The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I Let a Song Go Out My Heart

The song of the day for Sunday, October 2, 2022, is “I Let a Song Go Out My Heart.”

About This Song

“I Let a Song Go Out My Heart” was written by Duke Ellington in 1938, with lyrics by Irving Mills, Henry Nemo, and John Redmond. It was a major hit for Duke Ellington, reaching #1 on the charts. In addition to his own recording, other recordings by Benny Goodman and Mildred Bailey were also made that year and were extremely popular as well. In 1952 Ellington named this song one of his eleven favorites of the songs he wrote.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Let a Song Go Out My Heart” on January 27, 1967, for the album Tony Makes It Happen. Marion Evans wrote the arrangement.

“I Let a Song Go Out My Heart,” as well as Tony Makes It Happen! is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Solitude

The song of the day for Saturday, August 6, 2022, is “Solitude.”

About This Song

“Solitude” was written in 1934 by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Eddie DeLange and Irving Mills. One of his masterpieces, Ellington is said to have written “Solitude” in twenty minutes at a recording session, as they were one number short (Ted Gioia in Jazz Standards). It’s a very strong song for both vocalists and instrumentalists. Ellington made over a hundred recordings of this song. Other great recordings include those by Paul Robeson, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Billy Eckstine.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Solitude” with Count Basie and His Orchestra on December 30, 1958, with an arrangement by Ralph Sharon. It was released in 1959 on the album In Person!

“Solitude,” as well as In Person! is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: It Don’t Mean a Thing

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 2, 2022, is “It Don’t Mean a Thing”

About This Song

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing” was written in 1931 by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Irving Mills. This song was one of the first songs to use the word “swing” in the title and this song certainly defined what it meant to swing. Ellington recorded the song with Ivie Anderson on vocals and it was an immediate hit. It has been widely recorded since it was written and the song is a lot of fun to play and to listen to. Significant recordings include those by Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt, Gigi Gryce, Tony Bennett, and Thelonious Monk.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga recorded “It Don’t Mean a Thing” for their 2014 album Cheek To Cheek. Marion Evans wrote the very fine arrangement.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing,” as well as Cheek To Cheek is available on Apple Music.

We’ve also got the Ivie Anderson vocal with Duke Ellington. It’s hot and it swings!

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Song of the Day: Mood Indigo

The song of the day for Tuesday, January 17, 2022, is “Mood Indigo.”

About This Song

“Mood Indigo” was written in 1930 by Duke Ellington, Barney Bigard, and Irving Mills. Originally titled “Dreamy Blues,” Ellington wrote this song, which is based on a theme by Barney Bigard, who is said to have learned it from his New Orleans clarinet teacher, Lorenzo Tio. Ellington wrote the song specifically for “microphone transmission” and it was first played on a 1930 radio broadcast. Audiences loved the song, and so Irving Mills wrote the lyric, changing the name of the song to “Mood Indigo.” The song has been widely recorded by instrumental and vocal artists, including Tony Bennett, Charles Mingus, Ella Fitzgerald, Thelonious Monk, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Mood Indigo” in 1999 for the album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. The album, a tribute to Duke Ellington, was released in 1999, one hundred years after Ellington was born. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

“Mood Indigo,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool is available on Apple Music.

I found this 1931 version of “Mood Indigo” with Ellington and The Cotton Club Orchestra:

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Song of the Day: Prelude to a Kiss

The song of the day for Saturday, December 11, 2021, is “Prelude to a Kiss.”

About This Song

Duke Ellington wrote “Prelude to a Kiss” in 1938, with lyrics by Irving Mills and Irving Gordon. Ted Gioia in The Jazz Standards notes that in the late 1930s, having practically invented swing music, “… at this juncture he does the exact opposite. The Duke uses his fame and great artistic freedom to become more ambitious, more experimental, less beholden to the formulas of swing music. … ‘Prelude To A Kiss’ from 1938 is a case in point.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Prelude to a Kiss” in 1999 for his album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, arranged by Jorge Calandrelli. The recording features Gray Sargent on guitar and Joel Smirnoff on violin.

“Prelude to a Kiss,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Ellington’s 1938 instrumental recording of “Prelude to a Kiss”

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