The song of the day for Monday, June 30, 2025, is “Honeysuckle Rose.”
About Today
Today we are celebrating the late Lena Horne, who was born in New York City on June 30, 1917. She was a singer, actress, and dancer, in addition to being a civil rights activist.
In 1974, Lena Horne and Tony Bennett performed Tony & Lena Sing on Broadway for several months. Lena appeared on Broadway again in her 1981 one-woman revue Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music, which I had the great thrill of seeing.
About This Song
“Honeysuckle Rose” was written in 1929 by Thomas “Fats” Waller and Andy Razaf. It’s one of Waller’s better known songs and for good reason. The tune is very well written and Razaf’s lyrics are delightful. Waller recorded the song in 1934 and that recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The song has been recorded steadily throughout the years, including the one from Lena Horne in 1963.
About This Version
Tony Bennett recorded “Honeysuckle Rose” in July 1995 for Here’ To The Ladies, featuring an arrangement by Jorge Calandrelli. For that album, Bennett chose songs made famous by some of the great female singers of the 20th century. He chose to honor Lena Horne with “Honeysuckle Rose.”
“Honeysuckle Rose,” as well as Here’s To The Ladies, is available on Apple Music.
I was able to find this video of Tony Bennett and Lena Horne singing “Mood Indigo.” (Date and occasion unknown.)
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