The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I Won’t Dance

The song of the day for Tuesday, October 31, 2017 is “I Won’t Dance.”

About This Song

Jerome Kern wrote “I Won’t Dance” in 1934 for a London musical called Three Sisters (with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein and Otto Harbach), though the show was flop and was quickly forgotten. The following year, a film of Roberta was made, and the song was re-purposed, this time with the new Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields lyrics.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga recorded “I Won’t Dance,” with the 1936 lyrics, for their album Cheek to Cheek. Marion Evans did the arrangement.

I Won"t Dance

Listen to I Won"t Dance on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga · 2014


“I Won’t Dance,” as well as Cheek to Cheek, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Today marks the end of our recognition of Lady Gaga as our musical collaborator of the month. Stayed tuned tomorrow for a new person!

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Song of the Day: It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)

The song of the day for Monday, October 30, 2017 is “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”

About This Song

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” was written in 1931 by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills. This song was one of the first songs to use the word “swing” in the title and this song certainly defined what it meant to swing. Ellington recorded the song with Ivie Anderson on vocals and it was an immediate hit. It has been widely recorded since it was written and the song is a lot of fun to play and to listen to. Significant recordings include those by Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt, Gigi Gryce, Tony Bennett and Thelonious Monk.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga recorded today’s song in 2014 for their album Cheek to Cheek. It was arranged by Marion Evans and features Joe Lovano on tenor sax and George Rabbi on trumpet.

It Don"t Mean A Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing)

Listen to It Don"t Mean A Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga · 2014


“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” as well as Cheek to Cheek, is available from iTunes.

I’m a big fan of this song and have few other favourite versions.

First up is Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington from The Great Summit, recorded in 1961. It’s rare chance to hear the verse of the song, which is really nice.

It Don"t Mean a Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) - 1990 Remaster

Listen to It Don"t Mean a Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) - 1990 Remaster on Spotify. Song · Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington · 2001

And here’s the recording that started it all: The Duke Ellington Orchestra, with Ivie Anderson, from 1932:

It Don"t Mean a Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing)

Listen to It Don"t Mean a Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) on Spotify. Song · Duke Ellington · 2007

Don’t forget to swing!

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Songs of the Day: Lush Life, Sophisticated Lady, and some Solitude too

The songs of the day for Thursday, October 26, 2017 are “Lush Life,” “Sophisticated Lady,” and “Solitude.”

About These Songs

Though written between 1936 and 1938, “Lush Life” was not performed publicly until 1948, when composer Billy Strayhorn and vocalist Kay Davis performed it with the Duke Ellington Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in 1948. It’s rather amazing to realize that Strayhorn was only a teenager when he started writing this song. It has had several notable recordings, including those by Nat “King” Cole, Billy Ekstine and Johnny Hartman.

Duke Ellington wrote “Sophisticated Lady” in 1932 as an instrumental. Lyrics were added later by Mitchell Parish. Ellington is said to have been inspired to write this song by two of his grade school teachers, who toured Europe in the summers after teaching all year. “To me that spelled sophistication.” “Sophisticated Lady” was first recorded in 1933 on the flip side with Harold Arlen’s Stormy Weather. It is, of course, one of Ellington’s most popular and often-played songs. In addition to numerous recordings by Ellington over the years, the song has been recorded by Art Tatum, Anita O’Day, Billie Holiday, Billy Eckstine, Johnny Hodges, Sarah Vaughan, and Glenn Miller.

One of his masterpieces from 1934, Ellington is said to have written “Solitude” in twenty minutes at the recording session, as they were one number short (Ted Gioia in Jazz Standards). It’s a very strong song for both vocalists and instrumentalists. Ellington made over a hundred recordings of this song. Other great recordings include those by Paul Robeson, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Billy Eckstine.

About These Versions

Lady Gaga, our musical collaborator of the month, recorded this lovely solo on Strayhorn’s “Lush Life” on her 2014 album with Tony Bennett: Cheek to Cheek.

Lush Life

Listen to Lush Life on Spotify. Song · Lady Gaga · 2014


“Lush Life,” as well as Cheek to Cheek, is available from iTunes.

Tony Bennett recorded this wonderful solo of “Sophisticated Lady” on the same album:

Sophisticated Lady

Listen to Sophisticated Lady on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2014

And while I’m on a Duke Ellington kick, which I almost always am, is this terrific recording of Solitude by Ellington and John Coltrane, from 1961.

In a Sentimental Mood

Listen to In a Sentimental Mood on Spotify. Song · Duke Ellington · 1961

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Song of the Day: Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye

The song of the day for Sunday, October 22, 2017 is “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye.”

About This Song

“Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” was written by Cole Porter for the 1944 Billy Rose musical revue Seven Lively Arts. The song is well-known for the phrase “change from major to minor” as the song itself changed from A-flat major to A-flat minor, matching the lyric perfectly. I think it’s one of Porter’s best ballads.

It has always been a strong jazz standard. Significant recordings include those by Tony Bennett, Mabel Mercer, Sonny Rollins, Chet Baker, Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington.

About This Version

Tony Bennett sings “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” from his 1958 album Long Ago and Far Away. The arrangement was written by Frank DeVol.

Ev"rytime We Say Goodbye

Listen to Ev"rytime We Say Goodbye on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1958


“Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye,” as well as Long Ago and Far Away, is available from iTunes.

Lady Gaga sang today’s song as a solo on her album with Tony Bennett: Cheek to Cheek. As we are celebrating her this month, I’m please to present her recording today as well.

Ev"ry Time We Say Goodbye

Listen to Ev"ry Time We Say Goodbye on Spotify. Song · Lady Gaga · 2014

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Song of the Day: Don’t Wait Too Long

The song of the day for Friday, October 20, 2017 is “Don’t Wait Too Long.”

About This Song

“Don’t Wait Too Long” was written by Sunny Skylar. This song concerns a relationship between a younger and older person (“you are the summer and I am the autumn”) and the realization that the time together may not be as long as they’d wish. Other recordings of this song are by Frank Sinatra (1965, September of My Years) and Blossom Dearie (1964, May I Come In).

About This Version

Tony Bennett has recorded “Don’t Wait Too Long” twice: the first time in 1963 for The Many Moods of Tony and again in 2014 as a solo on Cheek to Cheek. Today I’m featuring the 2014 version; it’s a lovely arrangement by Jorge Calandrelli and beautifully sung by Mr. Bennett.

Don"t Wait Too Long

Listen to Don"t Wait Too Long on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2014


“Don’t Wait Too Long,” as well as Cheek to Cheek, is available from iTunes.