The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Sleepy Time Gal

The song of the day for Sunday, September 8, 2024, is “Sleepy Time Gal.”

About This Song

“Sleepy Time Gal” was written in 1925 by Richard Whiting and Ange Lorenzo, with lyrics by Joseph R. Alden and Raymond Egan. The song is a husband singing to his wife, who likes to stay up all night and dance, therefore “turning night into day,” to please come home and go to bed. The original treatment was an up-tempo comic song, but is sometimes treated more as a lament, at a slower tempo. It was widely recorded in the late 1920s. Harry James recorded it in 1944 and revived interest in the song. Other good recordings include those by The Mills Brothers and Josephine Baker.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Sleepy Time Gal” in Fall 1965 for his album A Time For Love, released in 1966. The song was arranged by Johnny Keating and features Bobby Hackett on cornet.

“Sleepy Time Gal,” as well as A Time For Love, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Sweet Lorraine

The song of the day for Wednesday, January 17, 2024, is “Sweet Lorraine.”

About This Song

“Sweet Lorraine” was written in 1928 by Cliff Burwell and Mitchell Parish and was originally a vaudeville song. The initial Rudy Valle recording made the song popular as a nice, up-tempo jazz number. Nat King Cole had a major hit with this song in 1940.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Sweet Lorraine” on March 11, 1965, for his album If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set. In his autobiography The Good Life, Bennett tells the story behind this recording.

If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set also included a song that’s always been very special to me: “Sweet Lorraine. I dedicated it to Nat Cole, who had died a month earlier in February 1965. I was heartbroken when I heard that Nat had passed away. Bobby Hackett and I were working at the Palmer House in Chicago, and it seemed appropriate to pay tribute by recording Nat’s signature tune while we were in his hometown. Bobby, whose instrument was normally cornet, surprised us all by playing ukulele on this record; his buddy Joe Marsala played clarinet.

“Sweet Lorraine,” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set, is available on Apple Music.

I found this video of Nat King Cole singing today’s song. I hope you enjoy it.

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Song of the Day: The Shining Sea

The song of the day for Wednesday, August 2, 2023, is “The Shining Sea.”

About This Song

“The Shining Sea” was written by Johnny Mandel and Peggy Lee for the 1966 Cold War comedy The Russians Are Coming The Russians Are Coming. The film concerns a Russian submarine that gets trapped on high ground near a New England town. The town gossip causes mass hysteria, but all is well in the end.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “The Shining Sea” at CBS 30th Street Studio in New York on June 11, 1966, for his album A Time For Love. Mandel wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra. The recording features Bobby Hackett on cornet.

“The Shining Sea,” as well as A Time For Love is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Sweet Lorraine

The song of the day for Friday, March 17, 2023, is “Sweet Lorraine.”

About Today

We are celebrating the birth of Nathaniel Adams Cole, better known as Nat “King” Cole, on March 17, 1919, in Montgomery, Alabama. Cole started his career as a pianist, and gradually started singing as well. Cole tragically died from cancer at the young age of 45 from lung cancer. His daughter, Natalie Cole, carried on the family profession and became a professional singer in her own right.

About This Song

“Sweet Lorraine” was written in 1928 by Cliff Burwell and Mitchell Parish. It was written to be used in a vaudeville show. Rudy Vallee and his Heigh-Ho Yale Collegians recorded the song in 1928; the recording made the song popular and was widely recorded by artists including Teddy Wilson, Isham Jones, and Joe Venuti in the 1930s. Nat “King” Cole recorded it in 1940.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Sweet Lorraine” on March 11, 1965, with Bobby Hacket on the ukulele and Joe Marsala on clarinet. Bennett included the recording on his 1965 album If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set.

“Sweet Lorraine,” as well as If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set is available on Apple Music.

We’ve got a video of Nat “King” Cole singing today’s song:

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Song of the Day: The Very Thought Of You

The song of the day for Tuesday, September 27, 2022, is “The Very Thought Of You.”

About This Song

“The Very Thought Of You” was written in 1934 by British composer and band leader Ray Noble. He recorded the song with his own orchestra; Bing Crosby also recorded it in 1934. Other significant recordings include those by Frank Sinatra, Carmen McRae, and Nat Cole.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “The Very Thought Of You” in 1965 for his album A Time For Love. It was arranged by John Keating and features Bobby Hackett on cornet.

“The Very Thought Of You,” as well as A Time For Love is available on Apple Music.