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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

August 2, 2017 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Left My Heart In San Francisco

The song of the day for Thursday, August 3, 2017 is “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.”

About This Song

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in 1953 by Douglass Cross and George Cory.

This song is, of course, Tony Bennett’s signature song. It actually became that quite by accident. As Bennett’s musical director, songwriters were constantly giving Ralph Sharon copies of their songs. Cross and Cory had done that and Sharon had stuck the song in a drawer and forgotten all about it.

In 1961, he and Bennett were heading out on tour, which included a stop in San Francisco at The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Sharon came across the music and thought it might be a nice local number for the San Francisco audience. After a performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas, they found a piano and started to work on the song a bit. An early fan was the bartender, who said that he’d buy the first copy if they ever decided to record it.

Of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was a huge hit at the performance and in January, 1962, Bennett recorded it and released it on a 45 RPM record on the B-side to “Once Upon a Time.” But gradually, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” started getting all the airplay and it became a major hit for Bennett, winning him his first Grammy Award. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” on January 23, 1962; it was released as single soon afterwards. This recording served as the basis for the album on the same name, also released in 1962. This recording earned Mr. Bennett the first of his many well-deserved Grammy Awards.

(I Left My Heart) In San Francisco

(I Left My Heart) In San Francisco, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify


“I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” as well as the album I Left My Heart In San Francisco, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Well, we have a couple of birthday greetings today. The Year of Tony Bennett is honored to wish Tony Bennett a very happy 91st birthday. As one of your many fans, we love you and wish you the very best.

Last year, my beloved San Francisco Giants wished Tony a happy 90th birthday:

But we have another birthday to celebrate as well. We remember George Cory, the composer of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” on the anniversary of his birth on August 3, 1920.

I mentioned during lunch at the office today that Thursday the 3rd was Tony Bennett’s 91st birthday. My friends all smiled and asked me if I planned to take the day off. Alas, I can’t take the day off, but I think you can guess who I’ll be listening to on my iPod all day.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: George Cory, Happy Birthday George Cory, Happy Birthday to Tony Bennett, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, Tony Bennett

May 3, 2017 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Left My Heart in San Francisco

The song of the day for Thursday, May 4, 2017 is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

About This Song

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was written in 1953 by Douglass Cross and George Cory.

This song is, of course, Tony Bennett’s signature song. It actually became that quite by accident. As Bennett’s musical director, songwriters were constantly giving Ralph Sharon copies of their songs. Cross and Cory had done that and Sharon had stuck the song in a drawer and forgotten all about it. In 1961, he and Bennett were heading out on tour, which included a stop in San Francisco at The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Sharon came across the music and thought it might be a nice local number for the San Francisco audience. After a performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas, they found a piano and started to work on the song a bit. An early fan was the bartender, who said that he’d buy the first copy if they ever decided to record it. Of course, I Left My Heart in San Francisco was a huge hit at the performance and in January, 1962, Bennett recorded it and released it on a 45 RPM record on the B-side to “Once Upon a Time.”

But gradually, I Left My Heart in San Francisco started getting all the airplay and it became a major hit for Bennett, winning him his first Grammy Award. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans.

About This Version

We are all, of course, quite familiar with Bennett’s original recording of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” Today, I’m featuring a newer version made in 2006 with Bill Charlap on piano. This version was released on Duets: An American Classic.

Tony did a very nice interview on NPR about this new version, which I’m happy to present here.

I Left My Heart in San Francisco

I Left My Heart in San Francisco, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify


“I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as well as Duets: An American Classic, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Today marks the anniversary of the birth of the composer of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” George Cory, who was born on May 4, 1920. He and his partner, Douglass Cross, were San Franciscans who came to New York to make it big as songwriters. It did take them a while, but “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” made them famous and wealthy. Cory died in 1978, preceded by the death of Cross in 1975.

The Year of Tony Bennett has been contacted by an author who is writing a book about Cross and Cory, which should be a good read. I believe it’s due to come out later this year, but I’ll be sure to let you know when I learn more about the publication date.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Bill Charlap, Douglass Cross, Duets: An American Classic, George Cory, Tony Bennett

August 2, 2016 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Left My Heart In San Francisco

On Tony Bennett’s 90th birthday, the song of the day for August 3, 2016 is “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.”

About This Song

This song is, of course, Tony Bennett’s signature song. It actually became that quite by accident. As Bennett’s musical director, songwriters were constantly giving Ralph Sharon copies of their songs. Douglass Cross and George Cory had done that and Sharon had stuck the song in a drawer and forgotten all about it. In 1961, he and Bennett were heading out on tour, which included a stop in San Francisco at The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Sharon came across the music and thought it might be a nice local number for the San Francisco audience. After a performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas, they found a piano and started to work on the song a bit. An early fan was the bartender, who said that he’d buy the first copy if they ever decided to record it. Of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was a huge hit at the performance and in January, 1962, Bennett recorded it and released it on a 45 RPM record on the B-side to “Once Upon a Time.” But gradually, I Left My Heart in San Francisco started getting all the airplay and it became a major hit for Bennett, winning him his first Grammy Award. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans.

About This Version

Today, we honor Tony Bennet with the first, and truly wonderful, recording of “I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” recorded on January 23, 1962. It was soon released as a single and was the foundation for the album I Left My Heart In San Francisco. The arrangement is by Marty Manning.

(I Left My Heart) In San Francisco

(I Left My Heart) In San Francisco, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify


“I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” as well as the album I Left My Heart In San Francisco, is available from iTunes.

About Today

I find highly appropriate to note that August 3 not only Tony Bennett’s birthday, but also that of composer of “I Left My Heart In San Francisco”: George Cory, who was born in San Francisco on August 3, 1920. He and his partner (romantic and professional) Douglass Cross were a pair of homesick, struggling songwriters living in New York when they wrote this song in 1953.

So today, we wish Tony Bennett a very happy birthday and remember George Cory on the 96th anniversary of his birth.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Douglas Cross, George Cory, Happy Birthday George Cory, Happy Birthday Tony Bennett, The Tony Bennett 90th Birthday Bash

June 9, 2016 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Left My Heart In San Francisco

The song of the day for Friday, June 10, 2016 is “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” was written in 1953 by George Cory and Douglass Cross.

This song is, of course, Tony Bennett’s signature song. It actually became that quite by accident. As Bennett’s musical director, songwriters were constantly giving Ralph Sharon copies of their songs. Cross and Cory had done that and Sharon had stuck the song in a drawer and forgotten all about it. In 1961, he and Bennett were heading out on tour, which included a stop in San Francisco at The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Sharon came across the music and thought it might be a nice local number for the San Francisco audience. After a performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas, they found a piano and started to work on the song a bit. An early fan was the bartender, who said that he’d buy the first copy if they ever decided to record it.

Of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was a huge hit at the performance and in January, 1962, Bennett recorded it and released it on a 45 RPM record on the B-side to “Once Upon a Time.” But gradually, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” started getting all the airplay and it became a major hit for Bennett, winning him his first Grammy Award. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans.

About This Version

I love the original version from 1962. I’ll bet you all do too.

(I Left My Heart) In San Francisco

(I Left My Heart) In San Francisco, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify


“I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” as well as the album of the same name, is available from iTunes.

About Today

We have a birthday to celebrate today. Judy Garland was born 94 years ago on June 10, 1922 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. In honor of her birthday, we have this nice video with her good friend Tony Bennett.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Douglass Cross, George Cory, Happy Birthday to Judy Garland, Judy Garland

December 5, 2015 By Suzanne 2 Comments

Song of the Day: I Left My Heart In San Francisco

The song of the day for Saturday, December 5, 2015 is “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.”

About This Song

“I Left My Heart In San Francisco” was written in 1953 by two homesick songwriters from San Francisco: Douglass Cross and George Cory.

This song is, of course, Tony Bennett’s signature song. It actually became that quite by accident. As Bennett’s musical director, songwriters were constantly giving Ralph Sharon copies of their songs. Cross and Cory had done that and Sharon had stuck the song in a drawer and forgotten all about it. In 1961, he and Bennett were heading out on tour, which included a stop in San Francisco at The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Sharon came across the music and thought it might be a nice local number for the San Francisco audience. After a performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas, they found a piano and started to work on the song a bit. An early fan was the bartender, who said that he’d buy the first copy if they ever decided to record it. Of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was a huge hit at the performance and in January, 1962, Bennett recorded it and released it on a 45 RPM record on the B-side to “Once Upon a Time.: But gradually, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” started getting all the airplay and it became a major hit for Bennett, winning him his first Grammy Award. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this first version of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in 1962. It was arranged by Marty Manning.

“I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” as well as the album of the same name, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Our video is Tony Bennett singing today’s song on the Judy Garland television show, followed by a nice duet.

Tony Bennett & Judy Garland – I Left My Heart In San Francisco

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Douglass Cross, George Cory, Ralph Sharon

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