The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Where Do You Start

The song of the day for Thursday, November 23, 2023, is “Where Do You Start.”

About Today

We are happy to celebrate the late Johnny Mandel, who was born on November 23, 1925, and died on June 29, 2020. Mandel was a composer of popular songs, film music, and jazz. He frequently collaborated with Tony Bennett, most memorably on the 1966 The Movie Song Album. He also wrote the theme song for the film (and later television show) M*A*S*H*, “Suicide is Painless.”

About This Song

“Where Do You Start” was composed by Johnny Mandel, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman in 1987. The song has had many beautiful recordings: Nancy Lamott, Shirley Horn, Rosemary Clooney, Barbra Streisand, the Brad Mehldau Trio, Annie Ross, and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Where Do You Start” in 2004 for his album The Art of Romance. (An aside here: whenever I’ve introduced someone to Tony Bennett, I start by giving them this album. It creates a new fan each time.). Johnny Mandel wrote the arrangement.

“Where Do You Start,” as well as The Art of Romance, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: I Remember You

The song of the day for Sunday, October 23, 2016 is “I Remember You.”

About This Song

” I Remember You” was written by Victor Schertzinger, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, in 1941 for the 1942 movie The Fleet’s In (directed by the composer Schertzinger), where it was introduced by Dorothy Lamour. It is said that Mercer wrote the lyric for Judy Garland, with whom he was deeply in love. The song has been widely recorded over the decades and remains popular today. Notable recordings include those by Tony Bennett, Chet Baker, Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Krall and Dinah Washington.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Remember You” in 2004 for The Art of Romance. The beautiful arrangement is by Johnny Mandel.

I must confess that The Art of Romance has a very special place in my heart. It’s the first Tony Bennett album that I obsessed over. It’s because of that album I bought my first iPod, because I had to take the album with me everywhere I went. There was a period of several months when I listened to The Art of Romance at least once a day, often times more. It’s still my favorite album of all. It’s also the album I give to people who I want to introduce Tony Bennett to — I’ve probably purchased this album a dozen times since it came out and will probably purchase at least that many more in the future.

I Remember You

Listen to I Remember You on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2004


“I Remember You,” as well as The Art of Romance, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Where Do You Start?

The song of the day for Sunday, November 23, 2014 is “Where Do You Start?”

About This Song

Today’s song was composed by Johnny Mandel, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman in 1987. This song has had many beautiful recordings, including those by Nancy Lamott, Shirley Horn, Rosemary Clooney, Barbra Streisand, Annie Ross and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Where Do You Start?” in 2004 for the album The Art of Romance. The song was arranged and conducted by the composer, Johnny Mandel.

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett would like to wish Johnny Mandel, the composer of today’s song, a very happy birthday. Mr. Mandel was born on November 23, 1925 in New York City. His father was a garment manufacturer and his mother was an opera singer who discovered, when young Johnny was only five, that he had perfect pitch. He studied at the Manhattan School of Music and Juilliard. A trombone player, he soon found work with various big bands, including those led by Jimmy Dorsey, Buddy Rich, and Count Basie.

Mandel began writing songs in the late 1940s, at first for bands but soon for movies and television. His list of credits is long and distinguished. Some of his best-known songs include “Suicide is Painless” (from MASH), “Emily” and “The Shadow of Your Smile” from The Sandpiper.

Johnny Mandel first worked with Tony Bennett on his 1966 The Movie Song Album, which included several songs composed by Mandel. He also arranged the 2004 The Art of Romance, from which today’s song comes.

He has won many awards including five Grammy Awards, three Emmy awards, one Oscar and two Golden Globe awards. He was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2011.

Happy Birthday, Johnny Mandel. Thanks for all the wonderful music!

Where Do You Start

Listen to Where Do You Start on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2004