The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Crazy She Calls Me

The song of the day for Tuesday, September 9, 2020, is “Crazy She Calls Me.”

About This Song

“Crazy He Calls Me” (he is changed to she when sung by a man) was written in 1949 by Carl Sigman and Bob Russell. In addition to Billie Holiday’s recording of this song, it has also been recorded by Peggy Lee, Dinah Washington, and Aretha Franklin.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Crazy He Calls Me” in 1996 for his tribute album to Lady Day: Bennett On Holiday, released in 1997.

“Crazy She Calls Me,” as well as Bennett On Holiday, is available from Apple Music.

And here’s Billie Holiday singing today’s song.

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Song of the Day: Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me

The song of the day for Monday, August 24, 2020, is “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me.”

About This Song

Duke Ellington wrote “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me” in 1940, with lyrics by Bob Russell. As with most Ellington songs, the tune was written first and the lyrics added later. Also, as with most Ellington songs, it became a favorite song of both instrumental and vocal musicians. Ellington recorded the song in 1944 and it was a hit on both the R&B and Popular charts. Other recordings include those by Tony Bennett, Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis, Jr., Anita O’Day, and Nina Simone.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me” for his tribute to Duke Ellington–Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, released in 1999, one hundred years after the birth of Duke Ellington.

“Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Don’t Get Around Much Anymore

The song of the day for Monday, March 9, 2020, is “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.”

About This Song

“Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” was written in 1940 by Duke Ellington; the lyrics by Bob Russell followed later. Originally written as an instrumental, Ellington named the song “Never No Lament.” Bob Russell’s lyrics came in 1942 and the song’s title was changed to the current “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.” The somewhat sad lyric of the jilted lover who would just rather stay home bumps up against the very cheerful tune.

About This Version

Tony Bennett’s first recording of “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” was made in 1967 for the album Tony Makes It Happen! The excellent arrangement was written by the very excellent Marion Evans.

“Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” as well as Tony Makes It Happen!, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me

The song of the day for Saturday, September 21, 2019, is “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me.”

About This Song

“Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me” was written by Duke Ellington in 1940. As with most Ellington songs, the tune was written first and the lyrics by Bob Russell were added later. Also, as with most Ellington songs, it became a favorite song of both instrumental and vocal musicians. Ellington recorded the song in 1944 and it was a hit on both the R&B and Popular charts. Other recordings include those by Tony Bennett, Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis, Jr., Anita O’Day, and Nina Simone.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me” in 1999 for Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. The arrangement was written by Jorge Calandrelli.

“Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from iTunes.

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Playlist of the Week: Marion Evans does great jazz arrangements for Tony

The playlist of the week of July 28, 2019, is Marion Evans does great jazz arrangements for Tony.

I have a real soft spot in my heart for Marion Evans. Like me, he’s also from Alabama, and we have musical friends — or acquaintances in my case — with fine Alabama musicians, such as Hugh Martin, who wrote the songs for Judy Garland’s Meet Me in St. Louis, including the best Christmas song ever (IMHO): “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

A few years after I started this blog, he left a comment thanking me for acknowledging the importance of arrangers to the greatness of recordings. Tony Bennett has worked with many great arrangers and I’ll be featuring some of them in coming weeks.

But this week is Marion Evans. We start with their first album: the 1967 Tony Makes It Happen!, followed bu Duets II and Cheek to Cheek.

Marion Evans does great jazz arrangements for Tony

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It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing), with Lady Gaga, by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills
The Lady’s in Love With You by Burton Lane and Frank Loesser
Don’t Get Around Much Anymore by Duke Ellington and Bob Russell
On the Sunny Side of the Street by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields
The Lady is a Tramp, with Lady Gaga by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
Old Devil Moon by Burton Lane and Yip Harburg
They All Laughed, with Lady Gaga, by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart by Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Henry Nemo, and John Redmond
Can’t Get Out This Mood by Jimmy McHugh and Frank Loesser
Anything Goes, with Lady Gaga by Cole Porter

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