The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Lover Man

The song of the day for Saturday, July 6, 2024, is “Lover Man.”

About This Song

“Lover Man” was written in 1941 by Jimmy Davis, Roger “Ram” Ramirez, and James Sherman for Billie Holiday. Her recording of “Lover Man” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1989. Other significant recordings include those by Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bill Evans and Stan Getz, Charlie Parker, and Barbra Streisand.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Lover Man” on April 4, 1961, for his 1961 album My Heart Sings. The entire album was arramged and conducted by Ralph Burns.

“Lover Man,” as well as My Heart Sings, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the 1946 recording of “Love Man,” recorded Billie Holiday:

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Album of the Week: My Heart Sings

The album of the week starting on February 27, 2022, is My Heart Sings.

My Heart Sings

Tony Bennett remembers My Heart Sings in his autobiography, The Good Life:

Ralph Burns and I got together again to do some singles, including “Smile,” and for our next album we changed gears again. Instead of the lush, ballad-style arrangements we had used on Hometown, My Town, we switched to a cookin’ jazz sound. The album is called My Heart Sings, and I simply love Ralph’s writing on this one. It’s really beautiful music.

This album is a preview of 1962, which was an outstanding year for Tony Bennett, including his concert at Carnegie Hall and winning his first Grammy Award for “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.”

My Heart Sings was recorded in 3 sessions on 3 consecutive days: April 4, April 5, and April 6, 1961.

Album Facts

Release Date August 7, 1961
Label Columbia
Producer Ernie Altschuler
Vocals Tony Bennett
Arrangements, Conductor Ralph Burns
Piano Bernie Leighton
Bass Milt Hinton
Drums Herb Lovelle
Guitar Barry Galbraith, Chuck Wayne, Mundell Lowe
Saxophone Danny Bank, Al Klink, Toots Mondello, Romeo Penque, Jerry Sanfino
Trumpet Bernie Glow, Irving Markowitz, Jimmy Maxwell, Carl Sereinsen
Trombone Robert Alexander, Urbie Green, Dick Hixson, Frank Rehak
Vibes Eddie Costa

Songs on My Heart Sings

Song Composers
Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler
Dancing in the Dark Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz
I’m Comin’ Virginia Donald Heywood, Will Marion Cook
My Heart Sings Jean Blanvillain (Jamblin), Harold Rome, Henri Laurent Herpin
It Never Was You Kurt Weill, Maxwell Anderson
You Took Advantage of Me Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
Close Your Eyes Bernice Petkere
Stella By Starlight Victor Young, Ned Washington
More Than You Know Vincent Youmans, Billy Rose, Edward Eliscu
My Ship Kurt Weill, Ira Gershwin
Lover Man Jimmy Davis, Roger “Ram” Ramirez, James Sherman
Toot, Toot, Tootsie Gus Kahn, Ernie Erdman, Ted Fiorito, Dan Russo

Listen to My Heart Sings

You can also listen to My Heart Sings on

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Song of the Day: Lover Man

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 31, 2021, is “Lover Man.”

About This Song

“Lover Man” was written in 1941 by Jimmy Davis, Roger “Ram” Ramirez, and James Sherman. The song was written for Billie Holiday, and remains most closely associated with her, despite many other fine recordings. Her recording of “Lover Man” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1989. Other significant recordings include those by Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bill Evans and Stan Getz, Charlie Parker, and Barbra Streisand.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Lover Man” in 1961 for his album My Heart Sings. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangement and conducted the big band.

Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)

Listen to Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1961

“Lover Man,” as well as My Heart Sings, is available from Apple Music.

Here’s Holiday’s version:
https://open.spotify.com/track/0DuWyzeLH09PQcnOMJiRgE?si=CAI5DApAQjiurqLSXWSuMQ

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Song of the Day: Lover Man

The song of the day for Wednesday, June 21, 2017 is “Lover Man.”

About This Song

“Lover Man” was written in 1941 by Jimmy Davis, Roger “Ram” Ramirez and James Sherman. The song was written for Billie Holiday, and remains most closely associated with her, despite many other fine recordings. Her recording of “Lover Man” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1989. Other significant recordings include those by Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bill Evans and Stan Getz, Charlie Parker and Barbra Streisand.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Lover Man” in 1961 for his album My Heart Sings. The fine arrangement is by Ralph Burns, our musical collaborator of the month.

Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)

Listen to Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1961


“Lover Man,” as well as My Heart Sings, is available from iTunes.

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