The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Dancing in the Dark

The song of the day for Sunday, October 11, 2026, is “Dancing in the Dark.”

About This Song

“Dancing in the Dark” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1931 revue The Band Wagon, which starred Fred and Adele Astaire; the song was introduced by John Barker and Tilly Losch. It was used in 1953 MGM musical The Band Wagon, where it was danced by Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Dancing in the Dark” on April 6, 1961, for the album My Heart Sings. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“Dancing in the Dark,” as well as My Heart Sings, is available on Apple Music.

Here is the exquisite dance by Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse for “Dancing in the Dark.” It doesn’t get much better than this.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plan

The song of the day for Monday, September 21, 2026, is “I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plan.”

About This Song

“I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plan” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1929 revue The Little Show and was introduced by Clifton Webb. It was a featured song in the 1953 movie The Band Wagon, where it was sung by Fred Astaire and Oscar Levant.

About This Version

Tony Bennett, with Count Basie and His Orchestra, recorded “I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plan” on January 3, 1959 for their first album Basie Swings/Bennett Sings. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plan,” as well as Basie Swings/Bennett Sings, is available on Apple Music.

I found one of the very first recordings of today’s song: Rudy Vallée and His Connecticut Yankees, recorded in 1932. It even has the verse, which I had not heard before:

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I See Your Face Before Me

The song of the day for Monday, August 24, 2026, is “I See Your Face Before Me.”

About This Song

“I See Your Face Before Me” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1937 Broadway musical Between The Devil. Two recordings reached the charts soon after the movie opened: Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians reached #12 and Glen Gray and The Casa Loma Orchestra made it to #13. Frank Sinatra, with a Nelson Riddle arrangement, recorded it in 1955 In the Wee Small Hours.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I See Your Face Before Me” in June 1992 with The Ralph Sharon Trio, for Perfectly Frank.

Perfectly Frank won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best TraditionalPop Vocal Performance.

“I See Your Face Before Me,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the Frank Sinatra 1955 recording of “I See Your Face Before Me” from In The Wee Small Hours:

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: A Shine In Your Shoes

The song of the day for Saturday, June 13, 2026, is “A Shine In Your Shoes.”

About This Song

“A Shine In Your Shoes” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1932 Broadway musical Flying Colors. The same song was used for the 1953 movie The Band Wagon, which starred Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “A Shine On Your Shoes” in 1993 for his album Steppin’ Out, which consisted of songs that Fred Astaire introduced. Bennett and Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

Steppin’ Out won the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“A Shine In Your Shoes,” as well as Steppin’ Out, is available on Apple Music.

Fred Astaire performed “A Shine On Your Shoes” in the 1953 movie The Band Wagon. Astaire insisting on using a genuine shoe shiner for the number and Leroy Daniels, who sang and danced while he did shoeshines and worked just by the gates at MGM, was cast.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Dancing in the Dark

The song of the day for Sunday, May 10, 2026, is “Dancing in the Dark.”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett is pleased to to remember the great Fred Astaire, who was born on May 10, 1899, in Omaha, Nebraska. His 76-year career was remarkable; Astaire was a dancer, singer, actor, singer, musician, and choreographer. His awards include three Emmy Awards, two Globe Awards, a Grammy Award, a BAFTA award, and an honorary Academy Award.

About This Song

“Dancing in the Dark” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for for the 1931 revue The Band Wagon and is widely considered to be the finest of the songs written by Schwartz and Dietz. In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder describes it as “a very strong song with a superb, poetic lyric.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Dancing in the Dark” in July 1993 for Steppin’ Out, Bennett’s tribute to Fred Astaire. Bennett and Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

Steppin’ Out won the 1993 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“Dancing in the Dark,” as well as Steppin’ Out, is available on Apple Music.

We have the video of Fred Astaire‘s and Cyd Charisse‘s performance of “Dancing in the Dark “from the 1953 film The Band Wagon. As far as I’m concerned, it’s one of most beautiful dances ever filmed.