The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Fly Me To The Moon

The song of the day for Saturday, December 10, 2016 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: Songs For the Jet Set was a big hit. 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

Tony Bennett recorded “Fly Me To The Moon” in 1965 for the album If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set. The arrangement is from Don Costa.

I hope you don’t mind me featuring this album two days in a row, but I can’t help it. This album is one of my favorites–I play it all the time.

Fly Me To The Moon

Tony Bennett · If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set · Song · 1965


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

About Today

Saturday again already? No worries … today we have Tony singing today’s song from his 1994 appearance on MTV Unplugged.

Tony Bennett - Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words) (Live on MTV Unplugged)

Tony Bennett perfmoring Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words) from MTV Unplugged Listen to Tony Bennett: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/listenYD Subscribe to the official Tony Bennett YouTube channel: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/subscribeYD Follow Tony Bennett: Facebook: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/followFI Instagram: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/followII Twitter: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/followTI Website: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/followWI Spotify: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/followSI YouTube: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/subscribeYD Chorus: Fly me to the moon Let me play among the stars Let me see what spring is like on A-Jupiter and Mars In other words, hold my hand In other words, baby, kiss me #TonyBennett #FlyMeToTheMoon #MTVUnplugged

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Song of the Day: Fly Me To The Moon

Today we kick off the first day of the Tony Bennett 90th Birthday Bash, Sunday, July 31, 2016 with “Fly Me To The Moon.”

About This Song

“Fly Me To The Moon” was originally titled “In Other Words,” and was written in 1954 by Bart Howard. With its original title 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

Tony Bennett recorded “Fly Me To The Moon” in 1965 for his album If I Ruled The World: Songs for the Jet Set. The arrangement is by Don Costa.

Fly Me To The Moon

Tony Bennett · If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set · Song · 1965


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

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Song of the Day: Fly Me To The Moon

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.

Fly Me To The Moon

Tony Bennett · If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set · Song · 1965


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

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Song of the Day: Fly Me To The Moon

The song of the day for Saturday, November 21, 2015 is “Fly Me To The Moon.”

About This Song

“Fly Me To The Moon,” written 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

Tony Bennett first recorded “Fly Me To The Moon” in 1965 for his wonderful album If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set. It was arranged by Don Costa. This recording is perfect: really, really perfect. Some lucky people get to hear him sing it a cappella at the end of concerts, which is quite a thrill.

Fly Me To The Moon

Tony Bennett · If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set · Song · 1965


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

About Today

Once again it’s Saturday and once again we have video, featuring today’s song. Mr. Bennett is accompanied by violinist Joel Smirnoff.

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Song of the Day: Fly Me To The Moon

The song of the day for Saturday, October 10, 2015 is “Fly Me To The Moon.”

About This Song

“Fly Me To The Moon” was written in 1954 by Bart Howard. It 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

Today’s version is, of course, that definitive 1965 recording, included on one of Bennett’s finest albums: If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set. It was arranged and conducted by Don Costa. This song is definitely in my top ten of Tony Bennett songs, ever since the first concert of his I attended. It was in Seattle, at the Paramount Theater on September 14, 2007. I was sitting in the balcony. He put down the microphone at the end of the concert and sang “Fly Me To the Moon.” I heard every note and it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever heard.

Fly Me To The Moon

Tony Bennett · If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set · Song · 1965


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

About Today

Today is Saturday and, if you’re up early, don’t forget that Scott Simon interviews Mr. Bennett on Weekend Edition on NPR this morning. If you’ve overslept, you should be able to find a recording of the interview at npr.org.

It’s also YouTube Saturday and I found a very special video of Tony Bennett singing “Fly Me To The Moon.” The violinist is Joel Smirnoff, who was featured on Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, accompanying Bennett on “Prelude To A Kiss.”