The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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

The song of the day for Wednesday, October 22, 2025, is “I’m Glad There Is You.”

About This Song

“I’m Glad There Is You” was written by Jimmy Dorsey, with lyrics by Paul Madeira, in 1941. This song was originally released by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra in 1941 and featured Bob Eberly on vocals. The song has been widely recorded including recordings by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, Tony Bennett, Stan Getz, and Peggy Lee, among many others.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’m Glad There Is You” in June 1992 for Perfectly Frank, a tribute to Frank Sinatra. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

Perfectly Frank won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“I’m Glad There Is You,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Sinatra’s original recording of “I’m Glad There Is You.”

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Song of the Day: Last Night When We Were Young

The song of the day for is “Last Night When We Were Young.”

About Today

Perfectly Frank was released thirty-three years ago on September 15, 1992.

About This Song

“Last Night When We Were Young” was written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg in 1935. Arlen considered “Last Night When We Were Young” to be one of his favorite songs. In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder calls it a “most remarkable and beautiful song … (that) goes far beyond the boundaries of popular music.” Yip Harburg has said that he doesn’t know exactly where the title came from but that “the juxtaposition of those two phrases is almost a whole world of philosophy.” All in all, it’s a very beautiful and introspective song that is much beloved by singers. Frank Sinatra included on his wonderful album In The Wee Small Hours. It has also been recorded by Judy Garland, Mel Tormé, Carmen McRae, and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Last Night When We Were Young” in June 1992 for his album in tribute to Frank Sinatra: Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

Perfectly Frank won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“Last Night When We Were Young,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Frank Sinatra’s 1955 recording of “Last Night When We Were Young” from In The Wee Small
Hours. Nelson Riddle wrote the arrangement.

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

The song of the day for Wednesday, June 25, 2025, is “East of the Sun (and West of the Moon).”

About This Song

“East of the Sun (West of the Moon)” was written by Brooks Bowman, a Princeton University undergraduate member of the class of 1936, for the the 1934 production of the Princeton Triangle Club’s production Stags at Bay. The song well-received and was published in 1934.

After his graduation in 1936, Bowman moved to California to work as a contract songwriter for Selznick International Pictures. After the contract ended in 1937, he moved to New York and formed a songwriting partnership with a former Princeton classmate. Tragically, Bowman died in an automobile accident on October 17, 1937. He was just a few days away from his 24th birthday.

“East of the Sun (West of the Moon)” became a jazz standard (ranked 125 at jazzstandards.com. Significant recordings include those by Frank Sinatra (included in this post), Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Stan Getz, and Diana Krall.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “East of the Sun (West of the Moon)” in June 1992 for his tribute to Frank Sinatra: Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

Perfectly Frank won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“East of the Sun (West of the Moon),” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on Apple Music.

Frank Sinatra recorded “East of the Sun (West of the Moon)” in in 1940 with Tommy Dorsey, with a trumpet solo by Bunny Berigan.

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Song of the Day: I Thought About You

The song of the day for Monday, March 24, 2025, is “I Thought About You.”

About This Song

“I Thought About You” was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Mercer in 1939. In his biography Portrait of Johnny: The Life of John Herndon Mercer, author Gene Lees quotes Mercer about this song: ‘I can remember the afternoon that we wrote it. He [Van Heusen] played me the melody. I didn’t have any idea, but I had to go to Chicago that night. I think I was on the Benny Goodman program. And I got to thinking about it on the train. I was awake, I couldn’t sleep. The tune was running through my mind, and that’s when I wrote the song. On the train, really going to Chicago.’ “I Thought About You” proved quite popular and has been recorded many times by jazz performers including Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Hartman, Shirley Horn, Dinah Washington, and Mel Tormé.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Thought About You” in June 1922 for his tribute album to Frank Sinatra: Perfectly Frank.
For this album, Bennett was accompanied by The Ralph Sharon Trio, featuring Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums.

“I Thought About You,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on Apple Music.

Frank Sinatra recorded “I Thought About You” for his 1956 album Songs for Swingin’ Lovers.

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Song of the Day: Time After Time

The song of the day for Wednesday, February 5, 2025, is “Time After Time.”

About This Song

“Time After Time” was written by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn for the 1947 for the movie It Happened in Brooklyn. The song was introduced by Frank Sinatra and was a major hit for him. This song has been widely recorded by many artists, including Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Chet Baker, and Anita O’Day.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Time After Time” in June 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank, featuring an arrangement by Ralph Sharon. He was accompanied by the Ralph Sharon Trio, with Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums.

“Time After Time,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on Apple Music.

Perfectly Frank won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance

Here’s Frank Sinatra’s recording from 1947: