The song of the day for Thursday, May 19, 2016 is “Fly Me To The Moon.”

About This Song

“Fly Me To The Moon,” written by Bart Howard, was originally titled “In Other Words,” but the song was not doing that well, in spite of several recordings. In 1962, Howard renamed the song to “Fly Me To The Moon,” and the song began to catch on. Tony Bennett’s 1965 recording for If I Ruled The World:Songs For The Jet Set was a big hit for Bennett. There have been many recordings of the song, including those by Frank Sinatra, Kaye Ballard and many more. However, Bart Howard told Bennett that his 1965 recording was “the definitive performance of this song.”

About This Version

Today’s recording is that 1965 version from If I Ruled The World:Songs For The Jet Set and features an arrangement by Don Costa.

My favorite version of this song has never been recorded. It was the version that Mr. Bennett sang at the Paramount Theater in Seattle, Washington on September 14, 2007. This was my first Tony Bennett concert. By the time I bought my tickets, there were no orchestra seats left and I could only get tickets in what was (optimistically) called the mezzanine. At that time, I didn’t know that at certain concert halls, Mr. Bennett sometimes sings this song a capella, without a microphone. Towards the end of the concert, he put down his microphone and started to sing “Fly Me To The Moon”. Even in back of the house, his voice filled the auditorium. All of us hung on every note, never wanting this beauty to ever end. I’ve since heard him do the song without a microphone, but nothing could have prepared me for that first moment. It was, and remains, a moment of pure magic. And, for that reason, this may well be my favorite song sung by Tony Bennett.

The song of the day for Tuesday, February 3, 2015 is “Fly Me To The Moon.”

About This Song

“Fly Me To The Moon,” written by Bart Howard in 1954, was originally titled “In Other Words,” but the song was not doing that well, in spite of several recordings. In 1962, Howard renamed the song to “Fly Me To The Moon,” and the song began to catch on. Tony Bennett’s 1965 recording for If I Ruled The World was a big hit for Bennett. There have been many recordings of the song, including those by Frank Sinatra, Kaye Ballard and many more. However, Bart Howard told Bennett that his 1965 recording was “the definitive performance of this song.”

About This Version

In our examination of If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set, we travel from Rio de Janeiro to the Moon. Tony Bennett has only recorded “Fly Me To The Moon” once, but this recording is so perfect, how could one possibly top it?

I attended my first Tony Bennett concert in September, 2007 at the beautiful Paramount Theater in Seattle, Washington. I had purchased my tickets late and when I did, the only tickets that remained were in the so-called mezzanine, but what I would definitely call a balcony. In any case, the concert was wonderful and I was having a great time. What I did not know then was that when Tony Bennett sings in especially good theaters with very fine acoustics, he will put down his microphone and sing, with just Gray Sargent accompanying him on guitar, “Fly Me To The Moon.” Even back in the balcony, I heard every single word and note as clearly as can be. It was one of the most magical moments I had ever experienced in a theater. I’ve heard him do this several times since and it’s thrilling each time.

“Fly Me To The Moon,” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs for the Jet Set, is available from iTunes.