The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Russian Lullaby

The song of the day for Thursday, April 9, 2026, is “Russian Lullaby.”

About This Song

“Russian Lullaby” was written in 1927 by Irving Berlin. In this song, Berlin (born Isador Beilin) explores his childhood roots as an Eastern European/Belarusian Jewish immigrant. The song is like a folk melody and the lyrics are lovely. “Russian Lullaby” was first used in vaudeville and gained recognition with the recording by Roger Wolfe Kahn and His Orchestra. It has also been recorded by Bunny Berigan, Guy Lombardo, Bing Crosby, and Dinah Shore, among others.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Russian Lullaby” in May 1987 for album in tribute to Irving Berlin: Bennett/Berlin. Bennett wrote the arrangement; the recording features Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet.

“Russian Lullaby,” as well as Bennett/Berlin, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Russian Lullaby

The song of the day for Tuesday, October 21, 2025, is “Russian Lullaby.”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett remembers the great John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie, born on October 21, 1917, in Cheraw, South Carolina.

Dizzy Gillespie lived in Englewood, New Jersey, where Tony Bennett, his first wife Patricia, and his songs Danny and Dae also lived. One day the doorbell rang and a very young Danny answered the door. Gillespie stood there and announced “I’m Dizzy!” The very polite young Danny then asked Dizzy if he’d like come in and have a glass of water.

I heard Tony Bennett tell this story during a online interview. Danny gave his father one of the those “Oh, Dad” looks. I think it’s a funny and charming story.

About This Song

“Russian Lullaby” was written by Irving Berlin in 1927. In the song, Berlin (born Isador Beilin) explores his childhood roots as an Eastern European/Belarusian Jewish immigrant. The song is like a folk melody and the lyrics are lovely. “Russian Lullaby” was first used in vaudeville and gained recognition with the recording by Roger Wolfe Kahn and His Orchestra. It has also been recorded by Bunny Berigan, Guy Lombardo, Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore, among others.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Russian Lullaby” in May 1987 for the album Bennett/Berlin. Dizzy Gillespie is featured on trumpet.

“Russian Lullaby,” as well as Russian Lullaby, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: The Song Is Ended (But the Melody Lingers On)

The song of the day for Sunday, May 11, 2025, is “The Song Is Ended (But the Melody Lingers On).”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett is celebrating Irving Berlin, who was born as Israel Isidore Beilin on May 11, 1888, in Tyumen, Siberia, where his father was an itinerant cantor. The family immigrated to the United States and arrived at Ellis Island on September 14, 1893.

About This Song

“The Song Is Ended (But the Melody Lingers On)” was written by Irving Berlin in 1927 for the musical Will o’ the Whispers.

In his book The Tin Pan Alley Song Encyclopedia, Thomas Hischak calls this song “… an Irving Berlin standard whose title has been called the theme of all popular music, a chilling number in which both the lover and the ballad that was ‘their song’ is gone; yet neither can be forgotten because they remain in one’s memory.” This song was recorded in 1927 by Ruth Etting and has remained popular over the years with recordings by Dick Haymes, Dizzy Gillespie, Jeri Southern, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat “King” Cole, and many more.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “The Song Is Ended (But the Melody Lingers On)” in May 1987 for his album Bennett/Berlin. The recording features Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet.

“The Song Is Ended (But the Melody Lingers On),” as well as Bennett/Berlin, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Russian Lullaby

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 4, 2025, is “Russian Lullaby.”

About This Song

“Russian Lullaby” was written in 1927 by Irving Berlin. With this song, Berlin (born Isador Beilin) explored his childhood roots as an Eastern European/Belarusian Jewish immigrant. The song is like a folk melody, and the lyrics are lovely. “Russian Lullaby” was first used in vaudeville and gained recognition with the recording by Roger Wolfe Kahn and His Orchestra. It has also been recorded by Bunny Berigan, Guy Lombardo, Bing Crosby, and Dinah Shore, among others.

About This Version

Tony Bennett, with Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, recorded “Russian Lullaby” in May 1987 for his album of Irving Berlin songs, Bennett/Berlin.

“Russian Lullaby,” as well as Bennett/Berlin, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: The Song Is Ended

The song of the day for Thursday, November 21, 2024, is “The Song Is Ended.”

About This Song

Irving Berlin wrote “The Song Is Ended (But the Melody Lingers On)” in 1927. In his book The Tin Pan Alley Song Encyclopedia, Thomas Hischak calls this song “… an Irving Berlin standard whose title has been called the theme of all popular music, a chilling number in which both the lover and the ballad that was ‘their song’ is gone; yet neither can be forgotten because they remain in one’s memory.”

This song was recorded in 1927 by Ruth Etting and has remained popular over the years with recordings by Dick Haymes, Dizzy Gillespie, Jeri Southern, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat “King” Cole and many more.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “The Song Is Ended” in May 1987 for his album Bennett/Berlin. Bennett wrote the arrangement. The recording features Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet.

“The Song Is Ended,” as well as Bennett/Berlin, is available on Apple Music.