The song of the day for Thursday, June 29, 2023, is “The Party’s Over.”
About Today
We are remembering Ralph Burns, who arranged all of the songs on Hometown, My Town, on the anniversary of his birth on June 29, 1922. in Newton, Massachusetts. Burns was a gifted composer, pianist, and arranger. After attending The New England Conservatory of Music, he moved to New York and worked with several big bands, including Woody Herman’s band, as an arranger. During his early years, he worked with artists, including Stan Getz, Charlie Barnet, and Tony Bennett. In the 1960s, he began arranging for Broadway shows, such as Chicago, Funny Girl, and Sweet Charity. He worked with Bob Fosse on two of those musicals and orchestrated the scores for several Fosse films, including Cabaret, Lenny, and All That Jazz. He worked steadily until his death in 2001, including several arrangements for Tony Bennett’s 1999 album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. Musicianguide.com has an excellent biography and discography of Burns.
About This Song
“The Party’s Over” was written in 1956 by Jule Styne, Adolph Green, and Betty Comden, for the musical Bells Are Ringing. The song was introduced by Judy Holliday, who won the Tony Award for her performance.
About This Version
Tony Bennett recorded “The Party’s Over” on November 4, 1958, for Hometown, My Town, released in 1959. It was arranged and conducted by Ralph Burns.
“The Party’s Over,” as well as Hometown, My Town is available on Apple Music.
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