The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: A Rainy Day

The song of the day for Monday, August 26, 2013 is “A Rainy Day.”

About This Song

“A Rainy Day” is from the 1932 musical revue Flying Colors. The revue featured an excellent set of songs by Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz. In addition to today’s song, the score also included “Alone Together” and “A Shine on Your Shoes.”

About This Version

Today’s version is from Tony Bennett’s 1986 “The Art of Excellence.” And excellent it is.

http://open.spotify.com/track/4g7gvSBMe6PnlwoMH8ZGhW
“A Rainy Day,” as well as the album The Art of Excellence, is available from iTunes and Amazon.com.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: By Myself

The song of the day for Tuesday, May 7, 2013, is By Myself.

About This Song

Written by the team of Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwarz, By Myself was written for the 1937 musical Between The Devil, where it was introduced by Jack Buchanan. The song proved more popular than the production, with recordings by Eileen Farrell, Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald and even Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek fame.

About This Version

Today’s version is from Tony Bennett’s delightful tribute to Fred Astaire, Steppin’ Out. The arrangement is very effective, with just Bennett and Cameron with his famous brushes, as befits a song that ends with “by myself, alone.”

Fred Astaire sung this song in the film Band Wagon.

http://open.spotify.com/track/1mDaRJufal4j8Hgg7PFb6d
By Myself, as well as the full Steppin’ Out album, is available from iTunes.

Here’s a bit of Fred Astaire from Band Wagon, singing By Myself:

By 1 Comment

Song of the Day: Dancing In The Dark

The song of the day for Tuesday, February 5, 2013, is Dancing In The Dark.

About Dancing In The Dark

Written for the 1931 stage revue The Band Wagon, Dancing In The Dark was written by the great songwriting team of Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz. It was a big band hit in 1941 by Artie Shaw. Many will remember the ballet of Dancing In The Dark with Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse, from the 1953 film The Band Wagon.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded Dancing In The Dark in 1961 for My Heart Sings. Produced by Ernie Altschuler, the album features a big band, including guitarist Chuck Wayne, who arranged much of Bennett’s 1955 Cloud 7.

http://open.spotify.com/track/4up57sk978q1DVJ4NYZuxE
Dancing In The Dark, as well as the entire My Heart Sings album, is available from iTunes.

 

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I See Your Face Before Me

The Song of the Day for October 5, 2012 is I See Your Face Before Me.

About I See Your Face Before Me

I See Your Face Before Me was written in 1937 by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the musical Between the Devil. Frank Sinatra sang it on his amazing album, In the Wee Small Hours, released in 1955.

About This Version

I’ve been reading Jonathan Schwartz’s memoir of his childhood, All In Good Time. It’s not a happy book by any means, but it has encourage me to revisit the songs of Arthur Schwartz, who was a really wonderful songwriter.

Today’s version is from the 1992 Perfectly Frank.