The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Prelude to a Kiss

The song of the day for Wednesday, December 3, 2025, is “Prelude to a Kiss.”

About This Song

“Prelude to a Kiss” was written in 1938 by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Irving Gordon and Irving Mills.

In The Jazz Standards, Ted Gioia writes 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 May 1999 for Bennett Sings Ellington Hot & Cool. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

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

We have Ellington’s original recording of “Prelude to a Kiss” from 1938:

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Song of the Day: It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)

The song of the day for Thursday, October 23, 2025, is “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”

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 recorded “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” in May 1999 for Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, his tribute to Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangement.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington Hot & Cool, is available on Apple Music.

We’ve also got the first recording of this song with Ivie Anderson and Duke Ellington and His Orchestra. This recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008.

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Song of the Day: It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing)

The song of the day for Sunday, September 28, 2025, is “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing).”

About This Song

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing)” was written by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills in 1931. 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 in 1932 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 recorded “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing)” in May 1999 for his album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, which was released 26 years ago on September 28, 1999. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangement. The recording features Clayton Cameron on drums and Gray Sargent on guitar.

Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing),” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available on Apple Music.

We’re happy to feature the first recording of today’s song by Ivie Anderson and Duke Ellington.

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Song of the Day: Solitude

The song of the day for Sunday, August 24, 2025, is “Solitude.”

On June 9, 1962, Tony Bennett sang at Carnegie Hall. The concert was taped, and an abbreviated version of the Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall was released 63 years ago on August 24, 1962. This release contained 28 of the 44 songs Bennett sang that night and was released on 2 long-playing records. The full concert was released on 2 CDs in 1997.

About This Song

“Solitude” was written in 1934 by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Eddie DeLange and Irving Mills. Ellington is said to have written “Solitude” in twenty minutes at the recording session, as they were one number short. 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” on June 9, 1962, live at Carnegie Hall for Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“Solitude,” as well as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall, is available on Apple Music.

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

The song of the day for Friday, May 2, 2025, is “I Let a Song Go Out Of My Heart.”

About This Song

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

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Let a Song Go Out Of My Heart” on January 22, 1967, for Tony Makes It Happen! Marion Evans wrote the arrangement and conducted the band.

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

Here’s Ellington’s 1938 recording of “I Let a Song Go Out Of My Heart.”