• 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

February 17, 2016 By Suzanne 1 Comment

Song of the Day: It’s Only A Paper Moon

The song of the day for Wednesday, February 17, 2016 is “It’s Only A Paper Moon.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “It’s Only A Paper Moon,” was written in 1933 by Harold Arlen, with lyrics by Yip Harburg and Billy Rose. Originally written for an unsuccessful play called The Great Magoo, this song was used in the 1933 movie Take a Chance. Paul Whiteman recorded it that year. There were two very fine recordings in the 1940s by Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole, which sealed the popularity of the song. Since that time, it has been a popular and jazz favorite that has been widely recorded.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “It’s Only A Paper Moon” in 1998 for his lovely children’s album The Playground. The album was produced by Tony Bennett and Danny Bennett; the musical consultant was Bobby Tucker, who was pianist and arranger for both Billie Holiday and Billy Eckstine. The song features The Ralph Sharon Quartet, with Grey Sargent on guitar, Paul Langosch on bass and Clayton Cameron on drums. It’s fun, swingy arrangement.

(It’s Only) A Paper Moon

“It’s Only A Paper Moon,” as well as The Playground, is available from iTunes.

Share this:

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

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Billy Rose, Harold Arlen, The Playground, Yip Harburg

Comments

  1. Aida says

    February 17, 2016 at 1:58 am

    It’s very wonderful song!

    Reply

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

  • Duke Ellington and the Harlem Renaissance
  • Song of the Day: You Must Believe In Spring
  • Song of the Day: Maybe September
  • Twilight World
  • Song of the Day: Speak Low
  • Tony Bennett's Annual Painting for the American Cancer Society Christmas Card
  • Home
  • About
  • Song of the Day
  • Album of the Week
  • Music and Art
  • And More
  • The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography

Copyright © 2023 The Year of Tony Bennett · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress