The song of the day for Sunday, August 13, 2017 is “Just In Time.”
About This Song
Today’s song, “Just In Time,” was composed by Jule Style, with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, for the 1956 musical Bells Are Ringing. The stars of the show, Judy Holliday and Sydney Chaplin introduced the song. Tony Bennett recorded the song from the same year, and it was a big hit for Mr. Bennett. “The Party’s Over,” another song recorded by Mr. Bennett (Hometown, My Town in 1959) was the other major hit song from this wonderful
About This Version
Mr. Bennett has sung this song over his career, including his duet with Michael Bublé in the 2006 Duets album. But perhaps his most significant performance was never recorded. Starting on March 21, 1965, Tony Bennett marched with Martin Luther King, now-Congressman John Lewis, Ralph Bunche, Billy Eckstine, Leonard Bernstein and many, many others on the Third March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. On the evening of March 24, 1965 on a makeshift stage (created with coffins loaned by a local mortuary), a Stars for Freedom rally and concert was held. In addition to Mr. Bennett, the performers included Harry Belafonte, Frankie Laine, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Peter, Paul and Mary.
The documentary film Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends, contains a short clip filmed by Tony Bennett as part of a documentary about the march (approximately 21:28 in).
Bennett got up and sang Just In Time and for the American civil rights movement, it was just in time. As a result of the marches from Selma to Montgomery, President Johnson introduced and Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, major battle in the Civil Rights movement.
For today, we present Mr. Bennett’s original recording of “Just in Time,” released as single and also included on the 1962 album Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits. It was arranged by Percy Faith.
“Just In Time,” as well as Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits, is available from iTunes.
Thanks for telling the story of the performances on that makeshift stage during the Third March from Selma to Montgomery. It’s a powerful song heard in that context.
Thank you. It came from my heart, which broke yesterday.