The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Lullaby of Broadway

The song of the day for Friday, September 3, 2021, is “Lullaby of Broadway.”

About This Song

“Lullaby of Broadway,” written by Harry Warren and Al Dubin, was introduced in the 1935 movie Gold Diggers of 1935 and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It is one of the great show biz anthems. The 1980 musical 42nd Street featured Jerry Orbach singing the song (which your blogger had the fortune to see him in).

About This Version

At the very end of Bennett’s set, in “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” he welcomes Dave Brubeck back on the stage and then says:

We haven’t rehearsed this, so lots of luck, folks.

Joining Tony Bennett on stage were Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums. Tony Bennett suggests “Lullaby of Broadway” and off they go. Lucky for us, it’s all captured on Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962.

Lullaby Of Broadway (with The Dave Brubeck Trio) - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962

Listen to Lullaby Of Broadway (with The Dave Brubeck Trio) - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Dave Brubeck Trio · 2013

“Lullaby of Broadway,” as well as Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962 is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Lullaby of Broadway

The song of the day for Saturday, April 26, 2014 is “Lullaby of Broadway.”

About This Song

“Lullaby of Broadway” was written in 1935 by Harry Warren and Al Dubin for the film musical The Gold Diggers of 1935. This song is one of Warren’s most popular songs, with recordings by Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Doris Day and Bette Midler. It was used in the 1980 Broadway production 42nd Street and was sung by Jerry Orbach (whom your author had the great privilege of seeing in this production).

About This Version

“Lullaby of Broadway” is one of Bennett’s more often-recorded songs, starting with The Beat of My Heart in 1957 to the 1962 Carnegie Hall Concert and the 1964 Live at the Sahara concert. Today’s version is from his second album with the Count Basie Orchestra, In Person!, released in 1959.

http://open.spotify.com/track/6m8EJtG9ESWAMzwCtutmjy
“Lullaby of Broadway,” as well as the album In Person!, is available from iTunes.

And yes, it’s Saturday again. Here is Tony Bennett singing “Lullaby of Broadway” with Dixie Chicks from Duets: An American Classic.

Many thanks to Tony Bennett and VEVO for making a whole new crop of videos available on YouTube.