The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: You Must Believe in Spring

The song of the day for Thursday, May 8, 2025, is “You Must Believe in Spring.”

About This Song

“You Must Believe in Spring” was composed for the 1967 film Les Demoiselles de Rochefort by Michel Legrand. The original French lyrics were written by Jacques Demy (who directed the film); the English lyrics were written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. This song has been widely recorded by artists including Sylvia Syms, Barbra Streisand, and Bill Evans (in a posthumous release of an album with the same name, featuring sessions with Eddie Gomez and Eliot Zigmund).

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Bill Evans recorded “You Must Believe in Spring” in September 1976 for their second album, Together Again, released in 1977.

“You Must Believe in Spring,” as well as Together Again, is available on Apple Music.

Bill Evans, with Eddie Gomez and Eliot Zigmund, recorded “You Must Believe in Spring” in August 1977 (a month prior to the recording with Evans and Tony Bennett) for the album You Must Believe In Spring, posthumously released in February 1981.

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Song of the Day: Some Other Time

The song of the day for Saturday, May 3, 2025, is “Some Other Time.”

About Today

We are celebrating Betty Comden, who co-wrote the lyrics for “Some Other Time” with Adolph Green. Betty Comden was born in Brooklyn, NY on May 3, 1917.

About This Song

“Some Other Time” was written by Leonard Bernstein, with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, for the 1944 Broadway musical On The Town, the story of three sailors on leave in New York City and their romantic adventures. This song is sung at the end by two of the couples. Inexplicably, this beautiful song was cut from the 1949 film version.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Bill Evans recorded “Some Other Time” in June 1975 for The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album. The album was released in 1975 on the Fantasy Records label, where Bill Evans had a contract.

“Some Other Time,” as well as The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album, is available on Apple Music.

I’d like to include a version of “Some Other Time” from a 1960 studio recording of On The Town, conducted by Bernstein. It features two of the couples saying goodbye to each other, even though it’s unlikely they’ll meet again. Betty Comden sang for this recording — hers is the first voice in the recording.

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Song of the Day: When In Rome

The song of the day for Monday, April 21, 2025, is “When In Rome.”

About This Song

“When In Rome” was written in 1964 by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh. In the year 2000, as part of his 70th birthday celebration at the Library of Congress, Stephen Sondheim chose a list of ‘Songs I Wish I Had Written (At Least in Part).’ On this list were several songs by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh, most of which are songs that Tony Bennett has recorded, including “When In Rome.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Bill Evans recorded “When In Rome” in June 1975 for their first album, The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album, released on the Fantasy label.

“When In Rome,” as well as The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: My Foolish Heart

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 19, 2025, is “My Foolish Heart.”

About This Song

“My Foolish Heart” was written by Victor Young and Ned Washington in 1949 for a widely-panned film of the same name, based on a J.D. Salinger short story. Time magazine excoriated the score: “nothing offsets the blight of such tear-splashed excesses as the bloop-bleep-bloop of a sentimental ballad on the soundtrack.” Due to this experience, Salinger refused to consider any offers to make films of his works.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Bill Evans recorded “My Foolish Heart” in June 1975 for The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album, which was released on Fantasy Records, which was Bill Evans label.

“My Foolish Heart,” as well as The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: We’ll Be Together Again

The song of the day for Thursday, March 6, 2025, is “We’ll Be Together Again.”

About This Song

“We’ll Be Together Again” was written by Carl T. Fischer and Frankie Laine. Carl Fischer was Laine’s pianist and musical director and wrote the melody and asked Laine to write the lyrics, which he did and quite nicely. In addition to the recording by Tony Bennett and Bill Evans, this song has been recorded by Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, and, of course, Frankie Laine.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Bill Evans recorded “We’ll Be Together Again” in June 1975 for The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album, which was released on Fantasy Records, the label Evans played for. Helen Keane, who produced the album, was Evans’ manager.

“We’ll Be Together Again,” as well as The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album, is available on Apple Music.