The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Shine On Your Shoes

The song of the day for Friday, February 21, 2025, is “Shine On Your Shoes.”

About This Song

“Shine On Your Shoes” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1932 Broadway musical Flying Colors. The same song was used for the 1953 movie The Band Wagon, which starred Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Shine On Your Shoes” in July 1993 for his album in tribute to Fred Astaire: Steppin’ Out. Bennett and Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“Shine On Your Shoes,” as well as Steppin’ Out, is available on Apple Music.

Fred Astaire performed “Shine On Your Shoes” in the 1953 movie The Band Wagon. Astaire insisting on using a genuine shoe shiner for the number and Leroy Daniels, who sang and danced while he did shoeshines and worked just by the gates at MGM, was cast.

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Song of the Day: A Shine On Your Shoes

The song of the day for Saturday, December 31, 2022, is “A Shine On Your Shoes.”

About This Song

“A Shine On Your Shoes” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1932 Broadway musical Flying Colors. The same song was used for the 1953 movie The Band Wagon, which starred Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “A Shine On Your Shoes” in July 1993 and was released that year on Steppin’ Out. It was arranged by Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon.

“A Shine On Your Shoes,” as well as Steppin’ Out is available on Apple Music.

This clip of “A Shine on My Shoes” from The Band Wagon with Fred Astaire is a favorite number of mine. Astaire wanted a genuine shoeshine man for the number and found Leroy Daniels, who had a stand at Sixth and Main Street in Los Angeles. Turned out he was also an excellent dancer. To get business and set himself apart, Daniels had an old jukebox stocked with jazz records and performed and danced while giving shoeshines.

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Song of the Day: A Shine On Your Shoes

The song of the day for Saturday, May 9, 2015 is “A Shine On Your Shoes.”

About This Song

“A Shine On Your Shoes” was composed by Arthur Schwartz with lyrics by Howard Dietz for the 1932 Broadway musical Flying Colors. The same song was used for the 1953 movie The Band Wagon, which starred Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse.

About This Version

Today is the second day in a row for a song by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz and the second day in a row for a song from The Band Wagon. No wonder — the songs are great and so was this movie.

I love this great, upbeat number as Bennett sings it. Every time I hear it, I think of that funny scene in The Zen of Bennett where he discovers that shoe shine person at the hotel put brown polish on his black shoes and then he breaks out into the Irving Berlin song “I Used To Be Color Blind.”

Mr. Bennett has a great time with this song. The opening with just the bass and drum played with brushes is really excellent. I dare anyone to be in a bad mood after listening to this song. If you do listen and are still in bad mood, then proceed directly to the video.

Shine On Your Shoes

Listen to Shine On Your Shoes on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1993


“A Shine On Your Shoes,” as well as Steppin’ Out, is available from iTunes.

Today’s video features our song of the day as sung and danced by Fred Astaire. Astaire wanted to perform this number with a bootblack. Director Vincent Minnelli found Leroy Daniels, an actor dancer who was supporting himself as a bootblack. Their number is magic.

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Song of the Day: A Rainy Day

The song of the day for Sunday, January 18, 2015 is “A Rainy Day.”

About This Song

The great songwriting team of Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz wrote “A Rainy Day” for the 1932 Broadway musical revue Flying Colors, which starred Clifton Webb, Patsy Kelly, Imogene Coca and Buddy and Vilma Ebsen.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “A Rainy Day” for his 1986 album The Art of Excellence. It was arranged and conducted by Jorge Calandrelli.

About Today

It’s raining cats and dogs here in Portland. But Ani the cat and I are safely tucked away in our nice warm house with a fire going.

A Rainy Day

Listen to A Rainy Day on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1986


“A Rainy Day,” as well as The Art of Excellence, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: A Shine On Your Shoes

The song of the day for February 7, 2014 is “A Shine On Your Shoes.”

About This Song

“A Shine On Your Shoes” was written in 1932 by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1932 Broadway revue Flying Colors, where it was performed by dancing team of Buddy and Vilma Ebsen. This song, as well as others by Schwartz and Dietz, were reused for the 1953 Fred Astaire musical The Band Wagon.

About This Version

Today’s song is from Tony Bennett’s 1993 album Steppin’ Out. This album, which features songs sung by Fred Astaire in his films, features beautifully the Ralph Sharon Trio, with Doug Richeson on bass and Clayton Cameron on drums. The entire album is full of delights, including today’s song.

http://open.spotify.com/track/0Pnqvf10FZ7PKBFqkiz9RZ
“A Shine On Your Shoes,” as well as the album Steppin’ Out, is available from iTunes.