The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the. Day: Here’s That Rainy Day

The song of the day for Sunday, June 8, 2025, is “Here’s That Rainy Day.”

About This Song

“Here’s That Rainy Day” was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke for the 1953 Broadway musical Carnival in Flanders, which only ran for six performances. This song, however, is quite good and has remained a popular ballad over the years. In addition to Bennett’s recording, it has also been recorded by those such as Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Steve Lawrence, Billy Eckstine and Ann Hampton Calloway. The song is also proved a favorite of jazz instrumentalists, including Dave Brubeck, Chet Baker, Paul Desmond and Art Pepper, among many others.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Here’s That Rainy Day” in London on October 1, 1971, for With Love, released in 1972. Robert Farnon wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“Here’s That Rainy Day,” as well as With Love, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: It Could Happen To You

The song of the day for Saturday, June 7, 2025, is “It Could Happen To You.”

About This Song

“It Could Happen To You” was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke for the 1944 movie And The Angels Sing, starring Dorothy Lamour. It was first recorded by Jo Stafford. Other recordings include those by Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington, Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, and Rosemary Clooney.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “It Could Happen To You” on March 26, 1964, for When Lights Are Low. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“It Could Happen To You,” as well as When Lights Are Low, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: But Beautiful

The song of the day for Friday, June 6, 2025, is “But Beautiful.”

About This Song

“But Beautiful” was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke for the the 1947 movie The Road to Rio, where it was introduced by Bing Crosby. The song has been widely recorded, including recordings by Bill Evans, Johnny Hartman, Billie Holiday, Gregory Porter, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Bill Evans recorded “But Beautiful” in June 1975 for The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album.

“But Beautiful,” as well as The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the 1947 Bing Crosby version, which is quite lovely.

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Song of the Day: But Beautiful

The song of the day for Friday, March 28, 2025, is “But Beautiful.”

About Today

We are very happy to wish Lady Gaga a wonderful and happy birthday. Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta was born in New York City on March 28, 1986. We admire her talent as a singer, songwriter, and actor. We love her for her loving friendship with Tony Bennett, exemplified in she asked Bennett if she could accompany him off the stage at his last concert.

About This Song

“But Beautiful” was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke for Bing Crosby to sing in the 1947 movie The Road to Rio. The song has been widely recorded, including recordings by Bill Evans and Tony Bennett, Johnny Hartman, Billie Holiday, Gregory Porter, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga recorded “But Beautiful” in 2014 for their first album of duets, Cheek To Cheek. Gray Sargent‘s guitar for this recording is exceptional. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

“But Beautiful” as well as Cheek To Cheek, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the official video for “But Beautiful.”

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Song of the Day: I Thought About You

The song of the day for Monday, March 24, 2025, is “I Thought About You.”

About This Song

“I Thought About You” was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Mercer in 1939. In his biography Portrait of Johnny: The Life of John Herndon Mercer, author Gene Lees quotes Mercer about this song: ‘I can remember the afternoon that we wrote it. He [Van Heusen] played me the melody. I didn’t have any idea, but I had to go to Chicago that night. I think I was on the Benny Goodman program. And I got to thinking about it on the train. I was awake, I couldn’t sleep. The tune was running through my mind, and that’s when I wrote the song. On the train, really going to Chicago.’ “I Thought About You” proved quite popular and has been recorded many times by jazz performers including Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Hartman, Shirley Horn, Dinah Washington, and Mel Tormé.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Thought About You” in June 1922 for his tribute album to Frank Sinatra: Perfectly Frank.
For this album, Bennett was accompanied by The Ralph Sharon Trio, featuring Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums.

“I Thought About You,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on Apple Music.

Frank Sinatra recorded “I Thought About You” for his 1956 album Songs for Swingin’ Lovers.