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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

February 3, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Once Upon A Time

The song of the day for Friday, February 4, 2022, is “Once Upon A Time.”

About This Song

“Once Upon A Time” was written in 1962 by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams for the 1962 Ray Bolger musical All American, where it was introduced by Bolger and Eileen Herlie. While the musical was not a major smash hit, the song is quite lovely. In addition to Tony Bennett’s fine recording, it was also recorded by Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Howard Keel, Bobby Darrin, and Mandy Patinkin.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Once Upon A Time” in 1962 for the album I Left My In San Francisco. Marty Manning wrote the arrangement.

“Once Upon A Time,” as well as I Left My In San Francisco is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: All American, Charles Strouse, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, Lee Adams, Marty Manning, Tony Bennett

December 6, 2017 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Once Upon a Time

The song of the day for Thursday, December 7, 2017 is “Once Upon a Time.”

About This Song

“Once Upon a Time” was written for the 1962 Ray Bolger musical All American by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams. The song was introduced by Bolger and Eileen Herlie. While the musical was not a major smash hit, the song is quite lovely. In addition to Tony Bennett’s fine recording, it was also recorded by Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Howard Keel, Bobby Darrin and Mandy Patinkin.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Once Upon a Time” in 1962, with an arrangement by Marty Manning. It was first released as a single on the A side; the B side was some song about San Francisco … “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” Needless to say, “Once Upon a Time,” which was and still is a beautiful recording, was outshone by the B side. Both songs were later released on the album I Left My Heart in San Francisco. When I first heard this song and this recording, I thought it was one of the romantic songs I had ever heard. Well, I was only 12, but it is a very nice song.

Once Upon a Time

Listen to Once Upon a Time on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1962.


“Once Upon a Time,” as well as I Left My Heart in San Francisco, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: All American, Charles Strouse, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, Lee Adams, Marty Manning, Tony Bennett

April 3, 2016 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Once Upon A Time

The song of the day for Sunday, April 3, 2016 is “Once Upon A Time.”

About This Song

“Once Upon a Time” was written for the 1962 Ray Bolger musical All American by Charles Strouse and Lee Adamds, where it was introduced by Bolger and Eileen Herbie. While the musical was not a major smash hit, the song is quite lovely. In addition to Tony Bennett’s fine recording, it was also recorded by Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Howard Keel, Bobby Darrin and Mandy Patinkin.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Once Upon A Time” in 1962, with an arrangement by Marty Manning. It was originally released as a single, on the A-side with the song “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” on the B-side. I guess we know which song got all the attention. It was also released that same year on the album I Left My Heart In San Francisco.

Once Upon a Time

Listen to Once Upon a Time on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1962.


“Once Upon A Time,” as well as I Left My Heart In San Francisco, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: All American, Charles Strouse, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, Lee Adams

November 24, 2015 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Once Upon A Time

The song of the day for is “Once Upon A Time.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “Once Upon A Time,” was written in 1962 by Charles Strouse (music) and Lee Adams (lyrics) for the Ray Bolger musical All American, where it was introduced by Bolger and Eileen Herlie. While the musical was not a major smash hit, the song is quite lovely. In addition to Tony Bennett’s fine recording, it was also recorded by Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Howard Keel, Bobby Darrin and Mandy Patinkin.

About This Version

I fell in love with this song the year it was written, when I was a somewhat romantic pre-teen; my parents had this album and I think I pretty much wore it wore it out listening to the first two songs on Side 1: “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” and “Once Upon A Time.”

Tony Bennett recorded “Once Upon A Time” in January 1962 at the same session as “I Left My Heart In San Francisco”; both were arranged by Marty Manning. They were also released together on a single, with “Once Upon A Time” on the A-side and “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” on the B-side. I think we all know how that turned out. But, that said, both songs are wonderful and I’m happy to do my part to get even just one person to listen to “Once Upon A Time.”

Once Upon a Time

Listen to Once Upon a Time on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1962.


“Once Upon A Time,” as well as I Left My Heart In San Francisco, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: All American, Charles Strouse, Lee Adams, Marty Manning

January 7, 2014 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Once Upon a Time

The song of the day for Tuesday, January 7, 2013 is “Once Upon a Time.”

About This Song

“Once Upon a Time” was written by Charles Strouse (music) and Lee Adams (lyrics) for the 1962 Ray Bolger musical All American, where it was introduced by Bolger and Eileen Herlie. While the musical was not a major smash hit, the song is quite lovely. In addition to Tony Bennett’s fine recording, it was also recorded by Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Howard Keel, Bobby Darrin and Mandy Patinkin.

My mother had an Andy Williams album with this song on it. As a young pre-teen girl, I thought it was the most beautiful and romantic song I’d ever heard. I still do, though I much prefer Tony Bennett’s versions of it.

About This Version

The first recording of “Once Upon a Time” by Tony Bennett has quite a history: it was the A-side to the 45rpm single that had “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” on the B-side. And we all know how that turned out. Bennett mentions in concert how they were out plugging “Once Upon a Time” but the public really loved “I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” which turned out, of course, to be the song that won Bennett his first Grammy awards for Best Record of the Year and Best Solo Performance, Male. Nonetheless, “Once Upon a Time” is a beautiful song and he sings it regularly in concerts today.

Today’s version is not the original, but the live version from Live at the Sahara: Las Vegas, 1964, released last year. Today, my co-blogger and I both found ourselves, independently, not only listening to this concert album, but focusing on and replaying “Once Upon a Time.” This synchronicity is too perfect to ignore and so this is our song for today.

http://open.spotify.com/track/2oiXN92Q5EG56jxWkENK9L
“Once Upon a Time,” as well as Live at the Sahara: Las Vegas, 1964, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: All American, Charles Strouse, Lee Adams, Live at the Sahara: Las Vegas 1964

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