The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I’ve Got Just About Everything

The song of the day for Tuesday, August 5, 2014 is “I’ve Got Just About Everything.”

About This Song

The inimitable Bob Dorough wrote “I’ve Got Just About Everything” in 1966. He calls it “a really hip love song with a kind of jazz feel” and it certainly is. It has been recorded by Dorough, Tuck and Patti, Natalie Cole and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

This is one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite albums. When Lights Are Low is kind of a follow-up album to Tony Sings For Two. Where he sang with just Ralph Sharon on Tony Sings For Two, When Lights Are Low features the Ralph Sharon Trio, with Hal Gaylord playing a mean bass and Billy Exiner on drums. The arrangement by Sharon is just as hip as the song and the extended piano solo is great fun. No matter how blue I may be, this song never fails to not only pick me up, but smile and laugh too.

http://open.spotify.com/track/32ne5iCh5B7geOvcX8PQsu
“I’ve Got Just About Everything,” as well as the remastered album When Lights Are Low, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: I’ve Got Just About Everything

The song of the day for Thursday, April 17, 2014 is “I’ve Got Just About Everything.”

About This Song

This wonderful song was written by the great Bob Dorough. Readers of a certain age may remember Dorough as the composer for Schoolhouse Rock, which had its first broadcast in 1973. Dorough lives and works in Pennsylvania at the age of 91. He and Dave Frishberg performed together at the Portland Jazz Festival this year.

About This Version

Your author came home from work today completely and totally exhausted. After dinner, we sat down for a little dish of ice cream while listening to our local Portland jazz station, KMHD, as I wondered aloud what song I would feature for Thursday’s song. And then, we heard just the first few bars of “I’ve Got Just About Everything” and the decision was made. I adore this song and nothing in the world cheers me up like listening to Tony Bennett sing it. It’s a wonderful arrangement and the Ralph Sharon Trio, with Hal Gaylord on bass and Billy Exiner on drums, is just great.

http://open.spotify.com/track/32ne5iCh5B7geOvcX8PQsu
“I’ve Got Just About Everything,” as well as the album When Lights Are Low,” is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: I’ve Got Just About Everything

The song of the day for Saturday, July 6, 2013 is “I’ve Got Just About Everything.”

About This Song

This song was written by Bob Dorough, a bebop and cool jazz pianist and composer. This great song has been in my head all day long, so I knew it had to be the song of the day.

About This Version

Today’s song is from Tony Bennett’s 1964 album with the Ralph Sharon Trio, When Lights Are Low. This is a sublime jazz album from just these four musicians: Tony Bennett, Ralph Sharon (piano), Hal Gaylord (bass) and Billy Exiner (drums). Every song on this album is a winner, but this song especially swings. The arrangement is perfect and the trio gets a chance to shine in the extended instrumental section.

http://open.spotify.com/track/32ne5iCh5B7geOvcX8PQsu
“I’ve Got Just About Everything,” as well as the entire When Lights Are Low album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: I’ve Got Just About Everything

The song of the day for Tuesday, April 9, 2013 is I’ve Got Just About Everything.

About This Song

This song was written by Bob Dorough, a bebop and cool jazz pianist and composer. Born in 1923, Dorough served in a Special Services Army Band Unit. After the war, he attended the University of North Texas and then headed for New York. Dorough is probably best known for his work on the 1970s series Schoolhouse Rock. He also co-wrote one of my favorite Dave Frishberg songs, I’m Hip. Dorough still performs regularly near his home in Pennsylvania and he maintains an active website as well.

About This Version

I’ve been listening to a lot of Tony Bennett’s music from the first half of the 1960s the past few weeks, especially his album with just him and Ralph Sharon, Tony Sings For Two, and his 1964 album with the Ralph Sharon Trio (Sharon, Billy Exiner, and Hal Gaylord), When Lights Are Low. I really enjoy hearing Bennett sing with a small combo and When Lights Are Low is a real treat. I’ve Got Just About Everything is from this album. Longer than the average song length at just over six minutes, it contains some nice instrumental work by Sharon, Exiner and Gaylord.

http://open.spotify.com/track/32ne5iCh5B7geOvcX8PQsu
I’ve Got Just About Everything, as well as the full When Lights Are Low album, is available from iTunes.

And, if you’re in the mood, here’s Dave Frishberg and Bob Dorough singing I’m Hip. (Even though this is on YouTube, there isn’t any video, just the audio.)