The song of the day for Monday, April 22, 2013 is Young and Foolish.
About This Song
Young and Foolish was written by Albert Hague and Arnold Horwitt for the 1955 musical, Plain and Fancy. The musical concerns two sophisticated New Yorkers traveling to an Amish community in Pennsylvania to sell a piece of property. Other songs from the show include How Do You Raise a Barn? and City Mouse, Country Mouse.
About This Version
Young and Foolish was the first cut on the Tony Bennett – Bill Evans album and sets the tone for the entire album. Bill Evans had recorded the song in 1958 on Everybody Digs Bill Evans, his second album. It’s quite interesting to listen to Evans’ takes on the song over the 25 year span between these recordings.
Tony Bennett had recorded Young and Foolish in 1963 for This Is All I Ask, is a beautifully sung romantic ballad. In this version, we believe that the couple will be able to recreate the wonderful times when they were young and foolish. In this 1975 version, that feels like a memory that may be long gone in the relationship.
This is really an extraordinary recording by two great jazz performers.
http://open.spotify.com/track/4q9g66QBVulLS1C6XpggyJ
Young and Foolish, as well as The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album, is available from iTunes.
We also include Evans’ 1958 Young and Foolish from Everybody Digs Bill Evans.
Both icons performed well on this gorgeous song. For me, the earlier version by Benedetto was pure vintage Benedetto! I love this song!