The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Let the Good Times Roll

The song of the day for Tuesday, September 16. 2025, is “Let the Good Times Roll.”

About Today

We are proud to honor B.B. King on the 100th anniversary of his birth on September 16, 1925, in Itta Bena, Mississippi.

You can learn more about The KIng of the Blues at bbking.com.

About This Song

“Let the Good Times Roll” was written in 1946 by Sam Theard and Fleecie Moore. Residents and visitors to New Orleans may be more familiar with the French version of the saying: Laissez le bon temps rouler. The first recording was in 1946 by Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five. The song charted well on the Billboard R&B charts. Other recordings include those by Ray Charles, George Fame and the Blue Flames, Muddy Waters, and Clifton Chenier. B.B King released an album dedicated to Louis Jordon: Let the Good Times Roll: The Music of Louis Jordon.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and B.B King recorded “Let the Good Times Roll” om May 8, 2001, for Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues. Rob Mathes wrote the vocal arrangement.

Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Album.

“Let the Good Times Roll,” as well as Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s B.B. King’s recording of today’s song from Let The Good Times Roll: The Music of Louis Jordon, ” released in 1999.

We also have the first recording of “Let the Good Times Roll” by Louis Jordon and His Tympany Five:

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Song of the Day: Let The Good Times Roll

The song of the day for Monday, September 16, 2013 is “Let The Good Times Roll.”

About This Song

“Let The Good Times Roll” is a classic jump blues song written by Sam Theard, a New Orleans blues singer and Fleecie Jordan, wife of Louis Jordan, who first recorded the song in 1946 with his group the Tympany Five. This recording charted as #2 on the 1947 Billboard R&B chart; the A-side of the record with “Let the Good Times Roll” was “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens” which was #1 that year and both songs stayed on the charts for six months. “Let The Good Times Roll” was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 2013. It’s been widely recorded by many notable artists, including Clifton Chenier, Muddy Waters and B.B. King, who released an album entitled Let The Good Times Roll in 1999 as a tribute album to Louis Jordan.

About This Version

Today’s version is the duet with Tony Bennett and B.B. King from the 2001 album Playin’ With My Friends. We choose this song today not only because it’s a great song but also because it’s the birthday of B.B. King, who was born near Berclair, Mississippi (this is Mississippi Delta blues country) on September 16. 1925. His birth is commemorated by a marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail. You can read more about the Mississippi Blues Trail here.

Tony can really sing the blues. If you haven’t explored this album, do yourself a favor — there’s some great music from some great musicians here.

http://open.spotify.com/track/2Pw5vIumO9PGcvtbHXQ3rZ
“Let The Good Times Roll,” as well Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues, is available from iTunes and Amazon.com.