An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett
The song of the day for Sunday, August 2, 2020, is “It Amazes Me.”
“It Amazes Me” was written by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh in 1958. Liza Minnelli recorded this song when she was only eighteen years old on her first album. It has also been recorded by Bill Evans, George Shearing, and Cleo Laine.
Tony Bennett sang “It Amazes Me” at his 1994 live performance on MTV Unplugged.
“It Amazes Me,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from Apple Music.
The song of the day for Sunday, July 26, 2020, is “The Girl I Love.”
“The Girl I Love” was originally written by George and Ira Gershwin for the 1924 Broadway musical Lady, Be Good, though it was cut from that production. It was used again in 1927 for Strike Up The Band, but that production closed out of town. The lyrics were revised to “The Man I Love” for the 1928 Rosalie, but was cut from that production as well. In spite of all that, it rightly has its place as one of the great songs in the American Songbook. Notable recordings include those by Ella Fitzgerald, Helen Forrest, Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, Helen Morgan, and many, many more.
Tony Bennett performed “The Girl I Love” in his 1994 live television performance for MTV Unplugged. Bennett gives everyone in the trio the spotlight for a short solo.
“The Girl I Love,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from Apple Music.
Thanks to YouTube, we have the video for “The Girl I Love.”
The song of the day for Sunday, July 19, 2020, is “I Love a Piano.”
Written in 1915, “I Love A Piano” was one of Berlin’s ragtime style songs. It was introduced in the 1915 Broadway musical Stop! Look! Listen!, where it was sung by Harry Fox. It as recorded in 1915 by Billy Murray, but did not catch on immediately, due in part, I’m sure, to the fact that home phonographs may not have been as prevalent as they were a few decades later. Berlin included it in the 1948 movie Easter Parade with Fred Astaire and Judy Garland and since then the song has been well-received.
Tony Bennett sang “I Love a Piano” at his 1994 MTV Unplugged concert. It gave him a chance to introduce his pianist and musical director, Ralph Sharon.
“I Love a Piano,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from Apple Music.
The song of the day for Saturday, July 18. 2020., is “It Had To Be You.”
“It Had To Be You” was written in 1924 by Isham Jones and Gus Kahn. It’s a popular standard with many fine recordings, including those by Paul Whiteman, Cliff Edwards, and Frank Sinatra. It has also be used in several films, including Casablanca and Annie Hall.
Tony Bennett recorded “It Had To Be You” at his 1994 live performance on MTV Unplugged, which introduced a new generation to Tony Bennett.
“It Had To Be You,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from Apple Music.
The song of the day for Saturday, July 4, 2020, is “While We’re Young.”
“While We’re Young” was written by Alec Wilder, with Morty Palitz and William Engvick, in 1944. It was as first recorded in 1944 by the Fred Waring Singers and again in 1949 by Meredith Willson (who wrote The Music Man) and his Orchestra. Peggy Lee also recorded the song in 1949, but not to Wilder’s liking. Marion McPartland quotes Wilder as telling Miss Lee that “The next time you come to the bridge (of the song), jump off!” “While We’re Young” remains popular in the American songbook, having been recently recorded by Jane Monheit and Ben Sidron.
Tony Bennett recorded “While We’re Young” in 1977 in Buffalo, NY, which was Wilder’s home town. In fact, you can hear Bennett call out to Wilder before he starts the song. It was all captured on Tony Bennett, The McPartlands and Friends Make Magnificent Music. Currently, it only available in The Complete Improv Collection.
“While We’re Young,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings, is available from Apple Music.