The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Honeysuckle Rose

The song of the day for Friday, January 5, 2018 is “Honeysuckle Rose.”

About This Song

“Honeysuckle Rose,” written in 1929, is one of Fats Waller’s better known tunes and for good reason. The tune is very well written and Andy Razaf’s lyric is delightful. Waller recorded the song in 1934 and that recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The song has been recorded steadily throughout the years, including the one from Lena Horne in 1963.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Honeysuckle Rose” in 1995 for the album Here’s To The Ladies. This album consists of songs associated with some of America’s greatest female singers. Today’s song was associated with Lena Horne, who sang this song frequently.

Honeysuckle Rose

Listen to Honeysuckle Rose on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1995


“Honeysuckle Rose,” as well as Here’s To The Ladies, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Honeysuckle Rose

The song of the day for Sunday, July 24, 2016 is “Honeysuckle Rose.”

About This Song

“Honeysuckle Rose” is one of Fats Waller’s better known tunes and for good reason. The tune is very well written and Andy Razaf’s lyric is delightful. Waller recorded the song in 1934 and that recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The song has been recorded steadily throughout the years, including the one from Lena Horne in 1963.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Honeysuckle Rose” in 1995 for the album Here’s To The Ladies. For this album, Bennett picked the great female singers of the 20th century and recorded a song that was widely associated with that singer. “Honeysuckle Rose” was for Lena Horne, with whom Tony performed in the early 1970s.

Honeysuckle Rose

Listen to Honeysuckle Rose on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1995


“Honeysuckle Rose,” as well as Here’s To The Ladies, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Honeysuckle Rose

The song of the day for Tuesday, May 17, 2016 is “Honeysuckle Rose.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “Honeysuckle Rose,” was composed by Fats Waller in 1929 with lyrics by Andy Razaf. It is one of Fats Waller’s better known tunes and for good reason. The tune is very well written and Razaf’s lyric is delightful. Waller recorded the song in 1934 and that recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The song has been recorded steadily throughout the years, including the one from Lena Horne in 1963.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Honeysuckle Rose” in 1995 for the album Here’s To The Ladies. For this album, Bennett honored great female singers of the 20th century by singing songs that are strongly associated with that singer. “Honeysuckle Rose” is for Lena Horne, who Tony performed with in the early 1970s. I had the great pleasure of seeing Miss Horne in Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music in 1981 on Broadway. I’m so glad I had that chance to see her in person and hear her sing and tell stories about her life and career.

Honeysuckle Rose

Listen to Honeysuckle Rose on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1995


“Honeysuckle Rose,” as well as Here’s To The Ladies, is available from iTunes.

Even though it’s only Tuesday, I have a video for you. It’s Tony and Lena singing a medley of Harold Arlen songs from the early 1970s. Enjoy!

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Song of the Day: Ain’t Misbehavin’

The song of the day for Wednesday, April 13, 2016 is “Ain’t Misbehavin’.”

About This Song

“Ain’t Misbehaving'” was composed in 1929 by Thomas “Fats” Waller and Harry Brooks with lyrics by Andy Razaf, for the 1929 musical revue Hot Chocolates, staged at Connie’s Inn in Harlem. Andy Razaf, the lyricist, says that Waller wrote the entire song in just 45 minutes. It has become one of Waller’s most well-known songs, perhaps due to the wildly successful Broadway musical revue Ain’t Misbehaving, which opened in 1978 (which your author had the great pleasure of seeing with the original cast).

About This Version

Tony Bennett’s only studio recording of “Ain’t Misbehaving'” was made in 1964 for his album When Lights Are Low. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

Ain"t Misbehavin"

Listen to Ain"t Misbehavin" on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1964


“Ain’t Misbehavin’,” as well as When Lights Are Low, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Welty_Eudora_640x360

We are featuring “Ain’t Misbehaving'” in honor of the Mississippi author Eudora Welty, who was born in Jackson Mississippi on April 13, 1909. I had the great fortune to meet Eudora Welty in 1979, when I worked at New Stage Theater in Jackson and quite accidentally lived directly across the street in the house she grew up in and next door to the elementary school she attended. Welty, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for her novel The Optimist’s Daughter, loved jazz and especially loved the music of Fats Waller. One of her earliest and most famous short stories, Powerhouse, was based on Fats Waller. For all these reasons, and more, I am pleased to honor the great Eudora Welty by featuring one of her favorite songs.

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Song of the Day: Ain’t Misbehavin’

The song of the day for Tuesday, December 29, 2015 is “Ain’t Misbehavin’.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “Ain’t Misbehavin'” was written in 1929, with music by Fats Waller and Harry Brooks and lyrics by Andy Razaf. The song was introduced in the 1929 musical revue Hot Chocolates, staged at Connie’s Inn in Harlem. Andy Razaf, the lyricist, says that Waller wrote the entire song in just 45 minutes. It has become one of Waller’s most well-known songs, perhaps due to the wildly successful Broadway musical revue Ain’t Misbehaving, which opened in 1978.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “Ain’t Misbehavin'” in 1964 for his album When Lights Are Low. I love the tempo of this song. Not too slow, not too fast, just right!

Ain"t Misbehavin"

Listen to Ain"t Misbehavin" on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1964


“Ain’t Misbehavin'” as well as When Lights Are Low, is available from iTunes.