The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I Left My Heart in San Francisco

The song of the day for Monday, May 4, 2026, is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

About This Song

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was written by George Cory and Douglass Cross, who was born 106 years ago on May 4, 1920. Cory and Cross were a gay couple, who met while serving in the Army during World War II, where they wrote shows for their fellow servicemen. After the war, they moved to New York to launch their career as songwriters.

This song is, of course, Tony Bennett’s signature song. It actually became that quite by accident. As Bennett’s musical director, songwriters were constantly giving Ralph Sharon copies of their songs. Cross and Cory had done that and Sharon had stuck the song in a drawer and forgotten all about it. In 1961, he and Bennett were heading out on tour, which included a stop in San Francisco at The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Sharon came across the music and thought it might be a nice local number for the San Francisco audience. After a performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas, they found a piano and started to work on the song a bit. An early fan was the bartender, who said that he’d buy the first copy if they ever decided to record it. Of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was a huge hit at the performance and in January, 1962, Bennett recorded it and released it on a 45 RPM record on the B-side to “Once Upon a Time.” But gradually, I Left My Heart in San Francisco started getting all the airplay and it became a major hit for Bennett, winning him his first Grammy Award. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans. The San Francisco Giants play Bennett’s recording after every winning home game.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” on January 23, 1962, featuring an arrangement by Marty Manning. It was released as a single and was the basis for the album I Left My Heart in San Francisco, released in June 1962.

In 1963, Tony Bennett won two Grammy Awards:

  1. Record of the Year”
  2. Best Solo Performance, Male

Marty Manning won the 1963 Grammy Award for Best Background Arrangement for “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as well as the album I Left My Heart in San Francisco, is available on Apple Music.

Tony Bennett appeared on the Judy Garland television show and they sang “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” It was just perfect.

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Song of the Day: I Left My Heart In San Francisco

The song of the day for Thursday, March 19, 2026, is “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.”

About This Song

“I Left My Heart In San Francisco” was written in 1953 by George Cory and Douglass Cross.

This song is, of course, Tony Bennett’s signature song. It actually became that quite by accident. As Bennett’s musical director, songwriters were constantly giving Ralph Sharon copies of their songs. Cross and Cory had done that and Sharon had stuck the song in a drawer and forgotten all about it. In 1961, he and Bennett were heading out on tour, which included a stop in San Francisco at The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Sharon came across the music and thought it might be a nice local number for the San Francisco audience.

After a performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas, they found a piano and started to work on the song a bit. An early fan was the bartender, who said that he’d buy the first copy if they ever decided to record it. Of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was a huge hit at the performance and in January 1962, Bennett recorded it and released it on a 45 RPM record on the B-side to “Once Upon a Time.” But gradually, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” started getting all the airplay and it became a major hit for Bennett, winning him his first Grammy Award. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” on January 23, 1962, which was released as a single. Marty Manning wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra. The song was added to the album I Left My Heart In San Francisco, which was released in June 1962.

Tony Bennett won two Grammy Awards at the 5th Annual Grammy Awards for “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.”

  • Record Of The Year
  • Best Solo Performance, Male

“I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” as well as I Left My Heart In San Francisco, is available on Apple Music.

Dear Mr. Bennett

Tony Bennett sang “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” at every concert of his I attended. I’m 99% sure he sang it at every concert he gave after winning the record of the year Grammy Award.

The John Pizzarelli Trio (Pizzarelli on guitar and vocals, Michael Karn on bass, and Isaiah J. Thompson on piano) recorded “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” for Dear Mr. Bennett, released in March 2026.

Dear Mr. Bennett is available for purchase on CD and vinyl at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Tower Records, and other record stores. It is also available on most popular streaming services.

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Song of the Day: I Left My Heart in San Francisco

The song of the day for Tuesday, December 30, 2025, is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

About This Song

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was written in 1953 by George Cory and Douglass Cross. This song is, of course, Tony Bennett’s signature song. It actually became that quite by accident. As Bennett’s musical director, songwriters were constantly giving Ralph Sharon copies of their songs. Cross and Cory had done that and Sharon had stuck the song in a drawer and forgotten all about it. In 1961, he and Bennett were heading out on tour, which included a stop in San Francisco at The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Sharon came across the music and thought it might be a nice local number for the San Francisco audience. After a performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas, they found a piano and started to work on the song a bit. An early fan was the bartender, who said that he’d buy the first copy if they ever decided to record it. Of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco “was a huge hit at the performance and in January 1962, Bennett recorded it and released it on a 45 RPM record on the B-side to “Once Upon a Time.” But gradually, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” started getting all the airplay and it became a major hit for Bennett, winning him his first Grammy Award. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans.

Regarding the show in Hot Springs, Arkansas: A young high school saxophone player couldn’t afford to see the show and hung out by the windows in the venue to listen. His name was Bill Clinton.

About This Version

Tony Bennett, with Bill Charlap on solo piano, recorded this version of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in 2006 for Duets: An American Classic. Bennett made just two studio recordings of the song: the first with Ralph Sharon in 1962 and this one with Charlap in 2006.

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as well as Duets: An American Classic, is available on Apple Music.

On July 30, 1963, Tony Bennett taped an episode on The Judy Garland Show and sang “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

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Song of the Day: I Left My Heart in San Francisco

The song of the day for Sunday, August 3, 2025, is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

About Today

Tony Bennett was born on August 3, 1926, in Astoria, Queens. He would have been 99 years old today. I miss him all the time and am grateful for getting to attend so many of his concerts and getting to meet him backstage.

About This Song

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was written in 1953 by George Cory and Douglass Cross, songwriters and partners from San Francisco who were feeling homesick.

This song is, of course, Tony Bennett’s signature song. It actually became that quite by accident. As Bennett’s musical director, songwriters were constantly giving Ralph Sharon copies of their songs. Cross and Cory had done that, and Sharon had stuck the song in a drawer and forgotten all about it. In 1961, he and Bennett were heading out on tour, which included a stop in San Francisco at The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Sharon came across the music and thought it might be a nice local number for the San Francisco audience.

After a performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas (at which a high school saxophone player named Bill Clinton stood outside listening through the window), they found a piano and started to work on the song a bit. An early fan was the bartender, who said that he’d buy the first copy if they ever decided to record it. Of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was a huge hit at the performance, and in January 1962, Bennett recorded it and released it on a 45 RPM record on the B-side to Once Upon a Time. But gradually, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” started getting all the airplay, and it became a major hit for Bennett, winning him his first Grammy Award. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” on January 23, 1962; it was released as a single soon after. Marty Manning wrote the arrangement. The recording was added to the 1962 album I Left My Heart in San Francisco.

Bennett won the 1963 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male.

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as well as I Left My Heart in San Francisco, is available on Apple Music.

I absolutely love this version of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” on The Judy Garland television show in July 1963.

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Song of the Day: I Left My Heart in San Francisco

The song of the day for Sunday, Mary 4, 2025, is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

About This Song

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was written in 1953 by George Cory and Douglass Cross, who was born 105 years ago on May 4, 1920. Cory and Cross met in San Francisco after World War II and were romantic partners for many years. They moved to Brooklyn to start their songwriting career. Feeling homesick, they wrote “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in 1953. Ralph Sharon, as Tony Bennett’s musical director, was often given songs by songwriters, included Cross and Cory.

Sharon had stuck the song in a drawer and forgotten all about it. In 1961, he and Bennett were heading out on tour, which included a stop in San Francisco at The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Sharon came across the music and thought it might be a nice local number for the San Francisco audience. After a performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas, they found a piano and started to work on the song a bit. An early fan was the bartender, who said that he’d buy the first copy if they ever decided to record it. Of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was a huge hit at the performance and in January, 1962, Bennett recorded it and released it on a 45 RPM record on the B-side to Once Upon a Time. But gradually, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” started getting all the airplay and it became a major hit for Bennett, winning him his first Grammy Award. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans. The song played at the end of all home games won by the San Francisco Giants. A statue of Tony Bennett was installed on the grounds of the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco in honor of Bennett’s 90th birthday.

A passing note about that performance in Hot Springs, AK. A high school student who played the saxophone couldn’t get into the concert, but hung out at the window to listen. That kid was Bill Clinton.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” on January 23, 1962, featuring an arrangement by Marty Manning. It was released on a 45 RPM record on the B side with “Once Upon a Time.” It was released on the album I Left My Heart in San Francisco in June 1962.

The recording received two 1963 Grammy Awards: Record of the Year and Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male.

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as well as I Left My Heart in San Francisco, is available on Apple Music.

In the summer of 1962, Tony Bennett appeared on the Judy Garland Show and sang “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”