The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Right As the Rain

The song of the day for Wednesday, October 28, 2026, is “Right As the Rain.”

About This Song

“Right As the Rain” was written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg for the 1944 musical Bloomer Girl. The song has been recorded by artists including Barbra Streisand, Jessica Molaskey, Nancy LaMott, and Mildred Bailey.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Right As the Rain” on August 17, 1960, for Tony Bennett Sings a String Harold Arlen. Glenn Osser wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“Right As the Rain,” as well as Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen, is available on Apple Music.

We have Barbra Streisand singing “Right As the Rain” live at The Bon Soir nightclub in Greenwich Village in November 1962, just before her groundbreaking first album, The Barbra Streisand Album, was released in February 1963. Live at The Bon Soir was released in 2022.

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Song of the Day: When The Sun Comes Out

The song of the day for Thursday, August 27, 2026, is “When The Sun Comes Out.”

About This Song

“When The Sun Comes Out” was written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler in 1941. The first recording of the song was made by Helen O’Connell with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. Barbra Streisand recorded it for The Second Barbra Streisand Album, released in 1962.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “When The Sun Comes Out” on August 17, 1960, for Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen. Glenn Osser wrote the arrangement.

“When The Sun Comes Out,” as well as Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen, is available on Apple Music.

Barbra Streisand was cast as Miss Miss Marmelstein in the 1962 Broadway musical I Can Get It For You Wholesale at the age of 19. She was so good that her role was expanded during rehearsals to take advantage of her prodigious talents. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She was signed by Columbia Records based on her performance in I Can Get It For You Wholesale. While preparing to record the Barbra Streisand Album, which won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, she did a run at the Bon Soir club in Greenwich Village, which resulted in the recently release album Barbra Streisand Live at the Bon Soir, where she sang “When The Sun Comes Out.”

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Song of the Day: When The Sun Comes Out

The song of the day for Wednesday, July 29, 2026, is “When The Sun Comes Out.”

About This Song

“When The Sun Comes Out” was written in 1941 by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler. Helen O’Connell, with The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, introduced the song. Barbra Streisand recorded for The Second Barbra Streisand Album in 1963.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “When The Sun Comes Out” on August 17, 2026, for his 1960 album Tony Bennett A String Of Harold Arlen. Glenn Osser wrote the arrangement.

“When The Sun Comes Out,” as well as Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Barbra Streisand‘s extraordinary live recording of “When The Sun Comes Out” from 1962’s Live at the Bon Soir, made when she was only 20. The entire album is extraordinary,

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Song of the Day: Where Do You Start

The song of the day for Monday, April 13, 2026, is “Where Do You Start.”

About This Song

“Where Do You Start” was written in 1987 by Johnny Mandel, with lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman. This song has had many beautiful recordings: Nancy Lamott, Shirley Horn, Rosemary Clooney, Barbra Streisand, the Brad Mehldau Trio, Annie Ross, and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Where Do You Start” in 2004 for The Art of Romance. Composer Mandel wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“Where Do You Start,” as well as The Art of Romance, is available on Apple Music.

If you love this song as much as I do, these are some of my favorite versions:

Nancy Lamott. Her recording of “Where Do Start” was the first time I heard the song. From her 1993 album My Foolish Heart.

Shirley Horn, from her breathtaking 1992 album Here’s To Life.

Barbra Streisand, from her wonderful album 2009 Love Is The Answer.

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Song of the Day: Have I Told You Lately?

The song of the day for Wednesday, September 24, 2025, is “Have I Told You Lately?.”

About This Song

“Have I Told You Lately?” was written by Harold Rome for the 1962 Broadway musical I Can Get It For You Wholesale.

I Can Get It For You Wholesale marked the Broadway debut of the then 19 year old Barbra Streisand in a supporting role of Miss Marmelstein, a secretary. Her audition for the role was so good, that the writers enlarged her role to take better advantage of her prodigious talents. The cast album was recorded by Columbia Records, and Goddard Lieberson had the good sense to sign the young Streisand to a contract and thus Columbia produced her first album, The Barbra Streisand Album, released in 1963.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Have I Told You Lately?” on January 23, 1962, for his album I Left My Heart in San Francisco. Marty Manning wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“Have I Told You Lately?” as well as I Left My Heart in San Francisco is available on Apple Music.