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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

July 22, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: My Baby Just Cares For Me

The song of the day for Saturday, July 23, 2022, is “My Baby Just Cares For Me.”

About This Song

“My Baby Just Cares For Me” was written by Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn for the 1930 film version of Whoopee! with Eddie Cantor. Though recorded by many artists, the song is widely associated with Nina Simone, who recorded it for her 1958 debut album Little Girl Blue.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “My Baby Just Cares For Me” on December 22, 1954, and released in 1955 on the album Cloud 7. Charles Panely did the arrangement,

“My Baby Just Cares For Me” as well as Cloud 7 is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Charles Panely, Cloud 7, Gus Kahn, Tony Bennett, Walter Donaldson

February 26, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Album of the Week: My Heart Sings

The album of the week starting on February 27, 2022, is My Heart Sings.

My Heart Sings


Tony Bennett remembers My Heart Sings in his autobiography, The Good Life:

Ralph Burns and I got together again to do some singles, including “Smile,” and for our next album we changed gears again. Instead of the lush, ballad-style arrangements we had used on Hometown, My Town, we switched to a cookin’ jazz sound. The album is called My Heart Sings, and I simply love Ralph’s writing on this one. It’s really beautiful music.

This album is a preview of 1962, which was an outstanding year for Tony Bennett, including his concert at Carnegie Hall and winning his first Grammy Award for “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.”

My Heart Sings was recorded in 3 sessions on 3 consecutive days: April 4, April 5, and April 6, 1961.


Album Facts

Release Date August 7, 1961
Label Columbia
Producer Ernie Altschuler
Vocals Tony Bennett
Arrangements, Conductor Ralph Burns
Piano Bernie Leighton
Bass Milt Hinton
Drums Herb Lovelle
Guitar Barry Galbraith, Chuck Wayne, Mundell Lowe
Saxophone Danny Bank, Al Klink, Toots Mondello, Romeo Penque, Jerry Sanfino
Trumpet Bernie Glow, Irving Markowitz, Jimmy Maxwell, Carl Sereinsen
Trombone Robert Alexander, Urbie Green, Dick Hixson, Frank Rehak
Vibes Eddie Costa

Songs on My Heart Sings

Song Composers
Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler
Dancing in the Dark Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz
I’m Comin’ Virginia Donald Heywood, Will Marion Cook
My Heart Sings Jean Blanvillain (Jamblin), Harold Rome, Henri Laurent Herpin
It Never Was You Kurt Weill, Maxwell Anderson
You Took Advantage of Me Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
Close Your Eyes Bernice Petkere
Stella By Starlight Victor Young, Ned Washington
More Than You Know Vincent Youmans, Billy Rose, Edward Eliscu
My Ship Kurt Weill, Ira Gershwin
Lover Man Jimmy Davis, Roger “Ram” Ramirez, James Sherman
Toot, Toot, Tootsie Gus Kahn, Ernie Erdman, Ted Fiorito, Dan Russo

Listen to My Heart Sings

You can also listen to My Heart Sings on

  • Apple Music
  • Amazon Music player
  • Qobuz
  • YouTube Music

Filed Under: Album of the Week Tagged With: Al Klink, Arthur Schwartz, Barry Gailbraith, Bernice Petkere, Bernie Glow, Bernie Leighton, Billy Rose, Carl Sereinsen, Chuck Wayne, Dan Russo, Danny Bank, Donald Heywood, Edward Eliscu, Ernie Altschuler, Ernie Erdman, Gus Kahn, Harold Rome, Henri Laurent Herpin, Herb Lovelle, Howard Dietz, Ira Gershwin, Irving Markowitz, James Sherman, Jean Blanvillain (Jamblin), Jerry Sanfino, Jimmy Davis, Jimmy Maxwell, Kurt Weill, Lorenz Hart, Maxwell Anderson, Milt Hinton, Mundell Lowe, Ned Washington, Ralph Burns, Richard Rodgers, Roger “Ram” Ramirez, Romeo Penque, Rube Bloom, Ted Fiorito, Ted Koehler, Tony Bennett, Toots Mondello, Victor Young, Vincent Youmans, Will Marion Cook

June 15, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye

The song of the day for Wednesday, Ju e 16, 2021, is “Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye.”

About This Song

“Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye” was written in 1922 by Gus Kahn, Ernie Erdman, Ted Fiorito, and Dan Russo, The song is best known by its appearance in The Jazz Singer, the first “talking picture” that revolutionized Hollywood filmmaking overnight. “Toot, Toot Tootsie” was sung by Al Jolson, playing the role of a young jazz singer known as Jack Robin nee Jakie Rabinowitz.

About This Version

Tony Bennett first recorded “Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye” for his 1961 album My Heart Sings, featuring an arrangement by Ralph Burns. He sang it at his June 9, 1962 performance at Carnegie Hall, captured on Tony Bennett At Carnegie Hall.

Toot Toot Tootsie (Goodbye) (From "Bombo") - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962

Listen to Toot Toot Tootsie (Goodbye) (From "Bombo") - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962 on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1962.

“Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye,” as well as Tony Bennett At Carnegie Hall is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Al Jolson, Dan Russo, Ernie Erdman, Gus Kahn, Ted Fiorito, The Jazz Singer, Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall

August 27, 2020 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: My Baby Just Cares For Me

The song of the day for Friday, August 28, 2020, is “My Baby Just Cares For Me.”

About This Song

“My Baby Just Cares For Me” was written by Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn for the 1930 film version of Whoopee! with Eddie Cantor. Though recorded by many artists, the song is widely associated with Nina Simone, who recorded it for her 1958 debut album Little Girl Blue.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “My Baby Just Cares For Me” for Cloud 7, his first full-length album, released in 1955. It was arranged by Charles Panely.

“My Baby Just Cares For Me,” as well as Cloud 7, is available from Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Charles Panely, Cloud 7, Gus Kahn, Tony Bennett, Walter Donaldson

July 17, 2020 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Tony Live! It Had To Be You

The song of the day for Saturday, July 18. 2020., is “It Had To Be You.”

About This Song

“It Had To Be You” was written in 1924 by Isham Jones and Gus Kahn. It’s a popular standard with many fine recordings, including those by Paul Whiteman, Cliff Edwards, and Frank Sinatra. It has also be used in several films, including Casablanca and Annie Hall.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “It Had To Be You” at his 1994 live performance on MTV Unplugged, which introduced a new generation to Tony Bennett.

“It Had To Be You,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day, Tony Live! Tagged With: Gus Kahn, Isham Jones, MTV Unplugged, Tony Bennett

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