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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

April 2, 2015 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Left My Heart In San Francisco

The song of the day for Thursday, April 2, 2015 is “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.”

About This Song

This song was written 1954 by two somewhat homesick songwriters from San Francisco: George Cory and Douglass Cross.

Knowing that Ralph Sharon played with Tony Bennett, the songwriters gave a copy of the music to Mr. Sharon, who promptly put it in a drawer and forgot about it. Some time later, as he was packing for a tour with Mr. Bennett that would take them to San Francisco, he came across the song and put it in his suitcase, thinking that the locals in San Francisco might enjoy hearing it. After a performance at a nightclub in Hot Springs, Arkansas (a concert where underage saxophone player and future President Bill Clinton famously stood outside the club and watched the entire performance through the window), Bennett and Sharon found a piano in the bar at their hotel and started to work on the song. The first fan of the song was the bartender, who said “If you guys record that song, I’ll buy the first copy.” (Tony Bennett, The Good Life, page 164).

About This Version

Today’s version of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” is from Bennett’s 1962 legendary performance at Carnegie Hall. This song, as well as the entire concert, was arranged and conducted by Ralph Sharon.

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett dedicates today’s song of the day to the late Ralph Sharon, who luckily had the great good sense to grab this song out the drawer that day. Fans all over the world will always be grateful for that very happy accident.

(I Left My Heart) In San Francisco (with Ralph Sharon & his Orchestra) - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962

Listen to (I Left My Heart) In San Francisco (with Ralph Sharon & his Orchestra) - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962 on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1962.


“I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” as well as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall, is available from iTunes.

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Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Douglass Cross, George Cory, Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall

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