The song of the day for Tuesday, August 4, 2026, is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”
About This Song
“I Left My Heart In San Francisco” was written in 1953 by Douglass Cross and George Cory. This song is, of course, Tony Bennett’s signature song. It actually became that quite by accident. As Bennett’s musical director, songwriters were constantly giving Ralph Sharon copies of their songs. Cross and Cory had done that and Sharon had stuck the song in a drawer and forgotten all about it. In 1961, he and Bennett were heading out on tour, which included a stop in San Francisco at The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Sharon came across the music and thought it might be a nice local number for the San Francisco audience. After a performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas, they found a piano and started to work on the song a bit. An early fan was the bartender, who said that he’d buy the first copy if they ever decided to record it. Of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was a huge hit at the performance, and in January 1962, Bennett recorded it and released it on a 45 RPM record on the B-side to “Once Upon a Time.” But gradually, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” started getting all the airplay and it became a major hit for Bennett, winning him his first Grammy Award. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans.
It’s notable that George Cory, who wrote the tune for I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” was born August 3, 1920.
Tony’s “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” won Record of the Year at the 5th Annual Grammy Awards.
About This Version
Today’s version of “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” is from Duets: An American Classic. It’s just Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap on piano. It’s exquisite.
Duets: An American Classic won the 2007 Grammy award for Best Traditional Pop Album.
“I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” as well as Duets: An American Classic, is available on Apple Music.
My favorite version of this song is Tony Bennett, with Judy Garland, singing “I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” and was never released on a record. It was on Tony Bennett’s appearance on The Judy Garland Show on July 30, 1963.
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