The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I’m In Love Again

The song of the day for Monday, January 27, 2014, is “I’m In Love Again.”

About This Song

Today’s song was written by Cy Coleman and Peggy Lee, with Bill Schulger, in 1963. It was originally recorded by Peggy Lee for her 1964 album of the same name; other recordings of this song include those by Blossom Dearie and Barbara Carroll.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this song for his 1995 album Here’s To The Ladies, in which he performs song associated with the great female singers, including Judy Garland, Blossom Dearie, Rosemary Clooney and many more. Today’s song, “I’m In Love Again,” is for Peggy Lee, who co-wrote the song. To view the liner notes for this album and to find out which songs on the album are associated with which singers, please visit the topic for Here’s to The Ladies on our sister site, The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography.

http://open.spotify.com/track/2vZyZrgBS7tu9ClaUOr5g5
“I’m In Love Again,” as well as the album Here’s To The Ladies, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: I Got Rhythm

The song of the day for Monday July 29, 2013 is “I Got Rhythm.”

About This Song

The Gershwins wrote “I Got Rhythm” in 1930 for the musical Girl Crazy.

About This Version

Today’s song is from Tony Bennett’s 1995 album, Here’s To The Ladies.” In this album, Bennett sings songs associated with America’s great female singers. “I Got Rhythm” is for Ethel Merman, who sang the song in the original 1930 production.

http://open.spotify.com/track/7c0PfQlL0eJCkmanNz7ofb
“I Got Rhythm,” as well as the entire Here’s To The Ladies album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Honeysuckle Rose

The song of the day for Friday, June 28, 2013 is “Honeysuckle Rose.”

About This Song

“Honeysuckle Rose” was written in 1929 by Thomas “Fats” Waller with lyrics by Andy Razaf. It was well-accepted in jazz bands of the 1930s, with recordings by Fletcher Henderson, Red Norvo, Mildred Bailey and Count Basie. Waller’s 1934 recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Honeysuckle Rose” for his 1995 album Here’s To The Ladies, in which he honored the great female sings of the American Songbook with the songs associated with them. “Honeysuckle Rose” is for Lena Horne. Tony and Lena Horne toured together in both England and  the United States in the early 1970s.

http://open.spotify.com/track/47R9OVh2SSv5VciZh8S064
“Honeysuckle Rose,” as well as the entire Here’s To The Ladies album, is available from iTunes.

And here’s Fats Waller …
http://open.spotify.com/track/0EYRLGRgsgnKetAVziaaLT

 

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Song of the Day: Poor Butterfly

The song of the day for Wednesday, May 8, 2013 is Poor Butterfly.

About This Song

This beautiful song was written in 1916 by Raymond Hubble, with lyrics by John Golden, for the Broadway musical The Big Show. The song was, of course, inspired by the Giacomo Puccini opera Madame Butterfly. It’s been a popular song since 1917 and for good reason; it’s a beautiful song. It’s been recorded by Julie Andrews (in Thoroughly Modern Millie), Deanna Durbin, Errol Garner, Benny Goodman, Al Hirt, Susannah McCorkle, Frank Sinatra with Duke Ellington, and Sarah Vaughan.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded Poor Butterfly for his 1995 Grammy Award winning album, Here’s To The Ladies. In this album, he picked songs strongly associated the great female jazz singers; this song is for Sarah Vaughan.

In his liner notes for Here’s To The Ladies, Tony Bennett wrote:

I first heard Sarah sing at the Waldorf Astoria. Being one of Sarah’s biggest fans, I was transported right up to heaven whenever I heard her perform this song.

I know the feeling; I was transported the moment I heard this song this evening. I had picked another song from the album as song for the day. My habit is to listen to the rest of the album while I write the topic for the song each day. A few seconds into Poor Butterfly I started thinking that I couldn’t remember when I’d heard a more beautiful song. And so here is Poor Butterfly.

Poor Butterfly

Listen to Poor Butterfly on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1995

Poor Butterfly, as well as the full Here’s To The Ladies, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Maybe This Time

The Song of the Day for September 12, 2012 is Maybe This Time.

About Maybe This Time

Maybe This Time was written by John Kander and Fred Ebb. The song was used in the film version of their musical Cabaret, but not in the original stage production. It is said that the song was written by Kaye Ballard and that she first recorded Maybe This Time, though The Year of Tony Bennett cannot find any documentation of when she recorded it for the first time. However, her website does have a link to play a snippet from her current 4-CD set. The song is widely associated with Liza Minnelli, who sings it regularly.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded Maybe This Time in 1995 for his album to Here’s To The Ladies. Mr. Bennett has performed this song at every concert of his I’ve ever attended, and I dearly hope he continues to include it in his concert set lists. It’s a wonderful song and I, personally, will never tire of hearing him sing it to a live audience. Mr. Bennett, with the current quartet, performed this song at the iTunes Festival in London 2010, which is available on iTunes and is a great, if short, live set. And is the best $5.99 you can spend if you like Tony Bennett. Everyone at the Year of Tony Bennett recommends this iTunes concert.

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