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 is “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”

About This Song

Harry Warren and Al Dubin wrote “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” in 1933 for the movie Moulin Rouge, where it was sung by Constance Bennett. Although numerous artists have recorded “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (including Bing Crosby 1944), this song is very strongly identified with Tony Bennett. In fact, his demo record of “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” was heard by Mitch Miller and got Bennett his first recording contract with Columbia Records.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this song several times early in his career. As much as I love those recordings, I am quite partial to this version from Bennett’s 1989 recording for Astoria: Portrait of the Artist, released in 1990. The arrangement is by Jorge Calandrelli.

The Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Listen to The Boulevard of Broken Dreams on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1990


“The Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” as well as Astoria: Portrait of the Artist, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Lullaby of Broadway

The song of the day for Thursday, November 5, 2015 is “Lullaby of Broadway.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “Lullaby of Broadway,” was written in 1935 by Harry Warren and Al Dubin. It was introduced in the 1935 movie Gold Diggers of 1935; it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It is one of the great show biz anthems. The 1980 musical 42nd Street featured Jerry Orbach singing the song; your author had the great honor of seeing him in the role during the Broadway run.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Lullaby of Broadway,” with the Dixie Chicks, on February 4, 2006 for Duets: An American Classic. This version was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli; Bennett’s quartet of Lee Musiker (piano), Paul Langosch (bass), Gray Sargent (guitar) and Harold Jones (drums) are featured on this song, as well as the entire album.

Lullaby of Broadway (with The Chicks)

Listen to Lullaby of Broadway (with The Chicks) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, The Chicks · 2006


“Lullaby of Broadway,” as well as Duets: An American Classic, is available from iTunes.

About Today

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Song of the Day: The Boulevard of Broken Dreams

The song of the day for Thursday, September 3, 2015 is “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”

About This Song

Harry Warren and Al Dubin wrote “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” in 1933 for the movie Moulin Rouge, where it was sung by Constance Bennett. Although numerous artists have recorded “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (including Bing Crosby 1944), this song is very strongly identified with Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Today’s recording is the first recording that Tony Bennett made for Columbia Records: CO 43129 on April 17, 1950. It was conducted and arranged by Marty Manning and produced by Mitch Miller. In October 1949, Bennett had made demo disk with this song and “Crazy Rhythm,” both arranged by Tony Tamburello. In fact, this demo record of “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” was heard by Mitch Miller and got Bennett his recording contract with Columbia Records.

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 all of the songs on The Columbia Singles, Vol. 1, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: The Boulevard Of Broken Dreams

The song of the day for Monday, July 13, 2015 is “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”

About This Song

Harry Warren and Al Dubin wrote “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” in 1933 for the movie Moulin Rouge, where it was sung by Constance Bennett. Although numerous artists have recorded “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (including Bing Crosby 1944), this song is very strongly identified with Tony Bennett. In fact, his demo record of “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” was heard by Mitch Miller and got Bennett his first recording contract with Columbia Records.

About This Version

Today, I have two different versions of this song. The first is from 1950; this is Bennett’s first recording for Columbia Records:

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 all of the recordings onThe Columbia Singles, Vol. 1, is available from iTunes.

From 1950, we move 40 years forward to 1990 and Mr. Bennett’s recording of the same song on Astoria: Portrait of the Artist:

The Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Listen to The Boulevard of Broken Dreams on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1990


“The Boulevard Of Broken Dreams,” as well as Astoria: Portrait of the Artist, is available from iTunes.

Both versions are wonderful. I couldn’t decide which one to feature, so I chose both.

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Song of the Day: There Will Never Be Another You

The song of the day for Thursday, May 14, 2015 is “There Will Never Be Another You.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “There Will Never Be Another You,” was written in 1942 by Harry Warren, with lyrics by Mack Gordon. It’s ironic that one of Harry Warren’s most beautiful songs was written for a Sonja Henie vehicle called Iceland, starring Miss Henie and John Payne as a U.S. Marine stationed in Iceland during World War II. The song was introduced in the movie by Joan Merrill. Amazingly, this beautiful song was not nominated for an Academy Award. No matter. The song has become a serious jazz standard and has had many fine recordings, including Bennett’s 1959 recording with Count Basie and his 1962 improvisation with Dave Brubeck at the White House Sessions. Other significant recordings include those by Lionel Hampton, Chet Baker, Nat King Cole and Sonny Rollins.

About This Version

Today’s version is from the recently released live album Bennett / Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962. Both Bennett and Brubeck were invited to perform in the summer of 1962 for that summer’s class of White House interns at the request of President John F. Kennedy. The album opens with some great numbers from the Dave Brubeck Quartet and then from Tony Bennett with the Ralph Sharon Trio. Afterwards, Tony Bennett, Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright (bass) and Joe Morello (drums) do some really sweet, totally unrehearsed improv, including today’s song. It’s terrific jazz.

About Today

Tonight, Tony Bennett will be appearing at Humphrey’s By The Bay in San Diego, CA. I had the great fortune to see Mr. Bennett perform in that venue almost three years ago, in what was the original year of Tony Bennett, where I got to see him perform five times in nine months and after that was compelled to start this blog.

It’s a lovely, intimate venue and a beautiful location. For those that are going, have a great time. For those of us who aren’t, I want to leave you with a bit of some live Tony Bennett. Because live Tony Bennett is as good as it gets.

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 , is available from iTunes.

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