The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Swinging on a Star

The song of the day for Friday, March 14, 2025, is “Swinging on a Star.”

About This Song

“Swinging on a Star” was written in 1944 by the songwriting team of Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke. It was written for the movie Going My Way, starring Bing Crosby, and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for that year. Crosby recorded a very successful version of the song in 1944. Other recordings include those by Rosemary Clooney, Burl Ives, and Ruby Braff, among many others. The song was a favorite of your author when she was a small child. I actually remember singing it loudly at the breakfast table one morning.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Swinging on a Star” in June 1998 for his children’s album, The Playground. Bennett was accompanied by the Ralph Sharon Quartet, featuring Sharon on piano, Gray Sargent on guitar, Paul Langosh on bass, and Clayton Cameron on drums.

“Swinging on a Star,” as well as The Playground, is available on Apple Music.

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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 Friday, March 7, 2025, 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 credited to Irving Mills. It 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 recorded “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” in May 1999 for his album Bennett Sings Ellington Hot & Cool. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangement and conducted the band. The extended drum solo is by Clayton Cameron.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington Hot & Cool, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the original recording of “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” with Ivie Anderson singing with Ellington’s band.

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Song of the Day: Body and Soul

The song of the day for Sunday, November 17, 2024, is “Body and Soul.”

About This Song

“Body and Soul” was written in 1930, with music by Johnny Green and lyrics by Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, and Frank Eyton.

Ted Gioia, in his book The Jazz Standards, says that Body and Soul

is the granddaddy of jazz ballads, the quintessential torch song, and the ultimate measuring rod for tenor sax players of all generations. Even in the new millennium, this 1930 composition continues to serve as the cornerstone of the repertoire.

Louis Armstrong recorded the song first, followed in the 1930s by recordings from primarily white society bands, such as those led by Paul Whiteman. That said, some early recordings by jazz artists, including Benny Goodman and especially Art Tatum, started to cement this song as a serious jazz standard (in fact, it’s rated #1 on the jazzstandards.com website). However, the Coleman Hawkins recording from 1939 is widely acknowledged to have made the song a true jazz standard. The Hawkins recording was followed by great jazz recordings by Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Art Pepper, Dave Brubeck, and many more. Fine vocal recordings include those by Billie Holiday and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “Body and Soul” in his ground-breaking MTV Unplugged concert, recorded on April 12, 1994, and subsequently aired on MTV. Bennett appeared with his trio: Ralph Sharon on piano, Doug Richeson on bass, and Clayton Cameron on drums. The album MTV Unplugged was released in June 1994.

MTV Unplugged won two 1994 Grammy Awards: Album of the Year and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“Body and Soul,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available on Apple Music.

We have the video of this performance:

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Song of the Day: By Myself

The song of the day for Thursday, July 4, 2024, is “By Myself.”

About This Song

“By Myself” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1937 musical Between the Devil, where it was introduced by Jack Buchanan. Another great Schwartz-Dietz song from Between the Devil was “I See Your Face Before Me.” This song was also used in the 1953 Fred Astaire film, The Band Wagon.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “By Myself” in July 1993 for his tribute album to Fred Astaire: Steppin’ Out. Tony Bennet and Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement. Clayton Cameron was the very fine drummer for this recording.

“By Myself,” as well as Steppin’ Out, is available on Apple Music.

My favorite version of this song was a live recording of Judy Garland singing it on The Judy Garland Show in 1964. Her exit at the end of the song is not to be missed!

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Song of the Day: In A Mellow Tone

The song of the day for Wednesday, May 8, 2024, is “In A Mellow Tone.”

About This Song

Duke Ellington wrote “In a Mellow Tone” in 1939, with lyrics by Milt Gabler. The song was based on the 1917 song “Rose Room” by Art Hickman and Harry Williams. The song is a favorite of both vocal and instrumental jazz performers, including Tony Bennett, Paul Gonsalves, Oscar Peterson, Coleman Hawkins, Ella Fitzgerald, and Annie Ross.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “In A Mellow Tone” in May 1999 for Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, featuring an arrangement by Ralph Burns. In addition to lovely vocals from Bennett, this recording gives the trio members (Ralph Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, and Clayton Cameron on drums) some terrific solo time.

“In A Mellow Tone,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available on Apple Music.