The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: She’s Funny That Way

The song of the day for Thursday, August 8, 2013 is “She’s Funny That Way.”

About This Song

“She’s Funny That Way” was written in 1929 by Neil Moret, with lyrics by Richard Whiting, father of the singer Margaret Whiting. It was the only time that Whiting wrote lyrics for any songwriter other than himself. The song was one of the early “crooner” songs and was originally recorded by Gene Austin, who, along with Cliff “Ukulele Ike” Edwards, were two of the first crooners using that new invention of the condenser microphone.

About This Version

Today’s song is from Tony Bennett On Holiday: A Tribute to Billie Holiday, released in 1997. Bennett won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance for this album. The cover features Bennett’s portrait of Billie Holiday.

http://open.spotify.com/track/4vXfn1ld04YZNBLdXKx5l9
“She’s Funny That Way,” as well as the album Tony Bennett on Holiday: A Tribute to Billie Holiday, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Where Do You Start

The song of the day for Wednesday, August 7, 2013 is “Where Do You Start.”

About This Song

“Where Do You Start” was written by Johnny Mandel with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman in 1987. If there is such as thing as songwriting royalty today, it’s these three. Mandel, who has worked extensively with Tony Bennett, wrote “Emily,”The Shadow of Your Smile,” and “Close Enough For Love,” all of which Bennett has recorded. Alan and Marilyn Bergman wrote lyrics for “How Do You Keep The Music Playing,” “The Windmills of Your Mind,” “You Must Believe in Spring” and “The Way We Were.”

About This Version

I must admit that I have an incredible weakness for both “Where Do You Start” and The Art of Romance. I have ten different versions of our song of the day in iTunes, ranging from Nancy Lamott to Tony Bennett to Barbara Cook to Shirley Horn; all of them great. And The Art of Romance. I absolutely adore this album; it’s what made me go out in 2004 and buy every Tony Bennett album I could possibly find. When it first came out, I think I listened to it four or five times a day for a month; I couldn’t believe what an exquisitely beautiful album it was … and still is. One could read books about the nature of romantic love for years and not learn as much about love as Bennett tells us in this album.

So, I’m quite happy to present this beautiful song as the song of the day. Mandel did the arrangement as well as conducted the orchestra for this recording.

Did I mention that I like The Art of Romance a lot?

http://open.spotify.com/track/398Bk2f9uCzJBl1UkAY4UN
“Where Do You Start,” as well as The Art of Romance, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: In A Mellow Tone

The song of the day for Tuesday, August 6, 2013 is “In A Mellow Tone.”

About This Song

“In A Mellow Tone” (sometimes known by “In A Mellotone”) was written in 1939 by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Milt Gabler. Ellington used a chord progression from the 1917 “Rose Room” by Art Hickman and Harry Williams as a starting point for his composition, a not uncommon practice for jazz compositions. It wasn’t until the mid-1950s that this song began to be played by other jazz groups and it has remained popular ever since. The original Ellington recording was made in 1940 and featured Cootie Williams’ trumpet.

About This Version

Today’s song is from Tony Bennett’s 1999 album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. While most of the album features some great big band sounds, this particular song is just the Ralph Sharon Quartet: with Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, Clayton Cameron on drums and Gray Sargent on guitar. Sargent’s guitar and Langosch’s bass are especially effective on this recording.

Cool as it can be, this song never fails to deliver on the promise of a hip and mellow tone in a superb performance.

http://open.spotify.com/track/1botCtcxlSrvVwT6zsZU1h
“In A Mellow Tone,” as well as the Bennett Sings Ellington Hot & Cool album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: But Beautiful

The song of the day for Monday, August 5, 2013 is “But Beautiful.”

About This Song

I said last week that couldn’t resist a Jimmy Van Heusen song and that goes double when the song is “But Beautiful.” Written with lyricist Johnny Burke, “But Beautiful” was written for the Bing Crosby – Bob Hope 1947 movie The Road To Rio, where it was introduced by Bing Crosby. It’s one of those songs where both the lyric and the tune are exemplary. Burke starts off by exploring the concept love in a series of contrasting emotions: “funny or sad,” “quiet or mad,” “tearful or gay” and so on, but concluding with “but beautiful.” And indeed in a love song for adults, those contrasts almost always exist.

“But Beautiful” is one of Van Heusen’s most popular songs, with recordings by Tex Beneke, Nat King Cole, Johnny Hartman and Billie Holiday. It was a favorite instrumental for Bill Evans.

About This Version

Today’s version is from the first of two albums that Tony Bennett made with Bill Evans: the 1975 The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album. It’s a remarkable song on a remarkable album from two remarkable musicians.

http://open.spotify.com/track/0239f1wAgvbGw7pzFg5Upd
“But Beautiful,” as well as The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: The Best Is Yet To Come

The song of the day for Sunday, August 4, 2013 is “The Best Is Yet To Come.” Today’s song is dedicated to my co-blogger and friend, Lesley, whose birthday is today. Happy birthday, dear friend.

About This Song

“The Best Is Yet To Come” was written by the great songwriting team of Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh. Some have said that this song was written for Tony Bennett. If not, it is certainly closely identified with him; he performs it regularly in concert today.

About This Version

Today’s version is the singles version, recorded in 1960 and released in early 1961. When Tony Bennett sings this song, I always believe that it’s completely, absolutely true. This recording was arranged and conducted by Cy Coleman.

http://open.spotify.com/track/65YpRViLIGXrzxp2IxjyVl
“The Best Is Yet To Come,” as well as all of the singles on Columbia Singles, Volume 6, is available from iTunes.