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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

September 4, 2020 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Tony Live!: I Left My Heart in San Francisco

The song of the day for Saturday, September 5, 2020, is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

About This Song

“I Left My Heart In San Francisco” was written in 1953 by George Cory and Douglass Cross. This song is, of course, Tony Bennett’s signature song. It actually became that quite by accident. As Bennett’s musical director, songwriters were constantly giving Ralph Sharon copies of their songs. Cross and Cory had done that and Sharon had stuck the song in a drawer and forgotten all about it. In 1961, he and Bennett were heading out on tour, which included a stop in San Francisco at The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Sharon came across the music and thought it might be a nice local number for the San Francisco audience. After a performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas, they found a piano and started to work on the song a bit. An early fan was the bartender, who said that he’d buy the first copy if they ever decided to record it. Of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was a huge hit at the performance, and in January 1962, Bennett recorded it and released it on a 45 RPM record on the B-side to “Once Upon a Time.” But gradually, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” started getting all the airplay and it became a major hit for Bennett, winning him his first Grammy Award. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans.

About This Version

Tony Bennett performed “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” at his 1994 live performance on MTV Unplugged.

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day, Tony Live! Tagged With: Douglass Cross, George Cory, MTV Unplugged, Ralph Sharon

August 21, 2020 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Tony Live! When Johanna Loved Me

The song of the day for Saturday, August 22, 2020, is “When Johanna Loved Me.”

About This Song

“When Johanna Loved Me” was written in 1963 by Jack Segal and Robert Wells. “When Joanna Love Me” is one of Tony Bennett’s more popular songs. When he sings it in concert, he introduces the song by saying “I love this song so much that I named my first daughter after it.” It’s a lovely ballad.

About This Version

Tony Bennett sang “When Johanna Loved Me” at his 1994 live performance on MTV Unplugged.

“When Johanna Loved Me,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day, Tony Live! Tagged With: Jack Segal, MTV Unplugged, Robert Wells, Tony Bennett

August 14, 2020 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Tony Live! Rags to Riches

The song of the day for Saturday, August 15, 2020, is “Rags to Riches.”

About This Song

“Rags to Riches” was written in 1953 by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. When Tony Bennett first heard “Rags to Riches,” he hated the song and was forced by Mitch Miller to record it. With a very nice arrangement by Percy Faith, the recording was a huge hit for Bennett and earned him a gold record. Thankfully, Bennett grew to enjoy singing the song. Martin Scorcese used the 1953 recording in the opening of Goodfellas, which helped find a new audience for this song.

About This Version

Tony Bennett sang “Rags to Riches” at his 1994 live performance on MTV Unplugged.

“Rags to Riches,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day, Tony Live! Tagged With: Jerry Ross, MTV Unplugged, Richard Adler, Tony Bennett

August 8, 2020 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Tony Live! You’re All The World To Me

The song of the day for is “You’re All The World To Me.”

About This Song

“You’re All The World To Me” was written by Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner for the 1951 MGM musical Royal Wedding, starring Fred Astaire. Astaire performed this song in one of the most famous shots in all of musical film: the dancing on the ceiling number

About This Version

Tony Bennett sang “You’re All The World To Me” at his 1994 live performance on MTV Unplugged with The Ralph Sharon Trio.

“You’re All The World To Me” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from Apple Music.

And here’s Fred Astaire, dancing on that ceiling, from Royal Wedding.

[HQ] You"re All The World To Me (Royal Wedding-1951)

No Description

Filed Under: Song of the Day, Tony Live! Tagged With: Alan Jay Lerner, Burton Lane, Fred Astaire, MTV Unplugged, Ralph Sharon Trio, Tony Bennett

August 7, 2020 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Tony Live! Fly Me To The Moon

The song of the day for Saturday, August 8, 2020, is “Fly Me To The Moon.”

About This Song

“Fly Me To The Moon” was written by Bart Howard in 1954. It was originally titled “In Other Words,” but the song was not doing that well, in spite of several recordings. In 1962, Howard renamed the song to “Fly Me To The Moon,” and the song began to catch on. Tony Bennett’s 1965 recording for If I Ruled The World was a big hit for Bennett. There have been many recordings of the song, including those by Frank Sinatra, Kaye Ballard, and many more. However, Bart Howard told Bennett that his 1965 recording was “the definitive performance of this song.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett has only recorded “Fly Me To The Moon” twice: the original 1965 recording on If I Ruled the World and in 1994 for his live performance on MTV Unplugged. On a personal note, your author has seen Mr. Bennett perform live around a dozen times and he has sung this song at every one of those performances. He asks for his microphone to be cut off and invites guitarist Gray Sargent to join him and then he sings “Fly Me To The Moon.” The first time I attended a Tony Bennett concert, I was seated in the balcony. And I heard every single word. It was truly phenomenal. And for all the rest of his concerts that I’ve attended, they turn off the microphone and he sings this beautiful song. It thrills me each and every time. My memories of Tony Bennett singing “Fly Me To The Moon” are among my most precious.

“Fly Me To The Moon,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from Apple Music.

Here’s the video from the live telecast.

Tony Bennett - Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words) (Live on MTV Unplugged)

No Description

Filed Under: Song of the Day, Tony Live! Tagged With: Bart Howard, Gray Sargent, MTV Unplugged, Tony Bennett

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