• Home
  • About
    • About This Blog
    • About the Authors
  • Song of the Day
  • Album of the Week
  • Music and Art
    • Tony Live!
    • Music
      • Viva Duets
      • Songs
      • Albums
    • Art
  • And More
    • Collaborator of the Month
    • Songwriter of the Month – 2016
    • News
      • Cheek To Cheek
      • Bennett & Brubeck -The White House Sessions Live 1962
      • Life is a Gift
      • Viva Duets
      • Zen of Bennett
      • Other News
    • About His Collaborators
    • Musings
    • Extras
      • Books
      • Interviews
      • Media
  • The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography

The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

October 9, 2014 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Could Write a Book

The song of the day for Thursday, October 9, 2014 is “I Could Write A Book.”

About This Song

“I Could Write a Book” was written for the Broadway musical Pal Joey by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, where it was introduced by Gene Kelly and Leila Ernst. This has always been an interesting song. Today it’s considered a lovely romantic number, but in the context of the musical, it’s sung as a phony love song in order to woo the innocent ingenue. It’s been widely recorded by artists including Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Betty Carter, Anita O’Day and Ella Fitzgerald.

About This Version

Bennett recorded “I Could Write a Book” for his 1973 album Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs, released on his own Improv label. For this album, he is backed by the Ruby Braff – George Barnes Quartet, with Braff on cornet, Barnes and Wayne Wright on guitar and John Guiffrida on bass. It’s a remarkably effective sound for these songs.

And yes, I’m not only on a Rodgers and Hart kick, but also a Pal Joey kick. Once I start listening to Rodgers and Hart, it’s very hard for me to stop.

I Could Write A Book

Listen to I Could Write A Book on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2004.

Share this:

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Print
  • More
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Lorenz Hart, Pal Joey, Richard Rodgers, Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs

Please feel free to leave a comment Cancel reply

Subscribe to The Year of Tony Bennett

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Current Reader Favorites

  • Song of the Day: The Good Life
  • Song of the Day: Once Upon a Time
  • Song of the Day: A Christmas Love Song
  • Song of the Day: Laura
  • Collaborator of the Month: Marion Evans
  • Song of the Day: Samba de Orfeu
  • Home
  • About
  • Song of the Day
  • Album of the Week
  • Music and Art
  • And More
  • The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography

Copyright © 2022 The Year of Tony Bennett · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress