The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

By Leave a Comment

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

The song of the day for Friday, August 11, 2017 is “I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plan.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plan,” was written in 1929 by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz. This song was written for the 1929 revue The Little Show, where it was introduced by Clifton Webb and was also a featured song in the 1953 movie The Band Wagon, where it was sung by Fred Astaire and Jack Buchanan. Even though the original title was “I Guess I’ll Have to Change My Plan,” it often sung with Plans.

About This Version

Tony Bennett first recorded “I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plan” in 1959 with Count Basie and His Orchestra for the album Basie/Bennett.

I Guess I"ll Have to Change My Plans - 1990 Remix / Remaster

Listen to I Guess I"ll Have to Change My Plans - 1990 Remix / Remaster on Spotify. Song · Count Basie, Tony Bennett, Tristan Powell · 1959


“I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plan,” as well as Basie/Bennett, is available from iTunes.

Even though it’s not yet Saturday, I have a video of today’s song performed by two very talented and very elegant gentlemen: Fred Astaire and Jack Buchanan from The Band Wagon:

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: By Myself

The song of the day for Sunday, June 18, 2017 is “By Myself.”

About This Song

“By Myself” was written for the 1937 musical Between the Devil by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz, where it was introduced by Jack Buchanan. Another great Schwartz-Dietz song from Between the Devil was “I See Your Face Before Me.” This song was used in the 1953 Fred Astaire film, The Band Wagon.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “By Myself” for his 1959 album Hometown, My Town, with an arrangement by Ralph Burns.

By Myself

Listen to By Myself on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1959


“By Myself,” as well as Hometown, My Town, is available from iTunes.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Dancing In The Dark

The song of the day for Sunday, July 2, 2016 is “Dancing In The Dark.”

About This Song

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

About This Version

Tony Bennett has recorded this song twice, first in 1961 and again in 1993. I chose the 1961 version, recorded for the album My Heart Sings, featuring an arrangement by Ralph Burns.

Dancing in the Dark

Listen to Dancing in the Dark on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1961


“Dancing In The Dark,” as well as My Heart Sings, is available from iTunes.

About Today

As I write, I’m watching the movie That’s Entertainment on Turner Classic Movies. When they featured “Dancing in the Dark” with Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse dancing, I knew I’d found my song of the day and an extra video.

By Leave a Comment

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

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 8m, 2016 is “I Guess I’ll Have to Change My Plan.”

About This Song

“I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plan” was written for the 1929 revue The Little Show by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz, where it 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. Even though the original title was “I Guess I’ll Have to Change My Plan,” it more often sung with Plans.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “I Guess I’ll Have to Change My Plan” in 1959 with The Count Basie Orchestra for the album Basie/Bennett, which was released the same year. The orchestration is by Ralph Sharon.

I Guess I"ll Have to Change My Plans - 1990 Remix / Remaster

Listen to I Guess I"ll Have to Change My Plans - 1990 Remix / Remaster on Spotify. Song · Count Basie, Tony Bennett, Tristan Powell · 1959


“I Guess I’ll Have to Change My Plan,” as well as Basie/Bennett, is available from iTunes.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: By Myself

The song of the day for Friday, January 15, 2016 is “By Myself.”

About This Song

“By Myself” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1937 musical Between the Devil, where it was introduced by Jack Buchanan. Another great Schwartz-Dietz song from Between the Devil was “I See Your Face Before Me.” This song was used in the 1953 Fred Astaire film, The Band Wagon.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “By Myself” in 1958 for one of his best, if somewhat unappreciated, albums: Hometown, My Town. This album is one of the first “concept” albums recorded. It follows the dreams of a young couple in Manhattan, from their yearning for a penthouse in the sky (“Penthouse Serenade”) to the end of a relationship (“The Party’s Over”). Everything in between is fantastic. The album was arranged by Ralph Burns.

By Myself

Listen to By Myself on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1959


“By Myself,” as well as Hometown, My Town, is available from iTunes.

Subscribe to The Year of Tony Bennett

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Current Reader Favorites