The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I Thought About You

The song of the day for Saturday, November 18, 2023, is “I Thought About You.”

About Today

We are celebrating the anniversary of the birth of one of America’s finest lyricist: Johnny Mercer. John Herdon Mercer was born on November 18, 1909, in Savannah, Georgia. He was a prolific lyricist, with credits from 1933 until 1973. He also composed, including “I Wanna Be Around.” He was a fine singer and released several albums as a vocalist.

Happy Birthday to Johnny Mercer.

About This Song

“I Thought About You” was written in 1939 by Jimmy Van Huesen and Johnny Mercer. In the 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, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Hartman, Shirley Horn, Dinah Washington, and Mel Tormé.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Thought About You” in June 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement. The Ralph Sharon Trio backed Tony for this album with Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums.

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

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Song of the Day: I’m Glad There Is You

The song of the day for Tuesday, November 14, 2023, is “I’m Glad There Is You.”

About This Song

“I’m Glad There Is You” was written in 1941 by Jimmy Dorsey and Paul Madeira. This song was originally released by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra in 1941 and featured Bob Eberly on vocals. The song has been widely recorded including recordings by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, Tony Bennett, Stan Getz and Peggy Lee, among many others.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’m Glad There Is You” in June 1992 for his tribute album to Frank Sinatra, Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement. The Ralph Sharon Trio (Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums) played on this album.

Perfectly Frank won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“I’m Glad There Is You,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: East of Sun

The song of the day for Monday, May 8, 2023, is “East of Sun (And West of the Moon).”

About This Song

“East of Sun (And West of the Moon)” was written in 1934 by Brooks Bowman. Bowman wrote “East of the Sun” while a student at Princeton University for a student musical production called Stags at Bay, produced by the Princeton Triangle Club. The song had a great reception and was noted by Princeton alumnus F. Scott Fitzgerald. After his graduation from college in 1936, he worked briefly in Hollywood for the film industry but decided to return to the East Coast. He was about to start a contract with a New York music publisher when he was killed in an automobile accident in 1937.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “East of Sun (And West of the Moon)” in June 1992 in his tribute album to his friend Frank Sinatra: Perfectly Frank. Bennett recorded this album with The Ralph Sharon Trio, with Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums. Sharon wrote the arrangement.

Perfectly Frank won the 1993 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“East of Sun (And West of the Moon),” as well as Perfectly Frank is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Last Night When We Were Young

The song of the day for Monday, February 18, 2022, is “Last Night When We Were Young.”

About This Song

“Last Night When We Were Young” was written in 1935 by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. Harold Arlen considered “Last Night When We Were Young” to be one of his favorite songs. In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder calls it a “most remarkable and beautiful song … (that) goes far beyond the boundaries of popular music.” Yip Harburg has said that he doesn’t know exactly where the title came from but that “the juxtaposition of those two phrases is almost a whole world of philosophy.” All in all, it’s a very beautiful and introspective song that is much beloved by singers. Frank Sinatra included on his album In The Wee Small Hours. It has also been recorded by Judy Garland, Mel Tormé, Carmen McRae, and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “Last Night When We Were Young” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement and led The Ralph Sharon Trio, with Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums.

“Last Night When We Were Young,” as well as Perfectly Frank is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Time After Time

The song of the day for Wednesday, November 3, 2021, is “Time After Time.”

About This Song

“Time After Time” was written in 1947 by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn for the 1947 movie It Happened in Brooklyn, featuring Frank Sinatra. It was introduced by Sinatra and was a major hit for him. This song has been widely recorded by many artists.

In his fine book The Jazz Standards, Al Gioia quotes Jule Styne as saying “It’s a man’s song — ‘Time After Time.’ When a woman sings it, it is drained of all its power, so to speak. The girls can’t do it.”

Well, tell that to Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae, Anita O’Day, and Cyndi Lauper, all of whom made excellent recordings of today’s song.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Time After Time” with the Ralph Sharon Trio for his 1992 album Perfectly Frank. With Sharon on piano, the trio rounds out with Paul Langosch on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums.

“Time After Time,” as well as Perfectly Frank is available on Apple Music.

Perfectly Frank won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Performance.

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