The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: With Plenty Of Money And You

The song of the day for Thursday, April 28, 2016 is “With Plenty Of Money And You.”

About This Song

“With Plenty of Money and You” by Harry Warren and Al Dubin was written for the Gold Diggers of 1937, starring Dick Powell and Joan Blondell and choreographed by Busby Berkeley. Interestingly, the score for the film was to have been written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg, but Berkeley didn’t like what they had written and brought in Warren and Dubin for this song and several other songs. Some Arlen and Harburg songs were used in the film as well.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “With Plenty Of Money And You” in 1959 with The Count Basie Orchestra for Basie/Bennett. It swings like nobody’s business. The arrangement is by Ralph Sharon.

With Plenty of Money and You - 1990 Remix / Remaster

Listen to With Plenty of Money and You - 1990 Remix / Remaster on Spotify. Song · Count Basie, Tony Bennett, Tristan Powell · 1959


“With Plenty Of Money And You,” as well as Basie/Bennett, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Are You Having’ Any Fun?

The song of the day for Saturday, December 26, 2015 is “Are You Having’ Any Fun?”

About This Song

“Are You Havin’ Any Fun?” was written by Jack Yellen and Sammy Fain for the 1939 George White’s Scandals. George White produced these Broadway revues from 1919 to 1939. Stars introduced in his Scandals include Bert Lahr, Ethel Merman, Ray Bolger and The Three Stooges.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this song on January 5, 1959, the second of two sessions with The Count Basie Orchestra. The songs from these two sessions were released on the album Basie/Bennett. This particular number featured an arrangement by Ralph Sharon, who also played piano. Other musicians on the album included Freddie Green (guitar), Sonny Payne (drums) and Thad Jones (trumpet).

Tony Bennett tells this story in his autobiography The Good Life:

I didn’t meet Count Basie until our rehearsals began. It was an amazing experience, the fulfillment of a dream, and I’ll never forget it. We hit it off right away, as though we’d always knew and understood each other. At one point, Basie turned to his band, pointed at me, and said, ‘Anything this man wants, he gets!’ I was floored.

Are You Havin" Any Fun? - 1990 Remix / Remaster

Listen to Are You Havin" Any Fun? - 1990 Remix / Remaster on Spotify. Song · Count Basie, Tony Bennett, Tristan Powell · 1959


“Are You Having’ Any Fun?” as well as Basie/Bennett, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Poor Little Rich Girl

The song of the day for Sunday, November 2, 2014 is “Poor Little Rich Girl.”

About This Song

“Poor Little Rich Girl” was written in 1925 by Noël Coward for the revue On With The Dance. The Noël Coward Society ranks this song as one of ten most popular songs.

About This Version

Today’s version is from one of my favorite of Bennett’s early albums: Basie/Bennett (sometimes called Basie Swings, Bennett Sings) from his first album with Count Basie and His Orchestra, released in 1959. In his autobiography The Good Life, Bennett relates:

Although I’d talked with him on the phone, I didn’t meet Count Basie until our rehearsals began. It was an amazing experience, the fulfillment of a dream, and I’ll never forget it. We hit it off right away, as though we always knew and understood each other. At one point, Basie turned to his band, pointed at me, and said, “Anything this man wants, he gets!” I was floored.

You can hear that connection in every song in this album … it sounds as if Tony Bennett had been singing with Basie for years.

Poor Little Rich Girl - 1990 Remix / Remaster

Listen to Poor Little Rich Girl - 1990 Remix / Remaster on Spotify. Song · Count Basie, Tony Bennett, Tristan Powell · 1959


“Poor Little Rich Girl,” as well as the album Basie Swings, Bennett Sings, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Jeepers Creepers

The song of the day for Wednesday, May 14, 2014 is “Jeepers Creepers.”

About This Song

“Jeepers Creepers” was written for the 1938 movie Going Places by Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer, which featured Louis Armstrong as a trumpet-playing horse trainer. It has been recorded by Bing Crosby and, of course, Louis Armstrong.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Jeepers Creepers” for his 1959 album with Count Basie and His Orchestra, Basie/Bennett. The songs on the album were arranged by Ralph Sharon and produced by Teddy Reig. I have a strong fondness for this album because it’s just so much fun to listen to, not in the least because of this particular song.

http://open.spotify.com/track/3ZrWSg01u6dfXiNnMjT3hv
“Jeepers Creepers,” as well as the songs on Basie/Bennett, is available on iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Are You Havin’ Any Fun?

The song of the day for Thursday, March 27, 2014 is “Are You Havin’ Any Fun?”

About This Song

“Are You Havin’ Any Fun?” was composed by Sammy Fain with lyrics by Jack Yellen. It was written for George White’s Scandals of 1939. Elaine Stritch recorded this song on her first album, Strich, released in 1956.

About This Version

Today’s version is from Tony Bennett’s 1959 Basie/Bennett album with Count Basie and His Orchestra. Like today’s song, this album is a lot of fun.

Today’s song is dedicated to my good pal Nick, who always reminds me to have fun. Thanks, Nick.

http://open.spotify.com/track/7Bm7PmBH5fCO2rzpZ7OXvB
“Are You Having Any Fun?” as well as the album Basie/Bennett is available from iTunes.