The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Pick Yourself Up

The song of the day for Wednesday, August 23, 2023, is “Pick Yourself Up.”

About This Song

“Pick Yourself Up” was written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields for the 1936 film Swing Time, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It is used in the early part of the film when Astaire pretends to not be able to dance and asks for Ginger Rogers as his dance instructor just so he can dance with her. This song has been widely recorded, including those by Nat King Cole, Anita O’Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Diana Krall.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Pick Yourself Up” for his album The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, released in 2015. It was arranged by Bill Charlap. The Bill Charlap Trio (Charlap on piano, Peter Washington on bass, Kenny Washington on drums) accompanied Bennett.

“Pick Yourself Up,” as well as The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s today’s song with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers:

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Song of the Day: I Left My Heart In San Francisco

The song of the day for Thursday, August 3, 2023, is “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.”

About Today

Tony Bennett would have reached his 97th birthday on August 3, 2023. In addition to Mr. Bennett’s birthday, George Cory (composer of “I Left My Heart In San Francisco”) was born on August 3, 1920.

I can think of no better song of the day than “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” for today.

About This Song

“I Left My Heart In San Francisco” was written in 1953 by George Cory and Douglass Cross. The two songwriters had given Ralph Sharon, Bennett’s musical director, a copy of their song, which he put in a drawer and mostly forgot about. In 1961, Sharon was packing for a road trip with Bennett, which would end at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, and thought the song might be a nice song for the locals in the city by the bay. Well, it was well-received in San Francisco and went on to be Tony Bennett’s biggest hit and won two Grammy Awards (Album of the Year and Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male).

In 2018, “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or artistically significant”.

About This Version

Tony Bennett first recorded “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” in 1962 and it remained his only studio recording of the song. In 2006, he felt it was time for another studio recording. He enlisted Bill Charlap and recorded it again on his 2006 album Duets: An American Classic.

“I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” as well as Duets: An American Classic is available on Apple Music.

I have several videos for today. First up is from Bill Charlap, who was interviewed by Kaitlan Collins on CNN immediately following his death on July 21, 2023:

Bill Charlap also recorded this piano solo in memory of Tony Bennett:

7.6K views · 546 reactions | Tony Bennett | In loving memory of an icon of popular song, a singular artist, and my friend. Tony Bennett is a part of every note that I play for the rest of my life. | By Bill Charlap | Facebook

In loving memory of an icon of popular song, a singular artist, and my friend. Tony Bennett is a part of every note that I play for the rest of my life.

In 1963, Tony Bennett appeared on the Judy Garland Show and sang what many, including me, consider his best recording of “I Left My Heart In San Francisco”

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Song of the Day: Somebody Loves Me

The song of the day for Saturday, July 8, 2023, is “Somebody Loves Me.”

About This Song

“Somebody Loves Me” was written by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ballard MacDonald and Buddy DeSylva, for the 1924 George White’s Scandals. It has been widely recorded since it was first published, with recordings from 1924 until the present. Significant recordings include those by Dinah Shore, Lena Horne, Diana Washington, Peggy Lee, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, and many more.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Diana Krall recorded “Somebody Loves Me” for their 2018 album of George Gershwin music: Love Is Here To Stay. The Bill Charlap Trio (Charlap on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums) accompanied the entire album. Bill Charlap wrote the arrangement for this song.

“Somebody Loves Me,” as well as Love Is Here To Stay is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Dearly Beloved

The song of the day for Friday, July 1, 2023, is “Dearly Beloved.”

About This Song

“Dearly Beloved” was written by Jerome Kern and Johnny Mercer in 1942 for the film You Were Never Lovelier, starring Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth. The song was nominated for an Academy Award.

About This Version

Tony Bennett, accompanied by The Bill Charlap Trio, sings “Dear Beloved,” from his 2015 album The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern. Bill Charlap wrote the arrangement.

“Dearly Beloved,” as well as The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Fred Astaire singing today’s song from the movie You Were Never Lovelier:

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Song of the Day: Look For The Silver Lining

The song of the day for Monday, June 5, 2023, is “Look For The Silver Lining.”

About This Song

“Look For The Silver Lining” was written in 1919 by Jerome Kern, with lyrics by Buddy DeSylva, for the unsuccessful musical Zip, Goes a Million. It was published and reused in the musical Sally, where it was sung by Marilyn Miller. It’s had several notable recordings, including those by Chet Baker, Margaret Whiting, Bing Crosby, and several recordings by Judy Garland.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Look For The Silver Lining: for his 2015 album The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern. Accompanying Bennett on this recording are Bill Charlap, who wrote the arrangement, and Renee Rosnes.w

“Look For The Silver Lining,” as well as The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern is available on Apple Music.

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