The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Goody Goody

The song of the day for Thursday, May 28, 2015 is “Goody, Goody.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “Goody Goody,” was written in 1936 by Matty Malneck and Johnny Mercer. This swinging little song concerns a man who thinks he can get away with playing the field without his girlfriend, but she finds out and sings her sweet revenge. The song was quite popular in the 1930s, mostly due to a Benny Goodman recording with Helen Ward on vocals. Other significant recordings include those by Mabel Mercer, Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Crosby and others. I suspect this recording from Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga will join the list.

About This Version

I adore this song … it’s funny and swings really nicely! I loved their performance of it on the PBS special last winter.

About Today

Tonight, Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett will be appearing at the Concord Pavilion in Concord, California as they continue their Cheek2Cheek Tour. For those of you who are going, have a great time! For those of us who aren’t, here’s a song from the tour.

Goody Goody

Listen to Goody Goody on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga · 2014


“Goody Goody,” as well as Cheek To Cheek, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Nature Boy

The song of the day for Sunday, April 26, 2015 is “Nature Boy.”

About This Song

“Nature Boy” was written in 1947 by eden ahbez, the name adopted by George Alexander Aberle, who was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1908. In the 1930s, he lived in Kansas City and worked as a pianist and band leader. In the early 1940s, he moved to Los Angeles and began playing piano in a health food and raw food store run by John and Vera Richter, who followed a Naturmensch and Lebensreform philosophy influenced by the Wandervogel movement in Germany. In following their philosophy, he and other followers grew their hair long, became vegetarians and were, for all practical purposes, the earliest hippies. They called themselves The Nature Boys. At the suggestion of Johnny Mercer, eden ahbez approached Nat King Cole with his song “Nature Boy.” Unable to meet with Nat Cole personally, he left the song with Cole’s valet. Cole began to perform the song in his concerts; in 1947 he recorded it for Capitol Records, with an arrangement by Frank DeVol, who used strings and flute in his orchestration. The song was a big hit for Nat Cole and Capitol Records.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga included this wonderful song on they 2014 album Cheek To Cheek. The recording features Tom Ranier on piano and Raul Horn on flute.

About Today

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga are appearing this evening at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on the Gentilly Stage. They will be performing at many jazz festivals this spring and summer.

Nature Boy

Listen to Nature Boy on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga · 2014


“Nature Boy,” as well as Cheek To Cheek, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: I Can’t Give You Anything But Love

The song of the day for Friday, April 24, 2015 is “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love.”

About This Song

“I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” was written by Jimmy McHugh (music) and Dorothy Fields (lyrics) for the revue Blackbirds of 1928, produced by Lew Leslie. The song was the first big hit for this songwriting pair. It has been a widely recorded jazz and popular standard, with recordings by Ukulele Ike, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, Anita O’Day and many others.

About This Version

This great McHugh and Fields song is just great in the hands of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. They are accompanied by a great combo led by Brian Newman on trumpet. Newman, Alex Smith and Steve Kortyka did the arrangement.

About Today

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga are taking their Cheek To Cheek tour to Houston Texas tonight. We wish them a wonderful evening and can only say that we wish were there too.

I Can"t Give You Anything But Love

Listen to I Can"t Give You Anything But Love on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga · 2014

” I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” as well as Cheek To Cheek, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Anything Goes

The song of the day for Friday, April 10, 2015 is “Anything Goes.”

About This Song

“Anything Goes” was written by Cole Porter in 1934 for the musical of the same name. In Anything Goes, Cole Porter and book writers Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse created one ofthe great musical comedy characters of all time: Reno Sweeney, played by Ethel Merman in the original 1934 production. The score contains many of Porter’s most popular songs, including “I Get a Kick Out You,” “You’re The Top,” and “Blow, Gabriel, Blow.”

About This Version

Today’s version is from the hit 2014 album Cheek To Cheek. The terrific arrangement is Marion Evans. I love the big band sound Evans did for this album. Not to mention Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, who seem to be having a really great time.

About Today

Tonight, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga are performing at AXIS – Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas as a part of the Cheek To Cheek Tour. Maybe if I close my eyes, listening to today’s song will be almost like being there? After the concert, I’ll be curating tweets about the concert and posting them to April 15 Tour Appearances.

Anything Goes

Listen to Anything Goes on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga · 2014


“Anything Goes,” as well as Cheek To Cheek, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Anything Goes

The song of the day for Saturday, March 28, 2015 is “Anything Goes.”

About This Song

In Anything Goes, Cole Porter and book writers Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse created one of the great musical comedy characters of all time: Reno Sweeney, played by Ethel Merman in the original 1934 production. The score contains many of Porter’s most popular songs, including “I Get a Kick Out You,” “You’re The Top,” “Blow, Gabriel, Blow” and, of course, “Anything Goes.”

About This Version

Today’s version is the first song on the 2014 album from Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga — Cheek To Cheek. The very swinging arrangement is from the wonderful Marion Evans. I can’t think of a better number to open this album with. It also makes me really happy to think about their planned Cole Porter album. I really want to hear Lady Gaga sing “Down In The Depths.”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett would like to wish Lady Gaga a very happy birthday. Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta was born in New York City on March 28, 1986. She attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, but left early to pursue her musical career. She does it all: write, perform, and produce. We agree completely with Tony Bennett that she is a force to be reckoned with. We loved her “Lady Is A Tramp” on Duets II and still can’t stop listening to Cheek To Cheek. So, happy birthday, Lady Gaga! And many more!

Anything Goes

Listen to Anything Goes on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga · 2014


“Anything Goes,” as well as Cheek to Cheek, is available from iTunes.

Here’s your Saturday video!