The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: What Good Does It Do

The song of the day for Sunday, August 14, 2022, is “What Good Does It Do.”

About This Song

“What Good Does It Do” was written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg for the 1-957 Broadway musical Jamaica, which starred Lena Horne and Ricardo Montálban; the principal dancer was Alvin Ailey. Yarburg had been blacklisted during the McCarthy period and could not work in film or TV from 1951 to 1962. Fortunately, producer David Merrick and Broadway welcomed Yarburg. Jamaica was nominated for major Tony Awards, including Best Musical, all the acting nominations, and both scenic and costume design, though it lost to The Music Man.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “What Good Does It Do” on August 18, 1960 for Tony Bennett Sings A String Of Harold Arlen. Glenn Osser wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“What Good Does It Do,” as well as Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen
 is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Let’s Fall In Love

The song of the day for Thursday, August 11, 2022, is “Let’s Fall In Love.”

About This Song

“Let’s Fall In Love” was written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler for the film of the same name, released in 1933. At the time of the film’s release, Eddy Duchin had a popular recording of the song. Other significant recordings include those by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Diana Krall.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Let’s Fall In Love” on August 15, 1960, for the album Tony Bennett Sings A String Of Harold Arlen. Glenn Rosser wrote the arrangements and conducted the orchestra.

“Let’s Fall In Love” as well as Tony Bennett Sings A String Of Harold Arlen is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Over The Rainbow

The song of the day for Thursday, February 17, 2022, is “Over The Rainbow.”

About This Song

“Over The Rainbow” was written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. Probably the most widely known of all Arlen’s songs, “Over The Rainbow” is from the great Wizard Of Oz. Interestingly, the producers wanted to cut the song from the film, as they felt it slowed downed the movie. Thankfully, the preview audiences preferred the movie with the song. “Over The Rainbow” ranked as the #1 song of the 20th century by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment of the Arts. The song has always been closely associated with Judy Garland. In a letter to Harold Arlen, Judy Garland wrote that the song “…has become part of my life. It’s so symbolic of everybody’s dreams and wishes that I’m sure that’s why some people get tears in their eyes when they hear it. I’ve sung it thousands of times and it’s still the song that’s closest to my heart.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Over The Rainbow” in 1960 for his songbook tribute to Harold Arlen: Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen. Glenn Osser wrote the arrangements and conducted the orchestra for the entire album.

“Over The Rainbow,” as well as Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen is available on Apple Music.

We have a very special video today of Yip Harburg singing today’s song.

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Song of the Day: Come Rain or Come Shine

The song of the day for Wednesday, February 16, 2022, is “Come Rain or Come Shine.”

About This Song

“Come Rain or Come Shine” was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the musical St. Louis Woman. The song itself is rather unusual, in that the same note is repeated 12 times in the first two measures. In spite of that repetition, or perhaps because of it, the song works very well for the singer. Al Gioia in Jazz Standards says that “this composition tends to resist grandstanding, and instead appeals to the more introspective improviser.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Come Rain or Come Shine” in 1960 for Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen. Glenn Osser wrote the arrangements and conducted the orchestra for the album.

“Come Rain or Come Shine,” as well as Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen is available on Apple Music.

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Album of the Week: Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen

The album of the week starting on February 12, 2022, is Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen.

Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen was Tony Bennett’s first album dedicated to a composer and that composer was one of his favorites: Harold Arlen. The orchestral arrangements are quite beautiful. Bennett remembers this album in The Good Life:

Later on that year I did my first, and for many years my only, songbook album, A String of Harold Arlen. The son of a cantor, Harold grew up in Buffalo. He became the musical director of the Cotton Club and originally wrote many jazz compositions. But his pop songs were dramatic and right up my alley. Arlen was known for the jazzy quality of his melodies, but Mitch thought it would be novel to give his songs a lush, symphonic treatment. He brought in Glenn Osser, a veteran record and show orchestrator, and his charts were just right. I felt free singing to Glenn’s arrangements. We used a big orchestra of mainly classical players, and they really enjoyed the recording session. That’s the only album I ever made where the musicians actually applauded after each take.

 

Album Facts

Release Date March 30, 1961
Label Columbia
Producer Mitch Miller
Vocals Tony Bennett
Arrangements Glenn Osser

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