The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Smile

The Song of the Day for September 25, 2012 is Smile.

About Smile

The music for the song Smile was written by the film artist Charles “Charlie” Chaplin for his 1936 film Modern Times. The lyrics were added in 1954 by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons.

About This Version

In the last three concerts of Mr. Bennett’s that I have attended, at the end of the concert, he sings Smile, followed by When You’re Smiling, the Louis Armstrong favorite. I love this sweet and poignant end to his concerts.

Mr. Bennett first recorded this song as a single in 1959 and again in 1962 for I Left My Heart in San Francisco. Today’s version comes from the 1966 The Movie Song Album, which also includes The Shadow of Your Smile, another song that Mr. Bennett frequently sings in his performances.

This version of Smile was arranged by Al Cohn and conducted by Johnny Mandel, with Tommy Flanagan on piano.

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Smile

The Song of the Day for July 28, 2012 is Smile, by Charlie Chaplin. Mr. Bennett first recorded this song as single for Columbia in 1959. He’s sung in this song in every concert of his I’ve ever attended and I hope he continues to sing it in the concerts I will be attending in the future. It’s a wistful song that simultaneously brings a smile to my lips and a tear or two to my eyes every time. Today’s link is to his second recording of the song on the album I Left My Heart in San Francisco, recorded in 1962.