The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: If I Could Be With You

The song of the day for Sunday, April 12, 2015 is “If I Could Be With You.”

About This Song

“If I Could Be With You” was written in 1926 by the pianist James P. Johnson, with lyrics by Henry Creamer. Johnson, made a piano roll of it in 1927, the same year it was used in the revue Brownskin Models. In 1930, there were several successful recordings, including those by Louis Armstrong and Ruth Etting. Other recordings include those by Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Kay Starr and Billie Holiday.

About This Version

Today’s song is the sixth song from Tony Bennett on Holiday. Ralph Sharon’s accompaniment is excellent and does a great job of setting the song in the 1920s stride piano style.

If I Could Be With You(One Hour Tonight)

Listen to If I Could Be With You(One Hour Tonight) on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1997.

“If I Could Be With You ,” as well as Tony Bennett On Holiday, is available from iTunes.

About Billie Holiday’s Version

It appears that Holiday never recorded “If I Could Be With You,” though she is known for having sung it live early in career. So, instead of a Lady Day version, we have several others:

James P. Johnson

If I Could Be With You

Listen to If I Could Be With You on Spotify. James P. Johnson · Song · 1991.

Louis Armstrong

If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight

Listen to If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight on Spotify. Louis Armstrong · Song · 2006.

Diana Washington

If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight

Listen to If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight on Spotify. Dinah Washington · Song · 1991.

Kay Starr

If I Could Be with You (One Hour Tonight)

Listen to If I Could Be with You (One Hour Tonight) on Spotify. Kay Starr · Song · 2013.

Benny Goodman and His Rhythm Makers

If I Could be with you one Hour Tonight

Listen to If I Could be with you one Hour Tonight on Spotify. Benny Goodman · Song · 2011.

Count Basie and His Orchestra

If I Could Be with You One Hour Tonight (with Count Basie & His Orchestra)

Listen to If I Could Be with You One Hour Tonight (with Count Basie & His Orchestra) on Spotify. Helen Humes · Song · 2014.

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Song of the Day: Don’t Cry Baby

The song of the day for Thursday, December 18, 2014 is “Don’t Cry Baby.”

About This Song

“Don’t Cry Baby” was written by James P. Johnson, Saul Bernie and Stella Unger in 1929. Johnson was a composer and pianist who, along with Jelly Roll Morton, came into prominence in the era between ragtime and the stride piano in early jazz. Saul Bernie and Stella Unger were both composers who were active in the 1920s. It was first sung by Bessie Smith in 1929. Erskine Hawkins recorded it in 1943; this version reached #1 on the Harlem Hit Parade in 1943 and #15 on the popular charts. Etta James recorded it in 1961 as well.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Don’t Cry Baby” in October, 1950, just six months after he signed with Columbia. It was arranged by Norman Leyden. This song is rather a departure from much of his early work and is one of my favorites from that first year at Columbia. He recorded the song again in 2001 for Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues.

Don"t Cry Baby

Listen to Don"t Cry Baby on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2011.


“Don’t Cry Baby,” as well as the other songs collected on The Columbia Singles, Volume 1, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: You Can’t Lose a Broken Heart

The song of the day for Monday, August 4, 2014 is “You Can’t Lose a Broken Heart.”

About This Song

“You Can’t Lose A Broken Heart” was written in 1949 by pianist James P. Johnson with lyrics by Flournoy Miller. They wrote this song as part of the score for musical called Sugar Hill that was produced in Los Angeles in 1949.

Louis Armstrong recorded the song with Billie Holiday is September, 1949. Holiday recorded it again on her own. Other recordings include those by Ella Fitzgerald, Nat “King” Cole and the duet by Tony Bennett and k.d. lang.

About This Version

“You Can’t Lose A Broken Heart” was recorded by Tony Bennett and k.d. lang in 2002 for their album of Louis Armstrong music A Wonderful World. Bennett and lang had recorded together before, but this was their first complete album together. The album was produced by T Bone Burnett, with vocal arrangements by Rob Mathes, orchestrations by Peter Metz and musical direction and arrangements by Lee Musiker.

And, of course, a happy birthday to the late Louis Armstrong. It is, indeed, a wonderful world.

http://open.spotify.com/track/77TqB6vzLxlmnWVbFhHYFq
“You Can’t Lose a Broken Heart,” as well as the album A Wonderful World, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Don’t Cry Baby

The song of the day for Thursday, January 31, 2013 is Don’t Cry Baby.

About Don’t Cry Baby

Don’t Cry Baby was written by Saul Bernie, James P. (Jimmy) Johnson and Stella Unger. Jimmy Johnson was a composer and pianist who, along with Jelly Roll Morton, came into prominence in the era between ragtime and the stride piano techniques in early jazz. Saul Bernie and Stella Unger were both composers who were active in the 1920s.

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It was first sung by Bessie Smith in 1929. Erskine Hawkins recorded it in 1943; this version reached #1 on the Harlem Hit Parade in 1943 and #15 on the popular charts. Etta James recorded it in 1961 as well.

About This Version

This blues song is from Tony Bennett’s 2001 album Playin’ With My Friends. Although the album has a good number of duets (Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt, k.d. lang, and Ray Charles among others), this song is one of the solos.

This album features the Ralph Sharon Quartet, with Sharon on piano, Paul and Langosch on bass, Clayton Cameron on drums and Gray Sargent on guitar. Don’t Cry Baby also used Harry Allen on sax and Mike Melvoin on the Hammond B3 organ. There’s nothing like the sound of the Hammond B3 on a blues album.

Don"t Cry Baby

Listen to Don"t Cry Baby on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2001.

Don’t Cry Baby, as well as the full Playin’ With My Friends album, is available from iTunes.

 

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