The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Just One of Those Things

The song of the day for Sunday, July 27, 2025, is “Just One Of Those Things.”

About This Song

“Just One Of Those Things” was written by Cole Porter for the 1935 musical Jubilee. It’s one of Porter’s most popular songs and has been recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, and Frank Sinatra. Alec Wilder in American Popular Song spoke of the lyric as ‘a trip to the moon on gossamer wings’ and “that it seems impossible that it wasn’t sitting on his piano, waiting for Porter even before he wrote the lyric.” It has a certain literary fame as well: Holden Caulfield, in J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, likes the song and notes that even the “stinking band” in the hotel lounge “couldn’t ruin it entirely.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Just One Of Those Things” on October 17, 1957, for his third album, The Beat of My Heart. Bennett used guest percussionists for this album; Chico Hamilton played drums for this recording. Ralph Sharon, who had just become Bennett’s pianist and musical director in 1957, wrote the arrangement.

“Just One Of Those Things,” as well as The Beat of My Heart, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Night and Day

The song of the day for Friday, July 1, 2025, is “Night and Day.”

About This Song

“Night and Day” was written by Cole Porter for the 1932 musical Gay Divorce, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire. The song became and still is quite popular and certainly a standard in the American songbook. Significant recordings include those by Art Tatum, Bill Evans, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, and Django Reinhardt.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Night and Day” in June 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“Night and Day,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Fred Astaire singing “Night and Day” from the the 1934 movie The Gay Divorcee, which was based in the 1932 Broadway musical The Gay Divorce.

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Song of the Day: Cole Porter Medley

The song of the day for Tuesday, June 10, 2025, is “Cole Porter Medley.”

About This Song

“Cole Porter Medley” is the recorded version of a medley of Cole Porter songs that Tony Bennett regularly did in concert in the 1960s and 1970s. The medley, which is nearly 14 minutes long, contains these Cole Porter songs:

  • What Is This Thing Called Love
  • Love for Sale
  • I’m In Love Again
  • You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To
  • Easy To Love
  • It’s Alright With Me
  • Night and Day
  • Dream Dancing
  • I’ve Got You Under My Skin
  • Get Out of Town
  • What Is This Thing Called Love (reprise)

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Cole Porter Medley” in the early 1970s, with an arrangement by Torrie Zito. Bennett had just returned from the road and wanted to finally recorded the medley, which Columbia Records was never interested in his time there until resigned. He and Zito set up a recording session and an orchestra to record the medley. Though they had set it up for the day, the first take was so good that they ended the session. Tony Bennett took the whole crew and orchestra out for a fantastic meal after that perfect take.

Cole Porter Medley” was released on 2003 on the Concord release of Tony Bennett Sings “Life Is Beautiful.”

“Cole Porter Medley,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Ev’rytime We Say Goodbye

The song of the day for is “Ev’rytime We Say Goodbye.”

About This Song

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

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Ev’rytime We Say Goodbye” on April 8, 1958, for his album Long Ago and Far Away. Frank DeVol wrote the arrangement.

“Ev’rytime We Say Goodbye,” as well as Long Ago and Far Away, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Anything Goes

The song of the day for Thursday, January 16, 2025, is “Anything Goes.”

About This Song

“Anything Goes” was written in 1934 by Cole Porter. 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 today’s song “Anything Goes.”

Ethel Merman was born on January 16, 1908, in New York City. We’re featuring “Anything Goes” in memory of Ethel Merman.

About This Version

Tony Bennett, with Count Basie and His Orchestra, recorded “Anything Goes” on January 5, 1959, for their first album Basie Swings/Bennett Sings. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“Anything Goes,” as well as Basie Swings/Bennett Sings, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Ethel Merman singing “Anything Goes,” from 1954.