The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Day Dream

The song of the day for Sunday, November 29, 2020, is “Day Dream.”

About Today

Composer, pianist, and collaborator with Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn was born on November 15, 1915, in Dayton, Ohio. Upon meeting Elligton backstage after the concert, Ellington invited the young man to come and visit him in Harlem to discuss his future. Strayhorn, using the instructions given to him by Ellington as lyrics, wrote the song Take the A Train. Other notable songs by Strayhorn include Lush Life and Chelsea Bridge. Billy Strayhorn died in 1967 esophageal cancer. After his death, Ellington recorded album in tribute to him: And His Mother Called Him Bill. This exquisite remembrance included song composed by Strayhorn while he was in the hospital and a touching piano solo of Lush Life, played by Ellington while the band was packing up.

About This Song

“Day Dream” was written in 1941 by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, with lyrics by John LaTouche. Acknowledged to have been written solely by Strayhorn, “Day Dream” is a lovely song with a strong Strayhorn touch, enhanced by the thoughtful lyrics by John LaTouche. The first recording was in 1941 and featured Johnny Hodges on saxophone and Billy Strayhorn on piano. Other notable recordings include this one by Tony Bennett, Betty Carter, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Day Dream” in 1999 for his album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool.

Day Dream

Listen to Day Dream on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1999.

“Day Dream,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from Apple Music.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I’m Just a Lucky So-and-So

The song of the day for Friday, November 13, 2020, is “I’m Just a Lucky So and So.”

About This Song

Duke Ellington wrote “I’m Just a Lucky So and So” in 1945, with lyrics by Mack David. A favorite song of Tony Bennett, “I’m Just a Lucky So-and-So” has also been recorded by Billy Eckstine, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “I’m Just a Lucky So-and-So” om 1999 for his album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangment.

I’m Just A Lucky So And So

Listen to I’m Just A Lucky So And So on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1999.

“I’m Just a Lucky So-and-So,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from Apple Music.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: It Don’t Mean a Thing

The song of the day for Saturday, October 31, 2020, is “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”

About This Song

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” was written by Duke Ellington in 1931; the lyrics are by Irving Mills. This song was one of the first songs to use the word “swing” in the title and this song certainly defined what it meant to swing. Ellington recorded the song with Ivie Anderson on vocals and it was an immediate hit. It has been widely recorded since it was written and the song is a lot of fun to play and to listen to. Significant recordings include those by Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt, Gigi Gryce, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, and
Thelonious Monk.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” for his album of Duke Ellington songs, Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, released in 1999 (the centennial anniversary of Ellington’s birth). The arrangement is by Ralph Burns, who worked first with Bennett in 1959 for Hometown, My Town. It features great guitar from Gray Sargent and great drumming from Clayton Cameron. It does swing!

It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)

Listen to It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1999.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from Apple Music.

There two other versions of this song that I just love, so I’m adding them to today’s post.

First, is the original Ellington recording in 1931 with Ivie Anderson on vocals:

It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)

Listen to It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) on Spotify. Duke Ellington · Song · 2000.

Next, is Ellington and Louis Armstrong from The Great Summitt, recorded in 1961. This recorded also has the verse, which you almost never hear.

It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) – 1990 Remaster

Listen to It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) – 1990 Remaster on Spotify. Louis Armstrong · Song · 2001.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart

The song of the day for Monday, October 5, 2020, is “I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart.”

About This Song

“I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart” was written in 1938 by Duke Ellington; the lyrics were written by Irving Mills, Henry Nemo, and John Redmond. It was a major hit for Ellington, reaching #1 on the charts. In addition to his own recording that year, other recordings by Benny Goodman and Mildred Bailey were made that year and were extremely popular as well. In 1952 Ellington named this song as one of his eleven favorites.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart” in 1967 for his album Tony Makes It Happen! Marion Evans arranged the album and conducted as well. Like all of the work Evans did for Bennett, the arrangement is just great.

“I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart,” as well as Tony Makes It Happen!, is available from Apple Music.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: It Don’t Mean A Thing

The song of the day for Friday, September 18, 2020, is “It Don’t Mean A Thing.”

About This Song

Duke Ellington wrote “It Don’t Mean a Thing” in 1931, lyrics are attributed to Irving Mills. It was one of the first songs to use the word “swing” in the title and this song certainly defined what it meant to swing. Ellington recorded the song with Ivie Anderson on vocals and it was an immediate hit. It has been widely recorded since it was written and the song is a lot of fun to play and to listen to. Significant recordings include those by Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt, Gigi Gryce, Tony Bennett, and Thelonious Monk.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “It Don’t Mean a Thing” in 1999 for the album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. The terrific arrangement is by Ralph Burns.

“It Don’t Mean A Thing,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from Apple Music.

I just got the vinyl LP of The Great Summit, which brought Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong together for the first time. I can’t get enough of their recording of this song, in large part because it includes the verse.

Subscribe to The Year of Tony Bennett

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Current Reader Favorites