The song of the day for Friday, February 12, 2016 is “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road).”
About This Song
“One For The Road” was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1943 film The Sky’s The Limit, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire. Harold Arlen called this song one of his “tapeworms” as at 48 bars, it was longer than the standard 32 bar popular song. Alec Wilder, in American Popular Song, says that “the honors must go the lyric. … Just imagine having the acuity and courage to start a song, as Mercer does, with “It’s a quarter to three”!
About This Version
Mr. Bennett has recorded this song several times–and they are all great–but today I choose his live recording from his 1962 Carnegie Hall concert. Because as great as Tony Bennett records are, and they are great, there’s nothing like Tony Bennett when he’s singing live.
“One For My Baby (And One More For The Road),” as well as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall, is available from iTunes.
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