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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

March 3, 2014 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: The Girl I Love

The song of the day for Monday, March 3, 2014 is “The Girl I Love.”

About This Song

“The Girl I Love” was originally written by George and Ira Gershwin for the 1924 Broadway musical Lady, Be Good, though it was cut from that production. It was used again in 1927 for Strike Up The Band, but that production closed out of town. The lyrics were revised to “The Man I Love” for the 1928 Rosalie, but was cut from that production as well. In spite of all that, it rightly has its place as one of the great songs in the American Songbook. Notable recordings include those by Ella Fitzgerald, Helen Forrest, Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, Helen Morgan and many, many more.

About This Version

Today’s version is from one of my favorite Tony Bennett albums: Astoria: The Portrait of the Artist. It’s a terrific arrangement featuring the Ralph Sharon Trio with Paul Langosch on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums. It starts slow and sweet for a couple of choruses and then starts to swing. Very nice.

http://open.spotify.com/track/5AVGEmyWi87JKpahidXKgD
“The Girl I Love,” as well as the album Astoria: The Portrait of the Artist, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Astoria The Portrait of the Artist, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin

July 17, 2013 By Suzanne 1 Comment

Song of the Day: I’ve Come Home Again

The song of the day for Wednesday, July 17, 2013 is “I’ve Come Home Again.”

About This Song

One of three wonderful songs by Charles deForest on this album, “I’ve Come Home Again” was written especially for Astoria: Portrait of the Artist. Charles DeForest was a well-known composer and performer in New York for many years. He died in 1996. To learn more about Charles DeForest, here is a remembrance by friends posted on the Cabaret Hotline and his obituary from the New York Times. His other two songs on this album are When Do The Bells Ring For Me and Where Do You Go From Love. All three are wonderful songs.

About This Version

Yesterday, I was texting with my co-blogger Lesley and asked her what she was doing “… listening to Astoria,” she said and I replied that I was listening to Hometown, My Town. I cannot think of either of these albums without thinking of the other. In Hometown, My Town we meet the young man with great and wonderful dreams about skyscrapers and penthouses, determined to conquer New York (if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere, but that’s another song). And then in Astoria: Portrait of the Artist, the mature man looks back on those very early days, just returned home from fighting in a war and working and studying to make a dream come true, and shares those memories of his old neighborhood. His home, still, after all these years. And with “I’ve Come Home Again” he shares with us these thoughts:

I’ve touched a star or two
Tomorrow if I try
Even brighter stars and prayers
Will be answered
And should the moment blind me
That little boy will remind me
Hand in hand, we’ll go home again.

And so when Lesley asked me to make “I’ve Come Home Again” the song of the day, I was more than happy to make it so.

To read the liner notes for Astoria: The Portrait of the Artist, please visit this topic at our sister site (still being developed) The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography.

http://open.spotify.com/track/72OlhrmOcmJNnx8fcsYffH
“I’ve Come Home Again,” as well as Astoria: The Portrait of the Artist, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Astoria The Portrait of the Artist, Charles deForest

July 1, 2013 By Suzanne 1 Comment

Song of the Day: The Girl I Love

The song of the day for Monday, July 1, 2013 is “The Girl I Love.”

About This Song

This song is, with a minor change in the current lyric, “The Man I Love,” written by George and Ira Gershwin in 1924. It was written and then cut from Lady Be Good, where it was originally “The Girl I Love.” It was also cut from their 1927 musical Strike Up the Band and the 1928 Rosalie. It may be the most famous and beloved song to be cut from a production.

About This Version

This beautiful recording is from one of Tony Bennett’s best album: Astoria: The Portrait of the Artist. In this album, Bennett chose a very special selection of songs that are a biography of his life upon returning home to Astoria from his service in World War II and working and striving to become the great singer he is today. It’s a very special journey that he takes us on with this album.

http://open.spotify.com/track/5AVGEmyWi87JKpahidXKgD
“The Girl I Love,” as well as the album Astoria: Portrait of the Artist, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Astoria The Portrait of the Artist, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin

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