The song of the day for Sunday, June 29, 2025, is “Smile.”
About Today
We remember Ralph Burns, who wrote the arrangement for today’s song. He was born in Massachusetts on June 29, 1922. Burns arranged and conducted two albums for Tony Bennett: Hometown, My Town in 1959 and My Heart Sings in 1961. He also wrote the big band arrangements for Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool in 1999, two years before his death. In addition to arranging, he was a jazz pianist and a notable film composer.
About This Song
“Smile” was written by Charlie Chaplin in 1936 for his last silent film, Modern Times, which shows Chaplin and his costar Paulette Goddard, walking hand-in-hand up the road as the sun sets and as this song plays, in one of the most iconic scenes ever filmed. The lyrics by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons were added in 1954.
About This Version
Tony Bennett recorded “Smile” on June 24, 1959, and was released as a single that year. The recording was also included on his 1962 album I Left My heart In San Francisco. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangement.
“Smile,” as well as the album I Left My Heart In San Francisco, is available on Apple Music.
Here’s that legendary scene from Modern Times.
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