The song of the day for Thursday, April 17, 2024, is “I Wanna Be Loved.”
About Today
Today’s song, “I Wanna Be Loved,” was recorded on April 17, 1950, at Tony Bennett’s first recording session at Columbia Records. In addition to “I Wanna Be Loved,” Bennett recorded “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” Let’s Make Love,” and “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love.”
About This Song
“I Wanna Be Loved” was written in 1933 by Johnny Green, best known for “Body and Soul,” with lyrics by Edward Heyman and Billy Rose. While attending Harvard (he was admitted at the age of 15 in 1923), Green played trombone and did arrangements for Harvard’s Gold Coast Orchestra. Carmen Lombardo (Guy’s brother) hired him to write arrangements between semesters. Encouraged by his father to become a stockbroker, Green quit Wall Street and embarked on a musical career as a composer, arranger, band leader, and pianist. Green was a board member for ASCAP and chairman of the musical branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and conducted the orchestra for many Academy Award telecasts.
About This Version
Tony Bennett recorded “I Wanna Be Loved” 75 years ago today, April 17, 1950. It was released on Bennett’s first single record as the B side to “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” Marty Manning wrote the arrangement.
“I Wanna Be Loved,” as well as The Columbia Singles, Vol. 1, is available on Apple Music.