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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

September 4, 2020 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Tony Live!: I Left My Heart in San Francisco

The song of the day for Saturday, September 5, 2020, 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 performed “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” at his 1994 live performance on MTV Unplugged.

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

Filed Under: Song of the Day, Tony Live! Tagged With: Douglass Cross, George Cory, MTV Unplugged, Ralph Sharon

February 29, 2020 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Tony Live! I Left My Heart in San Francisco

The song of the day for Sunday, March 1, 2020, 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. They were songwriters from San Francisco and wrote it while homesick. 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.

About This Version

In 1962 when Bennett sang “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” at the White House Sessions concert, the song was relatively new in Bennett’s repertoire. The single was released in February 1962 and by the summer of that year, it had become quite popular, though it was not yet his signature song. It’s a really lovely recording, captured on Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962.

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as well as Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Tony Live! Tagged With: Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Sessions Live 1962, Douglass Cross, George Cory, Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett, Tony Live!

December 28, 2018 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

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

The song of the day for Saturday, December 29, 2018, 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, but 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 this version of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in 1962 and features an arrangement by Marty Manning.

(I Left My Heart) In San Francisco

(I Left My Heart) In San Francisco, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as well as the album of the same name, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Today we have an extended segment from a Tony Bennett appearance on The Judy Garland Show in 1963. A number of songs are featured, including today’s song. This is one of my favorite Tony Bennett videos.

Tony Bennett & Judy Garland – Medley (The Judy Garland Show, 1963).

5th episode of “The Judy Garland Show”, aired on CBS. Filmed on July 30, 1963. – Songs: Night Train/Lullaby Of Broadway (Tony). Carolina In The Morning (Judy). Kansas City (Tony). When The Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves For Alabam (Judy). I Left My Heart In San Francisco (Tony & Judy).

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Douglass Cross, George Cory, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, Marty Manning, The Judy Garland Show, Tony Bennett

June 3, 2018 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

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

he song of the day for Monday, June 4, 2018 is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

About This Song

“I Left My Heart Francisco” was written in 1953 by George Cory and Douglass Cross. We’ve told the story of Ralph Sharon pulling this song out of a drawer as they were preparing to travel to the West Coast–they thought it would be a nice song for the “locals” and so it was sung for the first time in 1961 in the Venetian Room at The Fairmont Hotel on and the rest, as they say, is history. Bennett has been singing it every day since.

About This Version

Other than live performances at concerts, Tony Bennett had not recorded “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” since 1961. That changed in 2006 when Bennett and producer Phil Ramone decided to record a new version for the album Duets: An American Classic. Bennett chose pianist Bill Charlap and the result was this lovely recording. So, in honor the ceremony in San Francisco naming a portion of Mason Street as Tony Bennett Way, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

I Left My Heart in San Francisco

I Left My Heart in San Francisco, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify


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

NPR did a great story about recording this song:

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Bill Charlap, Douglass Cross, Duets: An American Classic, Fairmont Hotel, George Cory, Phil Ramone, Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett Way, Venetian Room

March 28, 2018 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

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

The song of the day for Thursday, March 29, 2018 is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

About This Song

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in 1953 by two homesick songwriters from San Francisco: Douglass Cross and George Cory.

About This Version

Yet another recording of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”? Well, yes. You can’t really talk about Tony Bennett and 1962 without talking about this song from Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions Live 1962.

When I first listened to this album, this recording completely blew me away, perhaps it’s because of all at the techniques that Tony Bennett draws upon in his live performances, this is the Tony Bennett I love the most. It’s this song sung as heartfelt, deeply personal and introspective ballad. He touches each note quietly–perfectly–with exquisite diction. This version brings me to tears. I think it may be my favorite recording of all the recordings and performances of this song. Certainly the audience feels much the same way; after the customary knowing applause whenever Tony Bennett sings this song live, they too quiet down and are drawn into the emotional core of this song and the performer’s heart.

I Left My Heart In San Francisco – Live

I Left My Heart In San Francisco – Live, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify


” I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as well as Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions Live 1962, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Bennett/Brubeck The White House Sessions Live 1962, Douglass Cross, George Cory, Tony Bennett

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