The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Blues In The Night

The song of the day for Friday, December 7, 2012 is Blues In The Night.

About Blues In The Night

Blues in the Night was written in 1941 for the film of the same name by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. Arlen wrote the music first and wrote a true blues song. Johnny Mercer, who later wrote the lyrics, drew on his southern heritage to write exceptional blues lyrics.

About This Version

We have previously featured Tony Bennett’s first recording of this song, from his 1957 The Beat of My Heart. If you haven’t spent any time with The Beat Of My Heart, well, I’ll just say that this album, conceived by Tony Bennett, is remarkable and worthy of your attention.  That said, Tony Bennett first sung this song while serving in the Army in the European Theater, with the 225th Regiment Band. Alas, no recording of the song exists.

This version is from the 2001 Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues. This album was precursor to the series of Duets albums containing some duets with singers including Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, B.B. King, k.d. lang and Ray Charles.

Blues in the Night, as well as the album Playin’ With My Friends is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive

We conclude Johnny Mercer Week at the Year of Tony Bennett with one of my favorite songs. The Song of the Day for Saturday, November 24, 2012, is Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive.

We have enjoyed featuring a few of the great Johnny Mercer songs performed by Tony Bennett this week. We hope you have enjoyed it as well.

About Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive

This wonderfully happy song was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer and was published in 1944. The song immediately became popular and was heavily recorded in the first months after publication by artists including Bing Crosby with The Andrews Sisters, Kay Kyser and Artie Shaw.

I grew up hearing this song. I have memories of my Mom singing this song and have loved it for many decades now. I think it’s one of the happiest songs ever written.

About This Version

This version is from Tony Bennett’s delightful children’s album from 1998, The Playground.  Also featured on this album is Kermit the Frog and Elmo from Sesame Street.  Mr. Bennett recorded this song with the Ralph Sharon Trio, with Gray Sargent (guitar), Paul Langosch (bass) and Clayton Cameron (drums). As always, there is some wonderful guitar work by Gray Sargent.

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Song of the Day: One For My Baby

As part of Johnny Mercer Week at the Year of Tony Bennett, the song of the day for Wednesday, November 21, 2012 is One For My Baby.

About One For My Baby

This song is one the great songs from the American Songbook, written by two of the greats: Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. It was written for the 1943 film musical The Sky’s The Limit and was introduced by Fred Astaire.  The song is associated with Frank Sinatra, who first recorded it in 1947.

About This Version

Today’s version is from  Tony Bennett’s 1992 Perfectly Frank album, arranged and conducted by Robert Farnon. He also performed the song in his legendary 1962 Carnegie Hall concert.

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Song of the Day: That Old Black Magic

The great Johnny Mercer was born on November 18, 1909, 103 years ago. For that reason, the Song of the Day for November 18, 2012 is That Old Black Magic.

About That Old Black Magic

That Old Black Magic was written by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Johnny Mercer for the 1940 Radio Hour Broadway revue. It’s been a popular and jazz standard from the beginning, with recordings by Margaret Whiting, Glenn Miller, Ella Fitzgerald and even Marilyn Monroe in the 1956 film Bus Stop.

About This Version

Tony Bennett first recorded That Old Black Magic in 1962 for the unreleased album The Glory Road (this album is included in the Tony Bennett Complete Collection released in 2011). Today’s version comes from Tony’s Carnegie Hall concert in the same year.

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Song of the Day: Blues In The Night

When I got home from work today, Amazon had delivered the DVD of Johnny Mercer: The Dream’s On Me.  I’ve been watching it and so we absolutely have to have a Johnny Mercer song.

The Song of the Day for October 24, 2012 is Blues In The Night.

About Blues In The Night

Blues In The Night was written by Mercer and Harold Arlen for the 1941 film of the same name. The script called for a blues song to be sung by a prisoner. They set out to write an authentic blues number. Harold Arlen related:

When Mercer wrote “Blues in the Night”, I went over his lyric and I started to hum it over his desk. It sounded marvelous once I got to the second stanza but that first twelve was weak tea. On the third or fourth page of his work sheets I saw some lines—one of them was “My momma done tol’ me, when I was in knee pants.” I said, “Why don’t you try that?” It was one of the very few times I’ve ever suggested anything like that to John.

It became an instant jazz classic and has been recorded many times, including Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong. Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Artie Shaw, and Mercer himself.

About This Version

Today’s version of Blues In The Night is from Tony Bennett’s second jazz album, the 1957 The Beat Of My Heart. This album featured several of the world’s greatest percussionists. Blues In The Night featured Chico Hamilton.