The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: The Skyscraper Blues

The song of the day for Thursday, June 29, 2017 is “The Skyscraper Blues.”

About This Song

“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.

About This Version

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. Tony Bennett · Song · 1959.


“The Skyscraper Blues,” as well as Hometown, My Town, is available from iTunes.

About Today

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.

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Song of the Day: When A Woman Loves A Man

The song of the day for Sunday, October 30, 2016 is “When A Woman Loves A Man.”

About This Song

“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.”

About This Version

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

Listen to When a Woman Loves a Man on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1997.


“When A Woman Loves A Man,” as well as Tony Bennett On Holiday, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: This Is All I Ask

The song of the day for Sunday, October 2, 2016 is “This Is All I Ask.”

About This Song

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.

About This Version

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. Tony Bennett · Song · 1963.


“This Is All I Ask,” as well as This Is All I Ask, is available from iTunes.

About Today

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.

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Song of the Day: This Is All I Ask

The song of the day for Saturday, September 3, 2016 is “This Is All I Ask.”

About This Song

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 and 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.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “This Is All I Ask” twice. Today’s recording is from 1963 on the album also named 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. Tony Bennett · Song · 1963.


“This Is All I Ask,” as well as This Is All I Ask, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Today’s video is Tony Bennett singing this song last month on Late Night With Stephen Colbert just before his 90th birthday. If you haven’t seen it, you have a real treat in store. If you have seen it, it’s just as good again.

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Song of the Day: When A Woman Loves A Man

The song of the day for Sunday, April 5, 2015 is “When A Woman Loves A Man.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “When A Woman Loves A Man.” was written in 1938 by Bernie Hanighen and Gordon Jenkins (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics). In addition to the recordings by Billie Holiday and Tony Bennett, it has also been recorded by Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald.

About This Version

“When A Woman Loves A Man” is the third song on Tony Bennett On Holiday. The arrangement features a strong piano performance from Ralph Sharon, with just the perfect strings, conducted and arranged by Jorge Calendrelli.

When a Woman Loves a Man

Listen to When a Woman Loves a Man on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1997.


“When A Woman Loves A Man,” as well as Tony Bennett On Holiday, is available from iTunes.

About Billie Holiday’s Version

Billie Holiday recorded today’s song early in her career, on January 12, 1938. This recording features an excellent group of musicians: Buck Clayton (trumpet), Benny Morton (trumpet), Lester Young (tenor sax), Teddy Wilson (piano), Freddie Green (guitar), Walter Page (bass), and Jo Jones (drums). It doesn’t get much better than this.

When a Woman Loves a Man

Listen to When a Woman Loves a Man on Spotify. Billie Holiday · Song · 2015.


“When A Woman Loves A Man,” is available on The Centennial Collection, available from iTunes. This collection is excellent and I recommend it highly for those interested in starting their exploration of Billie Holiday.

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