The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: The Shining Sea

The song of the day for Monday, August 12, 2013 is “The Shining Sea.”

About This Song

“A Shining Sea” was written by Johnny Mandel and Peggy Lee for the 1964 movie The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming.

About This Version

Today’s song is from Tony’s 1966 album A Time For Love. The song was arranged and conducted by the composer, Johnny Mandel, and features Bobby Hackett on cornet.

http://open.spotify.com/track/4fBISkPgggFlRoW9sCN9KX
“The Shining Sea,” as well as the entire A Time For Love album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Sleepy Time Gal

The song of the day for Thursday, July 18, 2013 is “Sleepy Time Gal.”

About This Song

“Sleepy Time Gal” was written in 1925 by Richard Whiting with lyrics by Raymond Egan, Joseph Alden and Ange Lorenzo. The song concerns a young wife who would rather stay up all night and dance when her husband yearns for nights at home, just the two of them.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this song in 1965 for the album A Time For Love, released in 1966. “Sleepy Time Gal” was arranged and conducted by Johnny Mandel and features some very nice cornet work from Bobby Hackett and some great ukulele.

http://open.spotify.com/track/5XlapgCDRf5fZkhkQA9zXA
“Sleepy Time Gal,” as well as the album A Time For Love, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: I’ll Be Around

The song of the day for Sunday, July 7, 2013 is “I’ll Be Around.”

About This Song

This lovely ballad was written by Alec Wilder in 1942. Not only is “I’ll Be Around” a wonderful musical composition, but Wilder’s music and lyrics work extraordinarily well together. The song does a wonderful job of the describing the feelings of the admirer who has been cast aside  and waits still, no matter how badly he’s treated and no matter how long he has to wait.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this song in 1963 for the album The Many Moods of Tony. He also included the recording on the Forty/Fifty Years: The Artistry Of Tony Bennett box sets. In the liner notes, he says:

Many intelligent musicians whose opinions I respect taught me to sing only the best songs in the American songbook. I know I couldn’t go wrong with this one: Alec Wilder always tried to give America the best in music and built a catalog of the finest popular songs that were never an insult to the public. “I’ll Be Around” also marked the beginning of my musical and human relationship with Bobby Hackett. Louis Armstrong once described him to me in these words: “I’m the coffee, but Bobby is the cream.”

http://open.spotify.com/track/1fxX97MNGLCba2BbEZVFeL
“I’ll Be Around,” as well as The Many Moods of Tony album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Sweet Lorraine

The song of the day for Saturday, March 9, 2013 is Sweet Lorraine.

About This Song

Written in 1928 by Cliff Burwell and Mitchell Parish, Sweet Lorraine has been a popular and jazz standard since that time. Rudy Vallee recorded it in 1928. The Nat King Cole recording from 1940 may be best known, but it has also been recorded by Teddy Wilson, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Chet Baker, Art Tatum and many other great singers and instrumentalists.

About This Version

Today’s version is from Tony Bennett’s 1965 album If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set. This is one of the first Tony Bennett albums I experienced. I was in junior high school and remember going shopping with my Mother when she bought this album. We listened to it after dinner and agreed it was a great album. My Dad and I liked the new Brazilian sound best; Mom liked the ballads. I remember thinking that I’d never seen a cooler album design than this. The photograph of Rio de Janeiro was – and still is – breathtaking, especially for a kid from Birmingham, Alabama who had never been out of the South in her life.

This recording of Sweet Lorraine features Bobby Hackett – not on the cornet but the ukulele – and Joe Marsala on clarinet and the great Ralph Sharon Trio with Sharon, Hal Gaylord on bass and Billy Exiner on drums.

http://open.spotify.com/track/50XojfSBJJQ75bAFowNyGZ
Sweet Lorraine, as well as the full If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: The Very Thought Of You

The song of the day for Friday, March 1, 2013 is The Very Thought Of You.

About This Song

The Very Thought Of You was written in 1934 by Ray Noble, the noted bandleader. The song has been popular since its first recording by Noble’s own orchestra. It has also been recorded by Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday. It even charted in the 1960s, with an R&B recording by Little Willie John and a rock recording by Ricky Nelson.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version in in 1965, featuring the cornet work of Bobby Hackett and arranged by Johnny Keating.  Mr. Bennett uses instrumental recordings by Bobby Hackett from Hackett’s album Tony Bennett’s Greatest Hits as pre-show music at his concerts.

The Very Thought Of You

Listen to The Very Thought Of You on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1966

The Very Thought Of You, as well as the full A Time For Love album, is available from iTunes.