The song of the day for Saturday, January 11, 2014 is “Taking a Chance on Love.”
About This Song
“Taking a Chance on Love” was written for the 1940 musical Cabin in the Sky by Vernon Duke, with lyrics by John La Touche and Ted Fetter. The song was introduced by the great Ethel Waters and Dooley Wilson. The song works well for both jazz singers and instrumentalists, with significant recordings by Dave Brubeck, Tony Bennett, Judy Garland and Dizzy Gillespie.
About This Version
Tony Bennett first recorded this song for his second album, Tony, released in 1957. However, I prefer this version from 1958 In Person! with Count Basie and His Orchestra. This version was also used on the 1962 album I Left My Heart in San Francisco.
“Taking a Chance on Love,” as well as the album In Person! with Count Basie and His Orchestra, is available from iTunes.
And as it’s YouTube Saturday, I have two videos for you.
The first is Tony Bennett singing today’s song:
And here is Miss Ethel Waters from Cabin in the Sky:
Please remember that on the “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” monaural LP there is an alternate version of the tune with Count Basie taken from the studio sessions that make up the “pseudo-live” Latino Casino recordings. It is sung quite differently than the version we all know so well.