The song of the day for Friday, June 21, 2013 is “The Rules of the Road.”
About This Song
I guess it goes without saying that this wonderful song by the great songwriting pair of Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh is one of my most favorite songs in the world. I can’t get enough of it and can’t go for more than a few months without naming it the song of the day.
So these are the ropes
The tricks of the trade
The rules of the road
I’m just one of the dopes
For whom they were made
I’m a fool of the roadYou follow that kiss
And recklessly miss
A bend of the road
Then suddenly this
The end of the roadSo love is a hoax
A glittering string
Of little white lies
But these are the jokes
That’s why they bring
The tears to your eyesWell, love often shows a funny return.
The brighter it glows,
The longer you burn.
And lord only knows
Love has little concern for the fools of the road.But that’s how it goes,
You live and you learn,
The rules of the road.
About This Version
Well, we’ve established that this is a favorite song of mine. But which version? The great, brassy big band version from I Left My Heart in San Francisco? The more uptempo live performance from Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall? I love both those versions dearly.
No, today is the quiet, more introspective with the Ralph Sharon Trio on When Lights Are Low. So introspective, in fact, that “You’re just one of the dopes” is changed to “I’m just one of those dopes.” This version is more like an intimate conversation. It’s a lovely arrangement and touches the heart, with more than a tinge of regret.
“The Rules of the Road,” as well as the entire When Lights Are Low album, is available from iTunes.
This is a light hearted, uptempo song that gets a strong message across! The collaboration of Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh and Benedetto was top shelf! Once you listen to it you will be humming all day long!