The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Because Of You

The song of the day for Sunday, November 2, 2025, is “Because Of You.”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett is pleased to honor k.d. lang on her birthday, November 2. She sang with Tony Bennett on Tony Bennett: MTV Unplugged, A Wonderful World, Playin’ With My Friends, Duets: An American Classic, and Duets II.

About This Song

“Because Of You” was written in 1940 by Arthur Hammerstein and Dudley Wilkinson. Tony Bennett first recorded it in 1951 and it was a major hit.

Bennett tells this story about that 1951 recording:

By the spring of 1951, I was told that if I didn’t get a hit soon, I’d be dropped from the label. I went into Percy’s [Percy Faith] office and he said, “In this next session you really have to deliver. We have three songs ready, so we need another song.” I remember that he looked through a bunch of sheet music on his desk, grabbed a song, and said, “Well, let’s do this one.” That song was ‘Because of You.’ I was doing a lot of dramatic singing on my early records, but Percy said to me, “Just relax. Use your natural voice and sing the song.” I took his advice.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and k.d. lang recorded “Because Of You” on February 10, 2006 for Duets: An American Classic. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

“Because Of You,” as well as Duets: An American Classic, is available on Apple Music.

Duets: An American Classic won the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

On the Sunday after Tony Bennett died on July 21, 2023, k.d. lang sang “Because Of You” as a tribute to him on CBS Sunday Morning.

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Song of the Day: La Vie En Rose

The song of the day for Saturday, November 2, 2024, is “La Vie En Rose.”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett wishes k.d. lang a very happy birthday. She was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on November 2, 1961. lang’s career started with country and western songs, with early albums including Angel with a Lariat and Absolute Torch and Twang in the 1980s. She also made several notable studio albums in the 1980s and 1990s, including Shadowland and Ingenue.

Her recording of “So In Love” for the 1990 Red Hot + Blue (a Cole Porter tribute album that raised money ACT UP) was significant to me–I knew then that she was a great singer of the American Songbook:

k.d. lang began her association with Tony Bennett in 1994 when she sang a duet of “Moonglow” with Bennett on MTV Unplugged. This was followed by the 2001 Playin’ With My Friends (“Keep The Faith, Baby”); 2002 A Wonderful World; 2006 Duets: An American Classic (“Because of You”); and the 2011 Duets II (“Blue Velvet”). Also note that CBS Sunday Morning invited her to sing “Because Of You” in their tribute to Tony Bennett after his death:

k.d. lang pays tribute to Tony Bennett on "CBS Sunday Morning" #shorts

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Happy Birthday to k.d. lang!

About This Song

“La Vie En Rose” was written in 1945 by Marguerite Monnot and Louis Guglielmi (aka Louiguy), with lyrics by Edith Piaf. English lyrics were written by Mack David. Initially, the song was thought to be weak compared to the rest of her repertoire and she was encouraged to not sing it at her concerts. She did not sing it publicly until 1946 and it quickly became a favorite of audiences. She finally recorded the song in 1947. “La Vie en Rose” has been widely recorded ever since and used in many films, from Bull Durham to WALL-E. The 2007 film biography of Edith Piaf, which starred Marion Cotillard, was titled La Vie en Rose.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and k.d. lang recorded “La Vie En Rose” in March 2002 for their album Tony Bennett & k.d. lang: A Wonderful World. Vocal arrangements were by Rob Mathes. The album was orchestrated and conducted by Peter Matz, with musical direction and arrangements by Lee Musiker.

“La Vie En Rose,” as well as A Wonderful World, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s a 1954 recording of Edith Piaf singing “La Vie En Rose.”

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Song of the Day: Because of You

The song of the day for Thursday, November 2, 2023, is “Because of You.”

About Today

We are celebrating the birthday of k.d. lang, who was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on November 2, 1961. In fact, k.d. lang is the reason I became such a devout Tony Bennett fan. I’d been a fan of hers since her album Angel with a Lariat, released in 1987. So, when she and Tony Bennett released What a Wonderful World in 2002, I couldn’t wait to go out and buy it. I’d always liked Tony Bennett (my parents wore out If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set when I was in junior high school), but this collaboration of k.d. and Tony was just perfect. So, thank you k.d. lang, for my musical education.

About This Song

“Because Of You” was written in 1940 by Arthur Hammerstein (Oscar Hammerstein II’s uncle) and Dudley Wilkinson.

About This Version

Tony Bennett originally recorded “Because of You” on April 4, 1951, featuring an arrangement by Percy Faith. In his autobiography The Good Life, Bennett wrote about this recording:

By the spring of 1951, I was told that if I didn’t get a hit soon I’d be dropped from the label. I went into Percy’s office and he said, “In this next session you really have to deliver. We have only three songs ready, so we need another song.” I remember that he looked through a bunch of sheet music on his desk, grabbed a song, and said, “Well let’s do this one.” That song was “Because of You. I was doing a lot of dramatic singing on my early records like “Sing You Sinners” and “Boulevard,” but Percy said to me, “Just relax. Use your natural voice and sing the song.” I took his advice.

Tony and k.d. lang recorded “Because of You” on February 10, 2006, for Duets: An American Classic. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

“Because of You,” as well as Duets: An American Classic, is available on Apple Music.

k.d. lang spoke about Tony Bennett after his death on July 21, 2023:

I found out that Tony passed on the Friday morning. It was to be expected, of course, but as with a parent or an elderly friend, you can’t fathom that it is going to be an actuality. On Friday afternoon I got a call asking me to come to Los Angeles to record for CBS Sunday Morning. I hadn’t sung for three years. Of course I was going do it – it’s what he would have expected. But I was reluctant. I thought I should sing “What a Wonderful World” because I could pull it off easier. I put my foot down in true diva style. But when I got to LA, I heard that “Because of You” was the last song he sang, a couple of days before his passing, and that it was his first hit song. I realised: this is really important to his family. I quickly got my shit together and switched gears. It felt like it was an offering to Tony and his family.

Here’s that recording. k.d. lang’s proceeds from the recording benefit the Tony Bennett Legacy Fund.