The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Follow Me

The song of the day for Sunday, October 13, 2024, is “Follow Me.”

About Today

Today’s song, “Follow Me,” was recorded 64 years ago on October 13, 1960.

About This Song

“Follow Me” was written by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner for the 1960 musical Camelot, based on T. H. White’s The Once and Future King. The song is sung to Arthur by a water nymph.

Camelot was much beloved by John and Jacqueline Kennedy. Over time, the Kennedy presidency became closely associated with Camelot, as, like that of King Arthur, the Kennedy administration promised a new and vibrant future. After Kennedy’s assassination, Mrs. Kennedy said that her husband’s favorite line from Camelot was “Don’t let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Follow Me” on October 13, 1960. It was originally released as a single and was later released on Bennett’s 1962 album Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Hits. Glenn Osser wrote the arrangement.

“Follow Me,” as well as Mr. Braodwway, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Come Rain or Come Shine

The song of the day for Tuesday, August 15, 2023, is “Come Rain or Come Shine.”

About Today

Today’s song, “Come Rain or Come Shine,” was recorded 63 years ago today on August 15, 1960.

About This Song

“Come Rain or Come Shine” was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1946 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” on August 15, 1960, for his album Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen (the first of his albums to feature the music of a single composer). Glenn Osser wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“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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Song of the Day: What Good Does It Do

The song of the day for Friday, July 7, 2023, is “What Good Does It Do.”

About This Song

“What Good Does It Do” was written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg in 1957 for the 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 was unable to 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 Does It Do” on April 18, 1960, for his album 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: Over The Rainbow

The song of the day for Saturday, April 8, 2023, is “Over The Rainbow.”

About Today

Isidore Hochberg, known professionally as E.Y. (Yip) Harburg, was born on April 8, 1896, in New York City to Russian immigrants. He attended high school with Ira Gershwin and the two became life-long friends. After college, Harburg, now married with two children, became a co-owner of an electrical appliance company, which went bankrupt following the crash of 1929, while writing light verse for local newspapers. His friend Ira Gershwin suggested that he start writing song lyrics. Within in just a few years, he wrote one of the great songs about The Great Depression: “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime.” Harburg went on to become one of the best and most sought-after lyricists in Hollywood, as well as Broadway. His films and movies include The Wizard of Oz, Bloomer Girl, and Finian’s Rainbow. Though never a member of the Communist Party, Harburg was blacklisted from film, television, and radio from 1950 to 1962.

Happy birthday to the great Yip Harburg.

About This Song

“Over The Rainbow” was written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg for the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz. Just before the film opened, the producers wanted to cut the song from the film, as they felt it slowed down the movie. Thankfully, the preview audiences preferred the movie with the song. “Over The Rainbow” ranked as the #1 song of the 20th century per 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.

Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg won the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song for “Over The Rainbow.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett first recorded “Over The Rainbow” on August 15, 1960, for his album Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen. This song, as well as the entire album, was arranged and conducted by Glenn Osser.

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

We’ve got a couple of videos today. First up is an appearance by Harburg on television where he talks about “Over The Rainbow.”


And what post about “Over The Rainbow” is complete without Judy Garland singing “Over The Rainbow.”

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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.