The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: The Song is You

The song of the day for Sunday, July 12, 2026, is “The Song is You.”

About Today

Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was born on July 12, 1895 in Harlem. He is mostly known as a lyricist, but was also a librettist, theatrical producer, and musical theater director. Even though he was born to a prominent theatrical family, his father did not want his son to pursue theatre as a career; thus Hammerstein attended Columbia University to study law. After his father died, he began perform in and write for the school’s Varsity shows. In his early years, he collaborated with songwriters, such as Jerome Kern, with whom he wrote the 1927 musical Show Boat. He is best known for his work with Richard Rodgers, beginning with the revolutionary 1943 musical Oklahoma! (which ran for 2,212 performances, closing in 1948), followed by the 1945 Carousel, which ran for 890 performances. In his work with Richard Rodgers, they won 34 Tony Awards, fifteen Academy Awards, two Pulitzer Prizes (for Oklahoma! and South Pacific), and two Grammy Awards.

Note that Oscar Hammerstein is the only person named Oscar to receive an Oscar from the Academy Awards.

Hammerstein is also known as a mentor to Stephen Sondheim, who was a friend Hammerstein’s son James. Sondheim had written a musical while in high school, called By George! Sondheim asked Hammerstein to critique his show as if Sondheim was a professional. Thus began a years-long mentorship that lasted until Hammerstein’s death in 1960.

If interested, the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization is a great place to start and learn more about Oscar Hammerstein.

About This Song

“The Song is You” was written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein for their 1932 musical Music in the Air. Alec Wilder wrote in American Popular Song that the song “attempts too dramatic a statement on too small a stage […] it suggests a grander voice than that usually associated with popular theater music”, but that it nonetheless possesses a “superior quality” as a composition, with a “masterful” release containing “brilliant” harmony and melody.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “The Song is You” for his 2015 album with Bill Charlap, The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern.  Bennett was accompanied by Bill Charlap and Renee Rosnes on dual pianos for this song.

“The Song is You,” as well as The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: The Folks That Live On The Hill

The song of the day for Saturday, July 12, 2025, is “The Folks That Live On The Hill.”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett honors Oscar Hammerstein on the anniversary of his birth 130 years ago on July 12, 1985. In addition his work as a lyricist for Jerome Kern (with whom he wrote today’s song) and Richard Rodgers, he was also a theatre director and producer. He was was a mentor to the teen-age Stephen Sondheim.

About This Song

“The Folks That Live On The Hill” was written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein for the 1937 movie High, Wide, and Handsome, where it was introduced by Irene Dunne. Bing Crosby recorded it that same year. Peggy Lee recorded it 1957 for her album The Man I Love, conducted by Frank Sinatra. Other recordings include those by Diana Krall, Jo Stafford, and Nina Simone.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “The Folks That Live On The Hill” on May 18, 1989, for <em>Astoria: Portrait of the Artist, released in 1990. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“The Folks That Live On The Hill,” as well as , is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: All The Things You Are

The song of the day for Friday, July 12, 2024, is “All The Things You Are.”

About Today

Today we are remembering Oscar Hammerstein II, who was born on July 12, 1895. He wrote lyrics for both Jerome Kern and Richard Rodgers over his career. He was also a mentor to a young Stephen Sondheim, who was a close friend of one of Oscar’s sons. Oscar and Stephen remained close friends until Oscar’s death on August 23, 1960.

About This Song

“All The Things You Are” was written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein for the 1939 musical Very Warm For May. In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder considers it one of Kern’s finest songs, and with good reason. It’s a beautiful tune and Hammerstein’s lyrics are excellent.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “All The Things You Are” live on June 9, 1962, for his concert at Carnegie Hall. An abridged 2-LP recording of Tony Bennett At Carnegie Hall was released on August 23, 1962. The 2-CD version was released in 1997.

“All The Things You Are,” as well as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: All In Fun

The song of the day for Thursday, July 12, 2018 is “All In Fun.”

About This Song

“All In Fun” was written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein for the 1939 Broadway musical Very Warm For May. Though the show was not well-reviewed, the score contained some wonderful songs including this one and “All The Things You Are.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “All In Fun” in 2004 for the album The Art of Romance and features an arrangement by Lee Musiker.

I absolutely adore the The Art of Romance. I bought it when it came out and loaded in on my iPod–I know I must have listened to this album 2 or 3 times a day for a month or more. I call it my Tony Bennett gateway album; I’ve given it to friends that I want to introduce to Tony Bennett and it always works. It’s a gorgeous album with a masterful selection of songs, including today’s song “All In Fun.”

All In Fun

Listen to All In Fun on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2004

“All In Fun,” as well as The Art of Romance, is available from iTunes.

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett is pleased to honor Oscar Hammerstein, the lyricist of today’s song.

Oscar Hammerstein II was born on July 12, 1895 into one of America’s great show business families. His father, a noted theatrical manager, did not want his son to follow him into the business and encouraged him to study law at Columbia University. However, his extra-curricular activities included his participation in college theatrical productions.

Hammerstein dropped out of college to pursue a career in theatre and apprenticed with Otto Harbach. This association led to his collaboration with Jerome Kern, leading to the 1927 collaboration on Show Boat. One of my favorite stories about Hammerstein arises from their work on Show Boat:

Many years later, Hammerstein’s wife Dorothy bristled when she heard a remark that Jerome Kern had written “Ol’ Man River.” “Indeed not,” she retorted. “Jerome Kern wrote ‘dum, dum, dum-dum.’ My husband wrote ‘Ol’ Man River’.”

I don’t know if this story is true, but if is isn’t, it should have been.

Show Boat broke the paradigm of the Broadway musical. It was musical theatre, not musical comedy. And, unlike the other musicals in that time period, it was an integrated musical, where the script, the songs and the choreography was a single, focused artistic statement.

In 1943, Hammerstein broke even more theatrical ground when he joined Richard Rodgers to create Oklahoma, an even more significant contribution to the development of musical theatre. Rodgers and Hammerstein created a brilliant string of hit musicals: Carousel, The King and I, South Pacific and many more, including Hammerstein’s last production, The Sound of Music.

Oscar Hammerstein died from stomach cancer in August, 1960, shortly after The Sound of Music opened.

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Song of the Day: All The Things You Are

The song of the day for Wednesday, July 12, 2017 is “All The Things You Are.”

About This Song

“All The Things You Are” was written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein for the 1939 musical Very Warm For May. In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder considers it to be one of Kern’s finest songs and with good reason. It’s a beautiful tune and Hammerstein’s lyrics are excellent.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “All The Things You Are” for the 2015 album The Silver Lining – The Songs of Jerome Kern, with Bill Charlap. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

All The Things You Are

Tony Bennett, Bill Charlap · The Silver Lining - The Songs of Jerome Kern · Song · 2015


“All The Things You Are,” as well as The Silver Lining – The Songs of Jerome Kern, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Today we remember the remarkable Oscar Hammerstein, who was born on July 12, 1895 into a renowned theatrical family. In spite of that familial background, his father didn’t want his son to enter “the business,” and Oscar studied law at Columbia University. Thankfully, the call of the theater won and gave us one of America’s most distinguished lyricists and playwrights.

Hammerstein found early success with Jerome Kern and their 1927 Show Boat, which was a huge hit then and has spawned two film versions many significant revivals. (Show Boat was the first live musical your author saw. at Theater Under the Stars in Atlanta, Georgia starring Joe Brown as Captain Andy. I can trace my love of theater and the American songbook to that show–I couldn’t have been more than ten years old.) Hammerstein continued his association with Kern and they co-wrote many fine songs, including today’s song.

In 1943, Hammerstein found his second great collaborative partner: Richard Rodgers. Rodgers’s lyricist, Lorenz Hart, was suffering from severe alcoholism as Rodgers began work on the adaptation of the play Green Grow the Lilacs. Rodgers chose Hammerstein to work with him and the result was the groundbreaking musical Oklahoma. The pair went on write many musicals together: South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music, among others. They partnered until Hammerstein’s death in 1960 from stomach cancer.

Hammerstein was also a mentor to the young Stephen Sondheim, who was their neighbor in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Sondheim’s parents were separated and Hammerstein was a father to “Stevie.” In fact, it was Hammerstein who convinced Sondheim to write the lyrics for West Side Story.

The Year of Tony Bennett is proud to honor the memory of the great Oscar Hammerstein.