The song of the day for Thursday, July 18, 2024, is “Stranger in Paradise.”
About This Song
“Stranger in Paradise” was written by Robert Wright and George Forrest, based on Alexander Borodin’s Gilding Dance of the Maidens, in 1953 for the Broadway musical Kismet. The song was a hugely popular song from Kismet; the popularity of Kismet is due in large part to Tony Bennett. At the time Kismet was preparing to open, New York City was having a massive newspaper strike, and publicizing the musical’s opening was nearly impossible. The producers asked Tony Bennett to record “Stranger in Paradise” to help promote the production. His version was a hit and so was “Kismet.”
About This Version
Tony Bennett recorded “Stranger in Paradise” on October 13, 1953, and it was released as a single immediately; the same recording was used on the 1962 album Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits. “Stranger In Paradise” was arranged by Percy Faith.
“Stranger in Paradise,” as well as Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits, is available on Apple Music.