The song of the day for Saturday, January 28, 2017 is “The Way You Look Tonight.”
About This Song
“The Way You Look Tonight” was written in 1936 by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields. It was introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1936 film Swing Time; the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the year. Dorothy Fields remarked “The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.” Dorothy Fields was the first woman to win an Oscar for songwriting. It’s a magnificent love song that has found a strong position as a jazz standard, with recordings by Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Mel Tormé and Frank Sinatra.
About This Version
I decided that a celebration of Jerome Kern’s birthday could easily be extended for a second day; I also know for a fact that this song is favorite of several of this site’s readers, because they write to me and tell me so. And for good reason–the song is more than beautiful. When I listen to it, I understand exactly how Dorothy Fields felt when she first heard the song.
Today I’m featuring Bennett’s most recent version from the 2015 album with Bill Charlap; The Silver Lining: The Music of Jerome Kern.
The Way You Look Tonight
The Way You Look Tonight, a song by Tony Bennett, Bill Charlap on Spotify
“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as The Silver Lining: The Music of Jerome Kern, is available from iTunes.
About Today
It’s a video Saturday! Here are Tony and Bill Charlap.
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