The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: The Best Is Yet To Come

The song of the day for Saturday, March 16, 2013 is The Best Is Yet To Come.

About This Song

Another great Tony Bennett song written by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh, The Best Is Yet To Come was written in 1959. Some people say that the song was written for Tony Bennett, though I’ve found no evidence of that. While the song is associated with Frank Sinatra, it’s also been recorded by Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughan (both in 1962), Blossom Dearie, and Ella Fitzgerald.

About This Version

If I had to pick the music from one year of Tony Bennett’s career to take with me to a desert island, it would have to be the music he recorded in 1962. In addition to the magnificent concert at Carnegie Hall, he also released his Mr. Broadway album and I Left My Heart in San Francisco. He also recorded I Wanna Be Around that same year, so I’m taking that album with me too, even though it was released in 1963. I’ve always felt that in that year it all came together: the perfection of his vocal powers; his ability and willingness to show us the emotional context of the songs he’s singing; the pure joy he seems to feel in everything he recorded that year; and the recording of some his finest material: songs that are forever associated with him and that he still sings today. Not just I Left My Heart in San Francisco, but Smile, The Rules of the Road, The Good Life and today’s song The Best Is Yet To Come and many more. Tony Bennett owned 1962. I often find myself gravitating to the songs from these albums and for good reason: they are an amazing set of songs by the greatest popular singer in the world. Then and today. And forever. Upon the release of his Complete Collection in  2011, the New York Times said: “We aren’t likely to see a recording career like this again.”  I’m certain we won’t, but we can certainly glory in all of it.

http://open.spotify.com/track/463wvwQJ7DJCvBvbvD55xz
The Best Is Yet To Come, as well as the full (and glorious) I Left My Heart in San Francisco album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: The Rules of The Road

The song of the day for Friday, March 15, 2013 is The Rules Of The Road.

About This Song

While this song is not from a musical, it was written by great Broadway and songwriting team of Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh in 1961.

About This Version

This version of Rules Of The Road is from Bennett’s wonderful 1962 Carnegie Hall concert. I am also a fan of the version from the 1964 Live At The Sahara show; while available on iTunes, this recording is not available on Spotify.

Mr. Bennett has recorded many of Cy Coleman’s songs. As Coleman was a jazz performer as well as a composer, I think his music speaks well to Bennett’s musical tastes.

The Rules Of The Road - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962

Listen to The Rules Of The Road - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Ralph Sharon & His Orchestra · 1962

Rules Of The Road, as well as the full 1962 Carnegie Hall Concert album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: I’ve Got Your Number

The song of the day for Thursday, February 21, 2013 is I’ve Got Your Number.

About I’ve Got Your Number

I’ve Got Your Number is from the 1962 Broadway musical Little Me, written by the team of Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh and featuring a book by Neil Simon.

Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh
Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded I’ve Got Your Number in 1962 for his album I Wanna Be Around. This album is probably best known for the title song and The Good Life. The entire album is wonderful though and I encourage you find some time to give it a listen. It’s got that classic early 1960s arrangement by Marty Manning with a very fine orchestra. The trombone gets me every time. And Mr. Bennett is quite perfect. As usual.

http://open.spotify.com/track/3pXVyrs7lh9X5tSgcASIUB
I’ve Got Your Number, as well as the album I Wanna Be Around, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: The Rules Of The Road

The song of the day for Sunday, February 3, 2013 is The Rules Of The Road.

About The Rules Of The Road

While this song is not from a musical, it was written by great Broadway and songwriting team of Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh in 1961.

Carolyn Leigh and Cy Coleman at the Little Me cast album recording session, 1962
Carolyn Leigh and Cy Coleman at the Little Me cast album recording session, 1962

A quick search shows that this is third time I’ve chosen The Rules Of The Road as the song of the day. But I love the song dearly, so I beg your forgiveness for my self-indulgence. I do think that Cy Coleman is a brilliant composer for Tony Bennett. Most people think of Coleman’s career as a writer of hit Broadway musicals, including Sweet Charity and Little Me.  But Coleman was also a jazz singer and pianist of note. With his background in both popular and jazz music, he was able to understand the jazz singer as well as the popular singer in Bennett and gave him songs that gave Bennett the opportunity to bring jazz and popular music together.

About This Version

Today’s version is from Bennett’s 1964 album When Lights Are Low.  Produced by Ernie Altschuler, the Ralph Sharon Trio of Sharon (piano), Hal Gaylord (bass) and Billy Exiner (drums) played all of the songs on this album.

The Rules Of The Road

Listen to The Rules Of The Road on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1964

The Rules of the Road, as well as the full When Lights Are Low album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: The Day You Leave Me

The song of the day for Friday, February 1, 2013 is The Day You Leave Me.

About The Day You Leave Me

This song was written by one of Tony Bennett’s favorite songwriters, Cy Coleman, with lyrics by Christopher Gore.

About This Version

This recording is from one of my favorite Tony Bennett albums, his 1986 The Art Of Excellence. This recording is, to the bests of my knowledge, the first time he worked with the great arranger Jorge Calandrelli, who has orchestrated and conducted several albums for him since. With the primary group of the Ralph Sharon Trio (with Paul Langosch on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums), this album also features the U.K. Orchestra Limited. The front and back covers of the album feature the photography of Annie Leibowitz, including the iconic photograph of Bennett with the Twin Towers in the background.

The Day You Leave Me

Listen to The Day You Leave Me on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1986

The Day You Leave Me, as well as the full The Art of Excellence album, is available from iTunes.