The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: East of the Sun (West of the Moon)

The song of the day for Wednesday, June 25, 2025, is “East of the Sun (and West of the Moon).”

About This Song

“East of the Sun (West of the Moon)” was written by Brooks Bowman, a Princeton University undergraduate member of the class of 1936, for the the 1934 production of the Princeton Triangle Club’s production Stags at Bay. The song well-received and was published in 1934.

After his graduation in 1936, Bowman moved to California to work as a contract songwriter for Selznick International Pictures. After the contract ended in 1937, he moved to New York and formed a songwriting partnership with a former Princeton classmate. Tragically, Bowman died in an automobile accident on October 17, 1937. He was just a few days away from his 24th birthday.

“East of the Sun (West of the Moon)” became a jazz standard (ranked 125 at jazzstandards.com. Significant recordings include those by Frank Sinatra (included in this post), Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Stan Getz, and Diana Krall.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “East of the Sun (West of the Moon)” in June 1992 for his tribute to Frank Sinatra: Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

Perfectly Frank won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“East of the Sun (West of the Moon),” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on Apple Music.

Frank Sinatra recorded “East of the Sun (West of the Moon)” in in 1940 with Tommy Dorsey, with a trumpet solo by Bunny Berigan.

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Song of the Day: East of the Sun

The song of the day for Thursday, July 19. 2018 is “East of the Sun (and West of the Moon).”

About This Song

Bruce Bowman wrote “East of the Sun” in 1934 while a student at Princeton University for a student musical production called Stags at Bay, produced by the Princeton Triangle Club. The song had great reception and was noted by Princeton alumnus F. Scott Fitzgerald. After his graduation from college in 1936, he worked briefly in Hollywood for the film industry, but decided to return to the East Coast. He was about to start a contract with a New York music publisher when he was killed in an automobile accident in 1937.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank, an album of songs sung by Frank Sinatra. Ralph Sharon did the arrangement.

East of the Sun (West of the Moon)

Listen to East of the Sun (West of the Moon) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1992


“East of the Sun (and West of the Moon),” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: East of the Sun (West of the Moon)

The song of the day for Thursday, October 12, 2017 is “East of the Sun (West of the Moon).”

About This Song

Bruce Bowman wrote “East of the Sun” in 1934, while a student at Princeton University, for a student musical production called Stags at Bay, produced by the Princeton Triangle Club. The song had great reception and was noted by Princeton alumnus F. Scott Fitzgerald. After his graduation from college in 1936, Bowman worked briefly in Hollywood for the film industry, but decided to return to the East Coast. He was about to start a contract with a New York music publisher when he was killed in an automobile accident in 1937.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “East of the Sun (West of the Moon)” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon did the arrangement and recording engineer Frank Laico came out of retirement to record this album.

East of the Sun (West of the Moon)

Listen to East of the Sun (West of the Moon) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1992


“East of the Sun (West of the Moon),” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: East of the Sun

The song of the day for Monday, December 12, 2016 is “East of the Sun (West of the Moon).”

About This Song

“East of the Sun (West of the Moon)” was written in 1934 by Princeton University student Bruce Bowman for a student musical, Stags At Bay, produced by the Princeton Triangle Club.

The song had great reception and was noted by Princeton alumnus F. Scott Fitzgerald. After his graduation from college in 1936, Bowman worked briefly in Hollywood for the film industry, but decided to return to the East Coast. He was about to start a contract with a New York music publisher when he was killed in an automobile accident in 1937.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “East of the Sun (West of the Moon)” in 1992 for the album Perfectly Frank. He is accompanied by the Ralph Sharon Trio, with Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums.

East of the Sun (West of the Moon)

Listen to East of the Sun (West of the Moon) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1992


“East of the Sun (West of the Moon),” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: East of the Sun (West of the Moon)

The song of the day for Thursday, September 29, 2016 is “East of the Sun (West of the Moon).”

About This Song

“East of the Sun (West of the Moon)” was written in 1934 by Bruce Bowman. who wrote “East of the Sun” while a student at Princeton University for a student musical production called Stags at Bay, produced by the Princeton Triangle Club. The song had great reception and was noted by Princeton alumnus F. Scott Fitzgerald. After his graduation from college in 1936, he worked briefly in Hollywood for the film industry, but decided to return to the East Coast. He was about to start a contract with a New York music publisher when he was killed in an automobile accident in 1937. Based on this song, I think Bowman would have been one of America’s great songwriters.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “East of the Sun (West of the Moon)” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. The arrangement is by Ralph Sharon.

East of the Sun (West of the Moon)

Listen to East of the Sun (West of the Moon) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1992


“East of the Sun (West of the Moon),” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.