The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Let There Be Love

The song of the day for Friday, June 7, 2013 is “Let There Be Love.”

About This Song

“Let There Be Love” was written in 1939 by Lionel Rand with lyrics by Ian Grant. This song has been recorded by singers including Nat “King” Cole, Natalie Cole, Bob Eberly, Pearl Bailey, John Pizzarelli and Annie Ross.

About This Version

Tony Bennett included this song on his third long-playing album, the 1957 The Beat of My Heart. (Note the second chorus contains some updated lyrics, vis-a-vis the reference to Sputnik).  The Beat of My Heart was Bennett’s first album with Ralph Sharon, who both arranged and conducted. The Beat of My Heart featured guest percussionists for every song on the album; “Let There Be Love” featured Candido, Sabu and Billy Exiner.

http://open.spotify.com/track/0LvDzoPdlnu9Am8IzbyyKC
“Let There Be Love,” as well as the entire The Beat of My Heart album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Ol’ Man River

The song of the day for Monday, March 18, 2013 is Ol’ Man River.

About This Song

Ol’ Man River is, of course, from the great 1927 musical Show Boat by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II.  The song has long been associated with Paul Robeson, who performed it in the London production in 1928 and the 1932 Broadway revival.  He continued to sing it in musical recitals for the rest of his career.

About This Version

Candido Camero
Candido Camero

Today’s version of Ol’ Man River is from Tony Bennett’s 1959 Roulette album with Count Basie: Basie/Bennett. It addition to a very fine treatment by Bennett and Basie, this version features a percussion solo by the great Candido. Bennett worked with Candido on The Beat of My Heart (released in 1957) and would work with him again in 1962 for his Carnegie Hall concert.

http://open.spotify.com/track/1HdO58Yc1gPFBbLkuwbxSK
Ol’ Man River, as well as the full Basie/Bennett album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Being Alive

The Song of the Day for September 15, 2012 is Being Alive.

About Being Alive

Being Alive was written by Stephen Sondheim for Company, which premiered on Broadway in 1970.  It was the first Broadway musical this author ever saw and I have been a devoted Stephen Sondheim fan ever since.

About This Version

This version of Being Alive was recorded for the 2004 The Art of Romance.  For my money, I think The Art of Romance may be one of Mr. Bennett’s best-conceived albums. When listened to as a whole, it’s a remarkable emotional roller coaster about all aspects of love and romance. Being Alive has a similar placement in this album as it does in Company, the next-to-the last song, where the protagonist realizes that in order to be fully and totally alive, he must give himself up to love. In many ways, Being Alive is the next step after The Good Life in realizing what’s really important in life.

Being Alive was arranged by Lee Musiker and features Phil Woods on saxophone and Candido Camero on conga (Candido was featured on Mr. Bennett’s 1957 Beat of My Heart and also performed with Mr. Bennett at the 1962 Carnegie Hall concert).

As an extra treat, here’s The Art of Romance Electronic Press Kit (EPK). Thanks, You Tube!

A longer version of the EPK is available at tonybennett.com (with the Ultimate Access Pass–free three-month trial is available).

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July 23 2012

Let There Be Love

The Song of the Day is Let There Be Love from the fabulous Beat of My Heart album, recorded in 1957. This album was conceived by Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon and features international percussion artists. This particular song features Candido, Sabu, and Billy Exiner.  Beat of My Heart is, next to Cloud 7, Mr. Bennett’s finest album from the 1950s (well, according to me, anyway.)

Enjoy!