The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Russian Lullaby

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 4, 2025, is “Russian Lullaby.”

About This Song

“Russian Lullaby” was written in 1927 by Irving Berlin. With this song, Berlin (born Isador Beilin) explored his childhood roots as an Eastern European/Belarusian Jewish immigrant. The song is like a folk melody, and the lyrics are lovely. “Russian Lullaby” was first used in vaudeville and gained recognition with the recording by Roger Wolfe Kahn and His Orchestra. It has also been recorded by Bunny Berigan, Guy Lombardo, Bing Crosby, and Dinah Shore, among others.

About This Version

Tony Bennett, with Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, recorded “Russian Lullaby” in May 1987 for his album of Irving Berlin songs, Bennett/Berlin.

“Russian Lullaby,” as well as Bennett/Berlin, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: The Song Is Ended

The song of the day for Thursday, November 21, 2024, is “The Song Is Ended.”

About This Song

Irving Berlin wrote “The Song Is Ended (But the Melody Lingers On)” in 1927. In his book The Tin Pan Alley Song Encyclopedia, Thomas Hischak calls this song “… an Irving Berlin standard whose title has been called the theme of all popular music, a chilling number in which both the lover and the ballad that was ‘their song’ is gone; yet neither can be forgotten because they remain in one’s memory.”

This song was recorded in 1927 by Ruth Etting and has remained popular over the years with recordings by Dick Haymes, Dizzy Gillespie, Jeri Southern, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat “King” Cole and many more.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “The Song Is Ended” in May 1987 for his album Bennett/Berlin. Bennett wrote the arrangement. The recording features Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet.

“The Song Is Ended,” as well as Bennett/Berlin, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: The Song Is Ended

The song of the day for Monday, October 21, 2024, is “The Song Is Ended.”

About Today

We remember Dizzy Gillespie on the anniversary of his birth on October 21, 1917, in Cheraw, South Carolina. Gillespie had a long and distinguished career. He, along with Charlie Parker, was a major developer of bebop.

About This Song

“The Song Is Ended” was written by Irving Berlin in 1927. In his book The Tin Pan Alley Song Encyclopedia, Thomas Hischak calls this song “… an Irving Berlin standard whose title has been called the theme of all popular music, a chilling number in which both the lover and the ballad that was ‘their song’ is gone; yet neither can be forgotten because they remain in one’s memory.” This song was recorded in 1927 by Ruth Etting and has remained popular over the years with recordings by Dick Haymes, Dizzy Gillespie, Jeri Southern, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat “King” Cole and many more.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “The Song Is Ended” in May 1987 for Bennett/Berlin. This song was arranged by Tony Bennett and features Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet.

“The Song Is Ended,” as well as Bennett/Berlin, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Russian Lullaby

The song of the day for Friday, September 20, 2024, is “Russian Lullaby.”

About This Song

“Russian Lullaby” was written in 1957 by Irving Berlin. With “Russian Lullaby,” Berlin (born Isador Beilin) explores his childhood roots as an Eastern European/Belarusian Jewish immigrant. The song is like a folk melody and the lyrics are lovely. “Russian Lullaby” was first used in vaudeville and gained recognition with the recording by Roger Wolfe Kahn and His Orchestra. It has also been recorded by Bunny Berigan, Guy Lombardo, Bing Crosby, and Dinah Shore, among others.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Russian Lullaby” in May 1987 for his album Bennett/Berlin. This song was arranged by Tony Bennett and features Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet.

“Russian Lullaby,” as well as Bennett/Berlin, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Isn’t This a Lovely Day?

The song of the day for Tuesday, August 20, 2024, is “Isn’t This a Lovely Day?.”

About This Song

“Isn’t This a Lovely Day?” was written by Irving Berlin for the 1935 for the Fred Astaire / Ginger Rogers movie Top Hat. In the film, Astaire and Rogers are caught in a rainstorm while sitting in an outdoors gazebo. The song was introduced by Fred Astaire. This song has also been recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Diana Krall, and Jeri Southern.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Isn’t This a Lovely Day?” in May 1987 for the album Bennett/Berlin. The arrangement was written by Tony Bennett.

“Isn’t This a Lovely Day?,” as well as Bennett/Berlin, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the number from Top Hat: