The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: A Shine On Your Shoes

The song of the day for Saturday, December 31, 2022, is “A Shine On Your Shoes.”

About This Song

“A Shine On Your Shoes” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1932 Broadway musical Flying Colors. The same song was used for the 1953 movie The Band Wagon, which starred Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “A Shine On Your Shoes” in July 1993 and was released that year on Steppin’ Out. It was arranged by Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon.

“A Shine On Your Shoes,” as well as Steppin’ Out is available on Apple Music.

This clip of “A Shine on My Shoes” from The Band Wagon with Fred Astaire is a favorite number of mine. Astaire wanted a genuine shoeshine man for the number and found Leroy Daniels, who had a stand at Sixth and Main Street in Los Angeles. Turned out he was also an excellent dancer. To get business and set himself apart, Daniels had an old jukebox stocked with jazz records and performed and danced while giving shoeshines.

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Song of the Day: By Myself

The song of the day for Thursday, December 29, 2022, is “By Myself.”

About This Song

“By Myself” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1937 musical Between the Devil, where it was introduced by Jack Buchanan. Another great Schwartz-Dietz song from Between the Devil was “I See Your Face Before Me.” This song was used in the 1953 Fred Astaire film, The Band Wagon.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “By Myself” in July 1993 and was released that year on Steppin’ Out.

The arrangement by Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon is very effective, with the brush snare drum as an accompaniment.

“By Myself,” as well as Steppin’ Out is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Mr. Astaire performing “By Myself” from The Band Wagon.

Judy Garland sang “By Myself” on her CBS program in 1964. It’s a breathtaking turn.

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Song of the Day: Dancing in the Dark

The song of the day for Tuesday, December 27, 2022, is “Dancing in the Dark.”

About This Song

“Dancing in the Dark” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1931 revue The Band Wagon and is widely considered to be the finest of the songs written by Schwartz and Dietz. Alec Wilder in American Popular Song describes it as “… a very strong song with a superb, poetic lyric.”

Fred Astaire introduced “Dancing in the Dark” in the 1931 film The Band Wagon; he sang it again in the 1955 film of the same name.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Dancing in the Dark” in July 1993 and was released that year on Steppin’ Out. It was arranged by Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon.

“Dancing in the Dark,” as well as Steppin’ Out is available on Apple Music.

Here is Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse in 1953’s The Band Wagon. I think this may be one of Astaire’s most beautiful and elegant dances.

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Song of the Day: I See Your Face Before Me

The song of the day for Saturday, December 10, 2022, is “I See Your Face Before Me.”

About This Song

“I See Your Face Before Me” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1937 Broadway musical Between The Devil, where it was introduced by Adele Dixon. Both Guy Lombardo and Glen Gray recorded the song in that time period. Later recordings include those by Frank Sinatra and Johnny Hartman. The Hartman version, recorded in 1980, was used in the soundtrack for the 1995 movie The Bridges of Madison County.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I See Your Face Before Me” in June 1992 and was released that year on Perfectly Frank. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

“I See Your Face Before Me,” as well as Perfectly Frank is available on Apple Music.

Frank Sinatra recorded “I See Your Face Before Me” for his 1955 album In The Wee Small Hours:

And the Johnny Hartman 1980 recording. I swooned the first time I heard it. It’s magnificent!

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Song of the Day: A Rainy Day

The song of the day for Tuesday, November 22, 2022, is “A Rainy Day.”

About This Song

The great songwriting team of Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz wrote “A Rainy Day” for the 1932 Broadway musical revue Flying Colors, which starred Clifton Webb, Patsy Kelly, Imogene Coca, and Buddy and Vilma Ebsen.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “A Rainy Day” in January 1986 and was released that year on The Art of Excellence. The album was orchestrated and conducted by Jorge Calandrelli.

“A Rainy Day,” as well as The Art of Excellence is available on Apple Music.

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