Song of the Day: Out Of This World

The song of the day for Friday, June 5, 2015 is “Out Of This World.”

About This Song

This song was written for the 1945 movie of the same name by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. Out Of This World starred Eddie Bracken; however Bing Crosby dubbed the vocals for Bracken and introduced the song. Alec Wilder was a fan of “Out Of This World,” praising its ethereal quality and the excellent lyrics by Mercer.

About This Version

Tony Bennett has recorded this song three times and I had to listen them all to make up my mind. I decided on the 1967 version from For Once In My Life. The Marion Evans arrangement is superb; Evans conducted as well. There’s an underlying urgency in the arrangement that adds a layer of mystery and even a hint of danger under Bennett’s singing, which is masterful. There were some excellent musicians on this session as well, including Urbie Green on trombone and Joe Soldo on flute. You can find out more about the January 18, 1967 session at our sister site, The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography.

“Out Of This World,” as well as For Once In My Life, is available from iTunes.