Song of the Day: One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)

The song of the day for Tuesday, December 13, 2022, is “One for My Baby (And One More for the Road).”

About This Song

“One for My Baby (And One More 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

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

Tony Bennett recorded “One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)” in June 1992 and was released that year on Perfectly Frank. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

“One for My Baby (And One More for the Road),” as well as Perfectly Frank is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Frank Sinatra’s legendary 1958 recording of “One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)” with the great Nelson Riddle arrangement from Frank Sinatra Sings for Only The Lonely:

We’ve also got Fred Astaire performing “One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)” from the 1943 movie The Sky’s the Limit:

And if you’re still with us, Sinatra sang today’s song on an unknown live television program: