The song of the day for Saturday, February 1, 2014 is “The Way You Look Tonight.”
About This Song
Today’s song, “The Way You Look Tonight” is one of Jerome Kern’s most beautiful songs, with wonderful lyrics by Dorothy Fields. They wrote this song for the 1936 film Swing Time, starring Fred Astaire (who introduced the song) and Ginger Rogers.
About This Version
Today’s version of “The Way You Look Tonight” is from Bennett’s 1958 album Long Ago And Far Away and was arranged and conducted by Frank DeVol. Bennett sings this song in most of his concerts and it’s always a show-stopper, with great heart and emotional depth. This author never tires of hearing it; I hope you never tire of it either. It’s one of the greatest songs in the American Songbook sung by its greatest proponent.
http://open.spotify.com/track/1cIPfxkVrIglSgpYCtYyCN
“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as the album Long Ago and Far Away, is available from iTunes.
As it’s Saturday, here’s your video: Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap singing today’s song, from the Elvis Costello Spectacle, from December 2008:
And if you have time for another video, here’s the scene from Swing Time, with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers:
Did Tony Bennett and Stephane Grappelli record “So Far” but not release it? I recall it being on a Capitol preview demo record in 50s when I was radio disc jockey. I played it on air from the demo record that held single samples from upcoming album releases.
Not that I’ve been able to find, but I’d love to hear it. I’ll research this and see what I can find out.
Thanks for visiting the discography!
Suzanne
Thanks Suzanne. Continuing search today showed that Tony was with Columbia back then. “So Far” was recorded in 1958 but with a full orchestra under Frank DeVol. My memory still plays the song in my head with Tony Bennett accompanied by jazz violin from a promotion record sampling many albums to be released soon by the record company. I can still recall cueing up the cut to play during my all-night radio show. I guess the only person who can say there really was a recording is Tony Bennett himself. And it had to have been recorded before 1966 when I left the station.
Hi Paul,
I just listened to the 1958 “So Far” from Long Ago and Far Away … and in the middle, cutting through the orchestra, is some nice jazz violin. Here’s the Spotify link … let me know what you think. http://open.spotify.com/track/2sdlvXvGJrxNOIRMHZWiup
Suzanne
Considering it’s been over 50 years since I was on the air, I think you caught my “senior moment” of remembering only that short excerpt with the jazz violin. Now it just makes me wish Tony would record something with the current wizard of jazz violin – Aaron Weinstein and a small jazz group. Thanks for the research Suzanne. You do a great job.
Thanks very much, Paul. It is indeed a labor of love. If you haven’t done so already, please check out my other project at discography.bloggingtonybennett.com
Tony did some nice work with violinist Joel Smirnoff on Prelude to a Kiss from Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool