Song of the Day Archives

March 30, 2013 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Spring Is Here

The song of the day for Saturday, March 30, 2013 is Spring Is Here.

About This Song

Spring Is Here was written in 1938 by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the film I Married an Angel. In his discussion of the score for I Married an Angel, Alec Wilder says “and in the same score is another shattering ballad, Spring is Here” and “the lyric is Hart at his best, including the closing line: ‘Spring is here, I hear.'”

The lovely simplicity of Rodger’s tune aptly supports Hart’s lyrics. The combination is an exquisitely poignant ballad with the lonely singer looking at Spring from the outside.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded Spring Is Here in 1973 on his first album for his Improv label, Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs, which was followed by Tony Bennett Sings More Great Rodgers & Hart. Both albums are available on CD as Tony Bennett Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook.

Bennett chose to work with the Ruby Braff-George Barnes Quartet, which consisted of Ruby Braff (cornet), George Barnes (guitar), Wayne Wright (guitar) and John Guiffrida (bass). All of the recordings from this quartet of Rodgers and Hart songs are exceptional and this relatively unusual combination of instruments (no piano!) with these great songs and Bennett’s voice make for a wonderful album. I think this is one his finest recordings.

http://open.spotify.com/track/0ALVIr2zoYiVLKLsZkVpnn
Spring Is Here, as well as the full Tony Bennett Sings The Rodgers & Hart Songbook, is available from iTunes.

March 29, 2013 By Suzanne 1 Comment

Song of the Day: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

The song of the day for Friday, March 29, 2013 is Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.

About This Song

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea was written in 1932 by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler. It’s been a popular standard for many years, with notable recordings by Frank Sinatra, Cab Calloway and Ella Fitzgerald.

About This Version

If you’ve been following the song of the day for any time, you’ll know that I can’t go too long without a song by Harold Arlen. This song is from Tony Bennett’s 1964 album Who Can I Turn To. The album was arranged by George Siravo and played by the Ralph Sharon Trio (Hal Gaylord on bass and Billy Exiner on drums) with a not-overused orchestra. The whole album has a nice, easy jazz sound that I like a lot. This song is a lot of fun and while it may not be one of Arlen’s most famous songs, there’s a lot there. But again, that can be said about all of Arlen’s work.
http://open.spotify.com/track/0w2zSgxWS1fwSkA4dNwWnq
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, as well as the full Who Can I Turn To album, is available from iTunes.

March 28, 2013 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: The Lady is a Tramp

In honor of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (otherwise known as Lady Gaga) who is celebrating her birthday today, our song of the day for March 28, 2013 is The Lady Is A Tramp.

About This Song

The Lady is a Tramp was written in 1937 by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the Broadway musical Babes in Arms. It’s been a jazz and popular standard from the beginning, with recordings by Tommy Dorsey and Sophie Tucker. Other notable recordings are by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Lena Horne.

About This Version

The first time I heard Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga sing The Lady is a Tramp, I had to jump up and start dancing. As the first song in the album, it’s a great promise on the incredible joys to come. A lot of people in my baby-boomer age group were a little apprehensive about Bennett and Lady Gaga, but all fears were erased with first note she sings. She’s a natural for jazz and was a great partner for Bennett. It’s a great arrangement of a great song with two great singers. It’s not often that you get hear singers having this much fun while doing an amazing take.

http://open.spotify.com/track/6ZsKRsnPsdZvXfqqE6bTPy
The Lady is a Tramp, as well as the full Duets II album, is available from iTunes.

March 27, 2013 By Suzanne 1 Comment

Song of the Day: When Do The Bells Ring For Me

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 27, 2103 is When Do The Bells Ring For Me.

About This Song

When Do The Bells Ring For Me was written by composer, pianist and songwriter Charles DeForest. Mr. DeForest was a noted cabaret performer in New York for virtually his entire professional life. His songs were recorded by George Shearing, Blossom Dearie, Chris Conner, Sylvia Syms and, of course, Tony Bennett, who featured three of his songs on his 1990 album Astoria: Portrait of the Artist.

About This Version

Today’s recording is from Astoria, which I believe is one of Tony Bennett’s best and most beautifully realized albums. It’s an autobiographical album, which starts with the return of the young World War II veteran to his home in Astoria as he adjusts to his life again, falls in love, and begins his career. In this song, he asks the question that all of us have asked ourselves at some point: when do the bells ring for me?

When Do The Bells Ring For Me
Listen to When Do The Bells Ring For Me on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1990

Thanks to YouTube, here’s a video of Tony performing this song from the 1991 Grammy Awards:

March 26, 2013 By Suzanne 1 Comment

Song of the Day: We Mustn’t Say Goodbye

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 26, 2013 is We Mustn’t Say Goodbye.

About This Song

This song was written by James Monaco and Al Dubin in 1943 for the film Stage Door Canteen: A Soldier’s Love Story. This film consisted mostly of celebrity cameos and filmed musical numbers, though there was a bit a plot having to do with a volunteer falling in love with one of the departing soldiers. My late mother used to tell me stories about the young men she knew going off to war: how many of them married before they left to fight and how some of them never returned. Films like Stage Door Canteen were instrumental in helping promote morale among those serving in World War II as well as their families and loved ones who waited for them to come home.

About This Version

Tony Bennett sang We Mustn’t Say Goodbye for his 1960 album To My Wonderful One.

http://open.spotify.com/track/5VTXd3rAWd56SySnd0y6kS
We Mustn’t Say Goodbye, as well as the full album To My Wonderful One, is available from iTunes.