The song of the day for Thursday, January 22, 2026, is “Blues in the Night.”

About This Song

“Blues in the Night” was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1941 film Blues in the Night. Arlen wrote the music first and wrote a true blues song. Johnny Mercer, who later wrote the lyrics, drew on his Southern heritage to write the exceptional blues lyrics.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Blues in the Night” on October 21, 1957, for his album The Beat of My Heart. For The Beat of My Heart, Bennett and Ralph Sharon invited percussionists to participate. Jo Jones was the drummer for “Blues in the Night.” Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“Blues in the Night,” as well as The Beat of My Heart, is available on Apple Music.

I was delighted to find a video from this film Blues in the Night where the song is introduced. The soloist is baritone William Gillespie, who was hired to sing this song,