The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Take The Moment

The song of the day for Saturday, March 22, 2025, is “Take The Moment.”

About Today

Today we are celebrating the birth of Stephen Sondheim, who was born in New York City on March 22, 1930. He died at his country home in Roxbury, Connecticut on November 26, 2021. I just want to say that the very first musical I saw on Broadway was Company, and it changed my world.

About This Song

“Take The Moment” was written by Richard Rodgers and Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the lyrics, for the 1965 Broadway musical Do I Heart a Waltz?. The production was troubled from the start. Oscar Hammerstein passed away as the writing of the piece was started. Stephen Sondheim was a protege of Hammerstein and was asked by Arthur Laurents, who wrote the book, and Mary Rodgers, daughter of Richard Rodgers, to write the lyrics, Richard Rodgers and Sondheim did not mesh and their working relationship was not happy for either artist.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Take The Moment” on January 4, 1965, for his album If I Ruled The World: Songs For the Jet Set. Don Costa wrote the arrangement.

“Take The Moment,” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs For the Jet Set, is available on Apple Music.

Bruce Weber interviewed Stephen Sondheim for the New York Times in June 2008. It was published with his obituary in the Times.

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Song of the Day: Sweet Lorraine

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 11, 2025, is “Sweet Lorraine.”

About This Song

“Sweet Lorraine” was written by Cliff Burwell and Mitchell Parish in 1928. It was originally a vaudeville song; the Rudy Vallee recording made the song quite popular and a nice, up-tempo jazz number. Nat “King” Cole had a major hit with this song in 1940.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Sweet Lorraine” on March 11, 1965, for If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set. Trumpet player Bobby Hackett played ukulele and Joe Marsala played clarinet.

Bennett told this story in his autobiography, The Good Life:

That album [If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set] also included a song that’s always been very special to me: “Sweet Lorraine.” I dedicated it to Nat Cole, who had died a month earlier in April 1965. I was heartbroken when I heard that Nat had passed away. Bobby Hackett and I were working at the Palmer House in Chicago, and it seemed appropriate to pay tribute by recording Nat’s signature tune while we were in his hometown. Bobby, whose instrument was normally cornet, surprised us all by playing ukulele on this record; his buddy Joe Marsala played clarinet.

“Sweet Lorraine,” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set, is available on Apple Music.

Here is Nat Cole’s 1940 recording of “Sweet Lorraine.”

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Song of the Day: If I Ruled The World

The song of the day for Friday, February 7, 2025, is “If I Ruled The World.”

About This Song

“If I Ruled The World” was written by Cyril Ornadel and Leslie Bricusse for the 1963 West End musical Pickwick, based on Dicken’s The Pickwick Papers. Harry Secombe, the British actor, originated the role of Pickwick and his version of this song charted at #18 in the UK. The production opened in New York in 1965 on Broadway. Tony Bennett’s was one of the earliest American recordings and the song reached #34 on the US pop singles charts.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “If I Ruled The World” on February 19, 1965, for the album If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set. Don Costa wrote the arrangement.

“If I Ruled The World,” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: The Right To Love

The song of the day for Monday, January 20, 2025, is “The Right To Love.”

About This Song

“The Right To Love” was in 1963 by Lalo Schifrin; the lyrics by Gene Lees were added later. The song was first recorded, without lyrics, in 1963 on an album called Reflections by Stan Getz and Lalo Schifrin. Tony Bennett liked the song from the beginning and suggested that Gene Lees write the lyrics. The resulting song is an anthem for “forbidden” love. At that time, most people associated the song with interracial relationships; in later years, it has been sung by gay singers. In addition to Bennett’s recording, this song has been recorded by Peggy Lee, Carmen McRae, and k.d. lang.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “The Right To Love” on February 18,1965, for his album If I Ruled The World: Songs For the Jet Set. Don Costa wrote the arrangement.

“The Right To Love,” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs For the Jet Set, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Then Was Then and Now Is Now

The song of the day for Wednesday, January 15, 2025, is “Then Was Then and Now Is Now.”

About This Song

“Then Was Then and Now Is Now” was written by Cy Coleman and Peggy Lee in 1964. Lee made the first recording of the song in 1964, which appeared on her album Then Was Then and Now Is Now, released in January 1965.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Then Was Then and Now Is Now” on February 18, 1965, for his album If I Ruled The World: Songs For the Jet Set. Don Costa wrote the arrangement.

“Then Was Then and Now Is Now,” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs For the Jet Set, is available on Apple Music.