The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: How Do You Keep the Music Playing

The song of the day for Saturday, October 28, 2017 is “How Do You Keep the Music Playing.”

About This Song

“How Do You Keep the Music Playing” was written in 1982, with music by Michel Legrand and lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, for the movie Best Friends. The initial recording was a duet by Patti Austin and James Ingram, which became a hit single in 1983. It was one of three songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman that were nominated that year for an Academy Award for Best Song (though the award went to “Up Where We Belong” from the movie An Officer and a Gentleman). The song has become a popular standard and has had many fine recordings, including those by Frank Sinatra (who encouraged Bennett to sing this song), Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis and, of course, Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “How Do You Keep the Music Playing” in 1986 for The Art of Excellence. Jorge Calandrelli did the arrangement.

How Do You Keep The Music Playing?

Listen to How Do You Keep The Music Playing? on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1986


“How Do You Keep the Music Playing,” as well as The Art of Excellence, is available from iTunes.

About Today

For our Saturday video, we have the wonderful duet of today’s song with Tony and Aretha Franklin, as the recorded this song in Detroit for Duets II.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: How Do You Keep The Music Playing

The song of the day for Saturday, June 17, 2017 is “How Do You Keep The Music Playing.”

About This Song

“How Do You Keep The Music Playing” was written in 1982, with music by Michel Legrand and lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. It was written for the movie Best Friends, which starred Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn. The initial recording was a duet by Patti Austin and James Ingram, which became a hit single in 1983. It was one of three songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman that were nominated that year for an Academy Award for Best Song (though the award went to “Up Where We Belong” from the movie An Officer and a Gentleman). The song has become a popular standard and has had many fine recordings, including those by Frank Sinatra (who encouraged Bennett to sing this song), Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis and Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett and George Michael and, most recently, Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin.

About This Version

Today I’m featuring Tony Bennett’s first recording of “How Do You Keep the Music Playing,” from his 1986 album The Art of Excellence. And an excellent album it was!

How Do You Keep The Music Playing?

Listen to How Do You Keep The Music Playing? on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1986


“How Do You Keep The Music Playing,” as well as Duets II, is available from iTunes.

About Today

For our Saturday video, I’m happy to feature one of Bennett’s greatest duet performances. Tony and Aretha Franklin sing “How Do You Keep the Music Playing.”

By 2 Comments

By Request: How Do You Keep The Music Playing?

I had a request for this song today. It’s the birthday of one of our most faithful readers, Aida, from the Russian Tony Bennett Fan Club. Here’s a link to their site, if you’re interested. “How Do You Keep The Music Playing?” is one of Aida’s favorite songs, and one of mine as well. I’m more than happy to fulfill the request to talk about this song.

It was written in 1982 by Michel Legrand, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, for the film Best Friends, which starred Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn. I love the music of Michel Legrand and absolutely adore the lyrics of Alan and Marilyn Bergman. (Ten seconds into “The Way We Were” sung by Barbara Streisand and I’m crying my eyes out. It’s a Pavlovian response at this point).

The first recording of this song was a duet by James Ingram and Patti Austin.

How Do You Keep The Music Playing

Listen to How Do You Keep The Music Playing on Spotify. Song · James Ingram, Patti Austin · 2004

Tony Bennett first recorded “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” in 1986 for his album The Art of Excellence.

How Do You Keep The Music Playing?

Listen to How Do You Keep The Music Playing? on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1986

But how did Tony come to record this song in the first place? He tells the story in his autobiography The Good Life, while discussing the album The Art of Excellence:

I included a song on that album called “How Do You Keep The Music Playing?” by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, which I had first heard Sinatra sing. One night I went to see Frank perform at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles.I know no idea he knew I was there, but right after he finished singing the song, he said to me, in full view of thousands of people, ‘Tony! You should sing this song!’ How could I refuse?

I’ve heard him sing this song in concert and it completely blew me away. But the performance that really blew me away was the duet he did with Aretha Franklin for Duets II. Sheer, wonderful perfection.

I dare you to see that tear in Bennett’s eye at the end of the song, followed by his glorious smile, and not be moved.

Happy Birthday, Aida!

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: How Do You Keep The Music Playing?

The song of the day for Saturday, October 3, 2015 is “How Do You Keep The Music Playing?”

About This Song

Today’s song, “How Do You Keep The Music Playing?”, was written in 1982, with music by Michel Legrand and lyrics from Alan and Marilyn Bergman. This song was written for the 1982 movie Best Friends, which starred Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn. The initial recording was a duet by Patti Austin and James Ingram, which became a hit single in 1983. It was one of three songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman that were nominated that year for an Academy Award for Best Song (though the award went to “Up Where We Belong” from the movie An Officer and a Gentleman). The song has become a popular standard and has had many fine recordings, including those by Frank Sinatra (who encouraged Bennett to sing this song), Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis and Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett and George Michael and, most recently, Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin.

About This Version

We feature Tony Bennett’s 1986 solo version of “How Do You Keep The Music Playing?” from The Art of Excellence, one of Bennett’s finest albums. It was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.

Mr. Bennett sang this song at the first live concert of his I ever attended and I’ll never forget how much the song moved me that evening in Seattle. The Bergmans have never written a bad lyric and this is one of their very best.

How Do You Keep The Music Playing?

Listen to How Do You Keep The Music Playing? on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1986


“How Do You Keep The Music Playing?,” as well as Duets II, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Today is video Saturday and I am quite pleased to present the wonderful duet of today’s song from Tony and Aretha Franklin from Duets II. Keep an eye on Tony at the very end of the song. It makes me cry too.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: How Do You Keep The Music Playing

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 25, 2015 is “How Do You Keep The Music Playing.”

About This Song

“How Do You Keep The Music Playing” was written by Michel Legrand (music) and Alan and Marilyn Bergman (lyrics0) for the 1982 movie Best Friends, which starred Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn. The initial recording was a duet by Patti Austin and James Ingram, which became a hit single in 1983. It was one of three songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman that were nominated that year for an Academy Award for Best Song (though the award went to “Up Where We Belong” from the movie An Officer and a Gentleman). The song has become a popular standard and has had many fine recordings, including those by Frank Sinatra (who encouraged Bennett to sing this song), Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis and Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett and George Michael and, most recently, Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin.

About This Version

Today’s version is from Duets II and is his wonderful duet with Aretha Franklin. This version was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.

How Do You Keep The Music Playing

Listen to How Do You Keep The Music Playing on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin · 2011


“How Do You Keep The Music Playing,” as well as Duets II, is available from iTunes.

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett would like to wish Aretha Franklin a very happy birthday today. Miss Franklin was born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee. As a child, she sang in her father’s church and by the age of 18 began her professional career with Columbia Records. She soon moved to Atlantic Records and started making the songs that were huge hits then and are completely iconic now: “Respect” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” among others.

She has won 18 Grammy Awards and has received many honors, including her inductions to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (she was the first woman to be so honored), the UK Music Hall of Fame and the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame. She was ranked #1 in the Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Even though it’s not a Saturday, we include the beautiful video of Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin recording today’s song. I could watch this video forever. Especially starting at 4:19 to the end. I love that single tear.