The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I Won’t Dance

The song of the day for Sunday, January 31, 2021, is “I Won’t Dance.”

About This Song

“I Won’t Dance” was originally written in 1934 by Jerome Kern, with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein, for a London musical called Three Sisters, though the show was a flop and was quickly forgotten. The following year, a film of Roberta was made, and the song was re-purposed, this time with lyrics by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields.

About This Version

With The Bill Charlap Trio, Tony Bennett recorded “I Won’t Dance” for the 2015 album The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern. Charlap wrote the arrangement.

I Won"t Dance

Tony Bennett, Bill Charlap · The Silver Lining - The Songs of Jerome Kern · Song · 2015

“I Won’t Dance,” as well as The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: On the Sunny Side of the Street

The song of the day for Thursday, June 25, 2020, is “On the Sunny Side of the Street.”

About This Song

“On the Sunny Side of the Street” was written in 1930 by Jimmy McHugh, with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. The song was introduced in Lew Leslie’s International Revue. It was one of the first in a series of cheerful songs to try to cheer people up over the Great Depression. It has proven popular with singers, who love the wonderful Fields lyrics, and jazz players, who love McHugh’s swingy tune.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “On the Sunny Side of the Street” for his 1967 album Tony Makes It Happen! Friend of this site Marion Evans arranged and conducted this song, as well as the entire album.

“On the Sunny Side of the Street,” as well as Tony Makes It Happen!, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: I Won’t Dance

The song of the day for Tuesday, January 28, 2020, is “I Won’t Dance.”

About Today

We’re honoring the great composer Jerome Kern, who was born 135 years ago this week.

About This Song

“I Won’t Dance” was originally written in 1934 for a London musical called Three Sisters, though the show was a flop and was quickly forgotten. The following year, a film of Roberta was made, and the song was re-purposed, this time with the new Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields lyrics.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga recorded “I Won’t Dance” in 2014 for their album Cheek to Cheek. The great Marion Evans wrote the arrangement.

“I Won’t Dance,” as well as Cheek to Cheek, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: On the Sunny Side of the Street

The song of the day for Saturday, December 28, 2019, is “On the Sunny Side of the Street.”

About This Song

“On The Sunny Side of the Street,” written by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields in 1930, was introduced in Lew Leslie’s International Revue. The song was one of the first in a series of cheerful songs to try to cheer people up over the Great Depression. It has proven popular with singers, who love the wonderful Fields lyrics, and jazz players, who love McHugh’s swingy tune.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “On the Sunny Side of the Street” in January 1967 for the album Tony Makes It Happen!. Marion Evans wrote the superb arrangement for the entire album, including this song.

“On the Sunny Side of the Street,” as well as Tony Makes It Happen!, is available from iTunes.

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Playlist of the Week: Marion Evans does great jazz arrangements for Tony

The playlist of the week of July 28, 2019, is Marion Evans does great jazz arrangements for Tony.

I have a real soft spot in my heart for Marion Evans. Like me, he’s also from Alabama, and we have musical friends — or acquaintances in my case — with fine Alabama musicians, such as Hugh Martin, who wrote the songs for Judy Garland’s Meet Me in St. Louis, including the best Christmas song ever (IMHO): “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

A few years after I started this blog, he left a comment thanking me for acknowledging the importance of arrangers to the greatness of recordings. Tony Bennett has worked with many great arrangers and I’ll be featuring some of them in coming weeks.

But this week is Marion Evans. We start with their first album: the 1967 Tony Makes It Happen!, followed bu Duets II and Cheek to Cheek.

Marion Evans does great jazz arrangements for Tony

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It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing), with Lady Gaga, by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills
The Lady’s in Love With You by Burton Lane and Frank Loesser
Don’t Get Around Much Anymore by Duke Ellington and Bob Russell
On the Sunny Side of the Street by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields
The Lady is a Tramp, with Lady Gaga by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
Old Devil Moon by Burton Lane and Yip Harburg
They All Laughed, with Lady Gaga, by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart by Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Henry Nemo, and John Redmond
Can’t Get Out This Mood by Jimmy McHugh and Frank Loesser
Anything Goes, with Lady Gaga by Cole Porter