The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: You Can Depend on Me

The song of the day for Friday. November 21, 2025, is “You Can Depend on Me.”

About This Song

“You Can Depend on Me” was written in 1931 by Charles Carpenter, Louis Dunlap, and Earl “Fatha” Hines. The first recording was by Louis Armstrong in 1931. Other recordings include those by Nat “King” Cole and Brenda Lee.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “You Can Depend on Me” on September 11, 1956, for his second album, Tony, released in 1957.

There was some controversy regarding credits for the arrangements on Tony. Bennett wrote in his autobiography The Good Life:

All the guys—Marion [Evans], Gil [Evans], Neal [Hefti], Don [Costa]—did a tremendous job on the orchestrations for Tony, but you’d never know it from reading the front or back cover of that album. At that time Columbia was heavily pushing Ray Conniff. He was going to be the new Percy Faith, their next big name in instrumental pop music. Ray conducted the sessions, and he did a good job, but it burned me up that none of the others received any credit on the cover. Over the next few months I was embarrassed when I ran into them. They’d always ask me why they didn’t get credit. I felt terrible about it.

“You Can Depend on Me,” as well as Tony, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the 1931 recording of “You Can Depend on Me” by Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra.

Armstrong recorded “You Can Depend on Me” again in 1951, live at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, released on Satchmo At Pasadena, which has Armstrong singing vocals.

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Song of the Day: The Right To Love

The song of the day for is “The Right To Love.”

About Today

As I was preparing to choose today’s song, I learned the Lalo Schifrin had just died on Wednesday, June 26, 2025. He was 93 years old and died from pneumonia. You can read his biography on his website schifrin.com. You can read obituaries on Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, The Chicago Tribune, and The Los Angeles Times.

About This Song

“The Right To Love” was written by Lalo Schfrin ca. 1963; the lyrics by Gene Lees were added later. According to the website filmscoremonthly, this song has an interesting history. It was first recorded, without lyrics, in 1963 on an album called Reflections by Stan Getz and Lalo Schifrin. Tony Bennett liked the song from the beginning and suggested that Gene Lees write the lyrics. The resulting song is an anthem for “forbidden” love. At that time, most people associated the song with interracial relationships; in later years, it has been sung by gay singers. In addition to Bennett’s recording, this song has been recorded by Peggy Lee, Carmen McRae, and k.d. lang.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “The Right To Love” on February 18, 1965, for If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set. Don Costa wrote the arrangement.

“The Right To Love,” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Fly Me To The Moon

The song of the day for Sunday, June 1, 2025, is “Fly Me To The Moon.”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett is proud to honor songwriter Bart Howard, born 110 years ago on June 1, 1915, in Iowa. Bart Howard wrote “Fly Me To The Moon” for his partner of 58 years, Thomas Fowler.

About This Song

“Fly Me To The Moon” was written by Bart Howard in 1954. It was originally titled “In Other Words,” but the song was not doing that well, in spite of several recordings. In 1962, Howard renamed the song to “Fly Me To The Moon,” and the song began to catch on. Tony Bennett’s 1965 recording for “If I Ruled The World” was a big hit for Bennett. There have been many recordings of the song, including those by Frank Sinatra, Kaye Ballard and many more. However, Bart Howard told Bennett that his 1965 recording was “the definitive performance of this song.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Fly Me To The Moon” on February 18, 1965, for the album If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set. Don Costa wrote the excellent arrangement. It’s very fine recording — Bennett’s superb diction is quite special.

“Fly Me To The Moon,” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Then Was Then and Now is Now

The song of the day for Monday, May 26, 2025, is “Then Was Then and Now is Now.”

About Today

We are remembering Peggy Lee, born on May 26, 1920, as Norma Deloris Egstrom in Jamestown, North Dakota. She was a singer as well as songwriter, co-writing over 270 songs.

About This Song

“Then Was Then and Now is Now” was written by Cy Coleman, with lyrics by Peggy Lee. She released it on her 1965 album Then Was Then — Now Is Now!

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Then Was Then and Now is Now” on February 18, 1965, for If I Ruled The World: Songs For the Jet Set. Don Costa wrote the arrangement.

“Then Was Then and Now is Now,” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs For the Jet Set, is available on Apple Music.

We’ve got Miss Peggy Lee’s recording of “Then Was Then and Now is Now” from 1965:

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Song of the Day: Take The Moment

The song of the day for Saturday, March 22, 2025, is “Take The Moment.”

About Today

Today we are celebrating the birth of Stephen Sondheim, who was born in New York City on March 22, 1930. He died at his country home in Roxbury, Connecticut on November 26, 2021. I just want to say that the very first musical I saw on Broadway was Company, and it changed my world.

About This Song

“Take The Moment” was written by Richard Rodgers and Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the lyrics, for the 1965 Broadway musical Do I Heart a Waltz?. The production was troubled from the start. Oscar Hammerstein passed away as the writing of the piece was started. Stephen Sondheim was a protege of Hammerstein and was asked by Arthur Laurents, who wrote the book, and Mary Rodgers, daughter of Richard Rodgers, to write the lyrics, Richard Rodgers and Sondheim did not mesh and their working relationship was not happy for either artist.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Take The Moment” on January 4, 1965, for his album If I Ruled The World: Songs For the Jet Set. Don Costa wrote the arrangement.

“Take The Moment,” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs For the Jet Set, is available on Apple Music.

Bruce Weber interviewed Stephen Sondheim for the New York Times in June 2008. It was published with his obituary in the Times.