark Eyes” and felt he had found the right melody for the song he had in mind. The resulting song is really beautiful.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “All For You” in 2004 for The Art Of Romance. Johnny Mandel wrote the arrangement.

The Art Of Romancewon the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

“All For You,” as well as The Art Of Romance, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: For Once In My Life

The song of the day for Tuesday, September 8, 2026, is “For Once In My Life.”

About This Song

“For Once In My Life” “For Once In My Life” was written in 1965 by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden. The song was originally written as a slow ballad, but some singers, including the 1968 version by Stevie Wonder, recorded the song more up-tempo.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “For Once In My Life” on July 18, 1967, for his album For Once In My Life. Torrie Zito wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra. Tony Bennett’s 1967 recording of “For Once In My Life” was the first version of the song to reach the pop charts.

“For Once In My Life,” as well as the album For Once In My Life, is available on Apple Music.

Stevie Wonder recorded “For Once In My Life” in 1968:

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Song of the Day: Time to Smile

The song of the day for Monday, September 7, 2026, is “Time to Smile”

About This Song

“Time to Smile” was written by Geoffrey Clarkson and Johnny Mercer in 1966, though was fairly obscure until Tony Bennett recorded it.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Time to Smile” for his 2004 album The Art of Romance. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

The Art of Romance won the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Album.

“Time to Smile,” as well as The Art of Romance, is available on Apple Music.