An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett
The song of the day for Friday, October 4, 2024, is “The Skyscraper Blues.”
“The Skyscraper Blues” was written in 1949 for Along Fifth Avenue, a Broadway revue, by Gordon Jenkins and Tom Adair.
Tony Bennett recorded “The Skyscraper Blues” on November 3, 1958, for his album Hometown, My Town, released in 1959. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangements.
“The Skyscraper Blues,” as well as Hometown, My Town, is available on Apple Music.
The song of the day for Friday, August 23, 2024, is “This Is All I Ask.”
“This Is All I Ask” was written in 1958 by Gordon Jenkins. Jenkins was a prolific composer, arranger and conductor from the 1930s through the 1960s. He worked closely with artists including Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland. Jenkins won a Grammy Award for Sinatra’s 1965 album September of My Years, which included a recording of “This Is All I Ask.” Jenkins is said to have considered this song his favorite of all the songs he wrote.
Tony Bennett recorded “This Is All I Ask” on April 26, 1963, for his album This Is All I Ask. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangement.
“This Is All I Ask,” as well as the album This Is All I Ask, is available on Apple Music.
The song of the day for Thursday, June 29, 2017 is “The Skyscraper Blues.”
“The Skyscraper Blues” was written in 1948 by Tom Adair and Gordon Jenkins for the Broadway revue Along Fifth Avenue, which starred Jackie Gleason and Nancy Walker.
Tony Bennett recorded “The Skyscraper Blues” in 1958 for his album Hometown, My Town. The arrangement is by our musical collaborator of the month, Ralph Burns. If you close your eyes, you can imagine yourself alone in New York City.
The Skyscraper Blues
Listen to The Skyscraper Blues on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1959
Ralph Burns, our musical collaborator of the month, was born on June 29, 1922 in Newton, Massachusetts. It has been a joy for me to focus on his arrangements for Tony Bennett this month.
The song of the day for Sunday, October 30, 2016 is “When A Woman Loves A Man.”
“When A Woman Loves A Man” was written in 1938 by Bernie Hanighen and Gordon Jenkins with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. In his liner notes for Fifty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett, Bennett writes about this song: “I think this is one of the best songs every written about love — it is one of the most humanistic songs ever written.”
Tony Bennett recorded “When A Woman Loves A Man” in 1996 for the album Tony Bennett On Holiday, which was released in 1997.
When a Woman Loves a Man
Tony Bennett · Tony Bennett On Holiday: A Tribute To Billie Holiday · Song · 1997
The song of the day for Sunday, October 2, 2016 is “This Is All I Ask.”
Gordon Jenkins wrote “This Is All I Ask” in 1958. Jenkins was a prolific composer, arranger and conductor from the 1930s through the 1960s. He worked closely with artists including Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland. Jenkins won a Grammy Award for Sinatra’s 1965 album September of My Years, which included a recording of “This Is All I Ask.”” Jenkins is said to have considered this song his favorite of all the songs he wrote.
Tony has recorded “This Is All I Ask” several times, including as a duet with Josh Grobin. Today, however, I chose his 1963 version, released on the album of the same name: This Is All I Ask. The arrangement is by Ralph Burns.
This Is All I Ask
Listen to This Is All I Ask on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1963
Today I was running errands and had Sirius/XM tuned to the Siriusly Sinatra station, a great station for hearing great singers singing great songs. I got out the pet food store and just as I turned on the radio, Tony Bennett’s “This Is All I Ask” started playing. I had such a joyful few minutes listening to him sing this song that I had to share it today. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I did this morning.