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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

September 5, 2014 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Prelude to a Kiss

The song of the day for Friday, September 5, 2014 is “Prelude to a Kiss.”

About This Song

“Prelude to a Kiss” was written by Duke Ellington in 1938 with lyrics by Irving Gordon and Irving Mills. Ted Gioia, in his book The Jazz Standards, notes that in the late 1930s, Ellington, having practically invented swing music, “… at this juncture he does the exact opposite. The Duke uses his fame and great artistic freedom to become more ambitious, more experimental, less beholden to the formulas of swing music. … ‘Prelude To A Kiss’ from 1938 is a case in point.” It’s one his loveliest ballads.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Prelude to a Kiss” for 1999 album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, which won the Grammy award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance. This recording features Joel Smirnoff on violin and Gray Sargent on guitar. It’s an exquisite recording of a beautiful song.

Prelude To A Kiss

Listen to Prelude To A Kiss on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1999.


“Prelude to a Kiss,” as well as the album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from iTunes.

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Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, Duke Ellington, Gray Sargent, Irving Gordon, Irving Mills, Joel Smirnoff

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