The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Tony Live! Ain’t Misbehaving

The song of the day for Sunday, March 22, 2020, is “Ain’t Misbehaving.”

About This Song

Fats Waller introduced “Ain’t Misbehaving” in the 1929 musical revue Hot Chocolates, staged at Connie’s Inn in Harlem. Andy Razaf, the lyricist, says that Waller wrote the entire song in just 45 minutes. It has become one of Waller’s most well-known songs, perhaps due to the wildly successful Broadway musical revue Ain’t Misbehaving, which opened in 1978.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Ain’t Misbehaving” live in Las Vegas on April 8, 1964. The album Live at the Sahara: Las Vegas, 1964 was finally released in the 2011 Complete Collection box set.

“Ain’t Misbehaving,” as well as Live at the Sahara: Las Vegas 1964, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Honeysuckle Rose

The song of the day for Saturday, May 25, 2019, is “Honeysuckle Rose.”

About This Song

“Honeysuckle Rose” was written in 1929, with music by Fats Waller and lyrics by Andy Razaf. It’s one of Waller’s better-known songs and for good reason. The tune is very well written and Razaf’s lyric is delightful. Waller recorded the song in 1934 and that recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The song has been recorded steadily throughout the years, including the one from Lena Horne in 1963.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Honeysuckle Rose” in 1995 for his album Here’s To The Ladies. For this album, Tony sings songs made famous by the great female singers of the 20th century: from Billie Holiday to Barbara Streisand. “Honeysuckle Rose” was often sung by Lena Horne, who Bennett worked with in the 1970s.

Honeysuckle Rose

Honeysuckle Rose, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“Honeysuckle Rose,” as well as Here’s To The Ladies is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Honeysuckle Rose

The song of the day for Friday, January 5, 2018 is “Honeysuckle Rose.”

About This Song

“Honeysuckle Rose,” written in 1929, is one of Fats Waller’s better known tunes and for good reason. The tune is very well written and Andy Razaf’s lyric is delightful. Waller recorded the song in 1934 and that recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The song has been recorded steadily throughout the years, including the one from Lena Horne in 1963.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Honeysuckle Rose” in 1995 for the album Here’s To The Ladies. This album consists of songs associated with some of America’s greatest female singers. Today’s song was associated with Lena Horne, who sang this song frequently.

Honeysuckle Rose

Honeysuckle Rose, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify


“Honeysuckle Rose,” as well as Here’s To The Ladies, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Honeysuckle Rose

The song of the day for Sunday, July 24, 2016 is “Honeysuckle Rose.”

About This Song

“Honeysuckle Rose” is one of Fats Waller’s better known tunes and for good reason. The tune is very well written and Andy Razaf’s lyric is delightful. Waller recorded the song in 1934 and that recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The song has been recorded steadily throughout the years, including the one from Lena Horne in 1963.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Honeysuckle Rose” in 1995 for the album Here’s To The Ladies. For this album, Bennett picked the great female singers of the 20th century and recorded a song that was widely associated with that singer. “Honeysuckle Rose” was for Lena Horne, with whom Tony performed in the early 1970s.

Honeysuckle Rose

Honeysuckle Rose, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify


“Honeysuckle Rose,” as well as Here’s To The Ladies, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Honeysuckle Rose

The song of the day for Tuesday, May 17, 2016 is “Honeysuckle Rose.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “Honeysuckle Rose,” was composed by Fats Waller in 1929 with lyrics by Andy Razaf. It is one of Fats Waller’s better known tunes and for good reason. The tune is very well written and Razaf’s lyric is delightful. Waller recorded the song in 1934 and that recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The song has been recorded steadily throughout the years, including the one from Lena Horne in 1963.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Honeysuckle Rose” in 1995 for the album Here’s To The Ladies. For this album, Bennett honored great female singers of the 20th century by singing songs that are strongly associated with that singer. “Honeysuckle Rose” is for Lena Horne, who Tony performed with in the early 1970s. I had the great pleasure of seeing Miss Horne in Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music in 1981 on Broadway. I’m so glad I had that chance to see her in person and hear her sing and tell stories about her life and career.

Honeysuckle Rose

Honeysuckle Rose, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify


“Honeysuckle Rose,” as well as Here’s To The Ladies, is available from iTunes.

Even though it’s only Tuesday, I have a video for you. It’s Tony and Lena singing a medley of Harold Arlen songs from the early 1970s. Enjoy!

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