The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I’ve Got The World on a String

The song of the day for Friday, December 11, 2015 is “I’ve Got The World on a String.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “I’ve Got The World on a String,” was written in 1932 by Harold Arlen, with lyrics by Ted Koehler. It was written for the 1932 Cotton Club Parade, where it was introduced by Cab Calloway and Bing Crosby. Alec Wilder, in American Popular Song, considers it one of Arlen’s loveliest songs.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded today’s song in 1992 for Perfectly Frank. He also sang it last Sunday on the CBS Sinatra special, to a standing ovation.

I"ve Got the World On a String

Listen to I"ve Got the World On a String on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1992


“I’ve Got The World on a String,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Towards the end of the 1950s, Sinatra saw his popularity falling, though he was still a major singing star. He also divorced his wife Nancy in 1950 and his publicist George Evans died the same year. He began performing regularly in Las Vegas, but his audiences were starting to desert him. In a brilliant move, he decided to work in more dramatic films. He had a done several well-received musical films, including Anchors Aweigh, Take Me Out To The Ball Game and On The Town. 1953 marked one of his greatest achievements: From Here To Eternity in the role of Maggio, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Other notable films followed such as The Man With The Golden Arm, Guys and Dolls and The Tender Trap. I remember seeing The Man With The Golden Arm as young teenager and it scared the hell out of me; I saw again a couple of years ago and found it just as powerful.

In 1956 he made one of most popular films, High Society, with Bing Crosby. The film was a big hit for the studio and the public loved seeing Sinatra and Bing Crosby together. His popularity was on the upswing, followed by another significant film performance in Pal Joey.

Meanwhile, he was making albums for Capitol, like the brilliant 1955 In the Wee Small Hours (a favorite album of Tony Bennett), the 1956 Songs For Swinging Lovers! (which includes the wonderful Nelson Riddle version of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin) and the 1959 album Come Dance With Me! which won the Grammy for Album of the Year and Best Performance by a male singer.

In spite of this success, he grew unhappy with Capitol and formed his own label Reprise Records. The hit albums kept coming and he began working with jazz artists like Quincy Jones and appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival. In 1967 came one of his best collaborations: the Grammy-nominated album Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim, which was one of the best-selling albums of the year, just behind the Beatles’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

in 1970, Sinatra announced his retirement, though it was short-lived, as he returned in 1973 for a television special Ol’ Blue Eyes is Back, which was also released as an album. He also returned to Las Vegas and performed at Caesar’s Palace throughout the 1970s. The 1970s also saw one of his great signature songs: “New York, New York,” from the film of the same name, where it was introduced by Liza Minelli. But from the moment the song was released, it was Sinatra’s song.

tomorrow … 1980s and beyond

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Song of the Day: Day In, Day Out

The song of the day for Thursday, December 10, 2015 is “Day In, Day Out.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “Day In, Day Out,” was written in 1939 by Rube Bloom and Johnny Mercer. It has been a favorite of vocalists since it was written. The tune itself is also rather unusual at 56 measures long. In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder notes that “the melodic line soared and moved across the page like a lovely brush stroke. And it had, remarkable for any pop song, passion.” It has been recorded by many of the finest vocalists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Nat “King” Cole, Billie Holiday, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé and Margaret Whiting.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Day In, Day Out” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

Day In, Day Out

Listen to Day In, Day Out on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1992


“Day In, Day Out,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.

About Today

After leaving Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra rose quickly to the top of pack. By May 1941, he was the top male singer in polls for both Billboard and DownBeat and was a big star to his teenage girl fans, known as bobby soxers. He opened at the Paramount Theater on December 31, 1942, in a performance that was called legendary and ran there for four weeks. When he played there again in 1944, nearly 35,000 fans weren’t able to get in and nearly caused a riot. The great songs of that period included “You’ll Never Know” and “People Will Say We’re In Love.” Classified as 4-F, Sinatra made several USO trips with Phil Silvers and was broadcast on the Armed Forces Radio Service.

Tomorrow … Columbia Records

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Song of the Day: I’m Glad There Is You

The song of the day for Wednesday, December 9, 2015 is “I’m Glad There Is You.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “I’m Glad There Is You,” was written in 1941 by Jimmy Dorsey (music) and Paul Madeira (lyrics). It was recorded that year by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra and featured Bob Eberly on vocals. The song has been widely recorded including recordings by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, Stan Getz and Peggy Lee, among many others.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’m Glad There Is You” in 1992 for Perfectly Frank. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

I"m Glad There Is You

Listen to I"m Glad There Is You on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1992


“I’m Glad There Is You,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.

About Today

In 1939, Sinatra made one of his best moves: from Harry James, who let him out of his contract, to Tommy Dorsey. He sang with Tommy Dorsey until 1942. In Tommy Dorsey, he found the support and nurturing that he needed to take him to stardom. In his first appearance with Dorsey’s orchestra, Sinatra sang “Stardust” which prompted the orchestra leader to say “You could almost feel the excitement coming up out of the crowds when he sang. Remember, he was no matinée idol. He was just a skinny kid with big ears. I used to stand there so amazed I’d almost forget to take my own solos.” During his time with Dorsey, Sinatra recorded some of his memorable songs, including “I’ll Never Smile Again,” “Night and Day.” “The Song is You” and “In the Blue of the Evening.” By 1942, Sinatra was ready to embark on a solo career. In doing so, he convinced Dorsey’s arranger, Alex Stordahl, to come with him, causing a lifelong rift with Tommy Dorsey.

Tomorrow: Bobby soxers!

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Song of the Day: East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)

The song of the day for Tuesday, December 8, 2015 is “East of the Sun (And West of the Moon).”

About This Song

Bruce Bowman wrote “East of the Sun” in 1934, while a student at Princeton University, for a student musical production called Stags at Bay, produced by the Princeton Triangle Club. The song had great reception and was noted by Princeton alumnus F. Scott Fitzgerald. After his graduation from college in 1936, he worked briefly in Hollywood for the film industry, but decided to return to the East Coast. He was about to start a contract with a New York music publisher when he was killed in an automobile accident in 1937.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded East of the Sun (And West of the Moon) in 1992 for Perfectly Frank. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

East of the Sun (West of the Moon)

Listen to East of the Sun (West of the Moon) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1992


“East of the Sun (And West of the Moon),” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.

About Today

In 1935, the young Sinatra joined a local singing group called The 3 Flashes, mainly because he owned a car and could more easily drive the group to gigs. They then became the Hoboken Four and were soon auditioning for and won a slot on the Major Bowes Amateur Hour. They won first place in the competition, which came with a six-month professional contract. After returning from the road with the group, he got a job as a singing waiter (a position that a young Tony Bennett also worked as) and got radio spots whenever he could. It was a good strategy, because in June 1938, Harry James heard on the radio and, upon hearing him again at the Paramount Theater, signed the young singer to a two-year contract. It was a great opportunity for Sinatra to sing with a professional band and continue to work on his voice.

Tomorrow … Tommy Dorsey