The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: The Boulevard of Broken Dreams

The song of the day for Wednesday, June 19, 2013 is “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”

About This Song

“The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” was written by Harry Warren and Al Dubin for the 1933 movie Moulin Rouge, starring Constance Bennett, who introduced the song.

Tony Bennett first recorded this song in 1949 with Leslie Records as demo record, with “Crazy Rhythm” on the flip side, both arranged by Bennett’s friend and vocal coach Tony Tamburello. Tony Bennett relates the story in The Good Life:

Not long after Mitch took over as head of A&R (at Columbia), he heard my demo disks of “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and “Fascinatin’ Rhythm.” This was around the same time that he had the his now-infamous feud with Frank Sinatra. They constantly fought over what songs Frank should record. The industry was beginning to give Mitch a lot of flack for that, and I always suspected he signed me partially to show people that he wasn’t prejudiced against Italian singers! He had never heard of me, but he was so impressed by the way I sang “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” that he signed me to the label sight unseen and selected “Boulevard” as my first single for Columbia. As it turned out, it was one of the few times that Mitch and I saw eye to eye on the subject of repertoire.

“The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” was released on May 22, 1950.

About This Version

Today’s version is from one of my favorite albums, the 1990 Astoria: Portrait of the Artist. It’s a slower and somewhat more romantic arrangement that it is quite sweet and tender.

http://open.spotify.com/track/2GoFkLZ0SoqTLD9jN2qgIQ
“The Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” as well as the full Astoria album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: There Will Never Be Another You

The song of the day for Thursday, May 30, 2013 is There Will Never Be Another You.

About This Song

There Will Never Be Another You was written by Harry Warren with lyrics by Mack Gordon in 1942 for the Sonje Henie movie Iceland.  This song has long outlived the so-so film and has been a well-respected song, both as a popular standard and in the jazz repertoire. Significant recordings (in addition to the one that we feature today) include those by Frank Sinatra, Art Tatum, Chet Baker, Rosemary Clooney and Nat King Cole.

About This Version

This song has been a favorite of mine for many years and so I was very happy to see on the playlist for the newly released Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962 album.  It comes at the end of the album in the section where Tony Bennett and the Dave Brubeck Trio (Brubeck, Eugene Wright and Joe Morello) improvise for a few songs, including the previously released That Old Black Magic.  This recording is a revelation. It starts off like the nice slow ballad I’ve always loved and then Tony just takes off on one of the most exciting jazz vocal performances I’ve ever heard. It’s really extraordinary how well this album captures the energy of that live performance.

There Will Never Be Another You (with The Dave Brubeck Trio) - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962

Listen to There Will Never Be Another You (with The Dave Brubeck Trio) - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Dave Brubeck Trio · 2013

There Will Never Be Another You, as well as the new Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962, is available from iTunes. It is also, as of this writing, the number one jazz album on Amazon.com.

For more information about the Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962 album, please visit our sister site (which is still under construction) The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography.

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Song of the Day: Jeepers Creepers

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 19, 2013 is Jeepers Creepers.

About This Song

Jeepers Creepers was written by Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer for the 1938 movie Going Places. Starring Dick Powell, the movie concerns a wild racehorse named Jeepers Creepers; his trainer was played by Louis Armstrong. Only if the trainer played the song on his trumpet or sang it to the horse would the horse allow himself to be ridden. And, apparently, much hilarity ensued. The cast was pretty good, including Ronald Reagan, Eddie Anderson and Maxine Sullivan. This song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

About This Version

Today’s version is from Tony Bennett’s album with Count Basie and His Orchestra: Basie/Bennett. It’s a great swinging arrangement by Ralph Sharon and Tony sounds like he’s having a lot of fun singing it.

http://open.spotify.com/track/3ZrWSg01u6dfXiNnMjT3hv
Jeepers Creepers, as well as the full Basie/Bennett album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: There Will Never Be Another You

The song of the day for Friday, February 22, 2013 is There Will Never Be Another You.

About There Will Never Be Another You

This song was written in 1942 by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon for the Sonja Henie film Iceland. Like most Harry Warren songs, There Will Never Be Another You found a home in the jazz and popular song repertoire.

Iceland

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of There Will Never Be Another You for his 1959 album In Person! with Count Basie and His Orchestra. I’ve loved this song for many, many years, dating back to my work on a Harry Warren revue at New Stage Theater in Jackson, Mississippi in 1978. I also have very fond memories of the use of this song in one of my favorite films, The World According to Garp from 1982.

It’s a beautiful and heart-felt love song and this version from 1959 is a sincere declaration of young love. The Count Basie Orchestra is wonderful on this song, as well as the entire album. Bennett also sings this song in a breathtaking medley with A Weaver of Dreams in Astoria: Portrait of the Artist, arranged by Ralph Sharon.

http://open.spotify.com/track/2nGTLf9VjGyv98IZ8IAfxc
There Will Never Be Another You, as well as the full In Person! album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: The Boulevard Of Broken Dreams

As we continue with The Tony Bennett 1950s Hit Parade, the song of the day for Monday, January 7, 2012 is The Boulevard of Broken Dreams.

About The Boulevard of Broken Dreams

The Boulevard of Broken Dreams was written in 1933 by Harry Warren, with lyrics by Al Dubin. The song was written with for the 1934 film, Moulin Rouge, and the song, as well as the film, was set in Paris. It was first sung in the film by Constance Bennett; the first recording was made by Deane Janis with Hal Kemp’s orchestra in 1933. Significant recordings include those by Bing Crosby and an instrumental version by Art Tatum.

About This Version

Like the version of Fascinatin’ Rhythm we featured a few weeks ago, The Boulevard of Broken Dreams was first recorded as a demonstration disc by Leslie Records in 1949. Unfortunately, no recordings of this demo disc still exist.

This recording is the song that got Tony Bennett his contract with Columbia in 1950. Mitch Miller had heard the recording and offered a contract to Mr. Bennett, sight unseen.

This version was recorded in April, 1950 and was released in May of the same year. It was arranged and conducted by Marty Manning and produced by Mitch Miller.

The Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Listen to The Boulevard of Broken Dreams on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2011

The Boulevard of Broken Dreams, as well as the full Columbia Singles: Volume 1, is available from iTunes.

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