The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Something To Live For

The song of the day for Sunday, May 4, 2014 is “Something To Live For.”

About This Song

“Something To Live For” was written by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington in 1939. It was, in fact, their first collaboration. The lyric was based on a poem that Strayhorn had written when he was high school. The song has been widely recorded. Ella Fitzgerald has said it was her favorite song.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “Something To Live For” with John Bunch at piano in 1971. It was to be included on the album Summer of 42, but was not used. Thankfully, this song was included on the second volume of Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, originally released in the 2011 complete collection (and now available on iTunes).

http://open.spotify.com/track/2YhAZNd40KrlqHMkLKaLUB
“Something To Live For,” as well as the collection Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 2, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: One For My Baby/It Had To Be You

The song of the day for Wednesday, January 15, 2013 is a medley of “One For My Baby” and “It Had To Be You.”

About These Songs

“One For My Baby” was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1943 film The Sky’s The Limit; the song was, of course, introduced by the great Fred Astaire.

“It Had To Be You” was written in 1924 by Isham Jones, with lyrics by Gus Kahn and has been performed and recorded ever since by singers from Cliff Edwards and Ruth Etting to Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday. This song is 90 years old and sounds as fresh, current and meaningful as it ever did. Now that’s a great song.

About This Version

Earlier this week, I picked another song from the Rarities, Outtakes and Other Delights, Vol. 1 disc for the song of the day. Following my usual custom, I listened to the remaining songs on the disc while writing the song of the day topic, choosing a quote of the day and doing other basic blog duties. When I heard this medley, I knew I had to feature it soon as the song of the day. In reality, the song is “I Had To Be You” with “One For My Baby” at the beginning and the end.

This medley was recorded in 1970 and features John Bunch at the piano. I love listening to Tony Bennett singing a well-written ballad like this: sweet and soft, with impeccable phrasing and attention to the lyric. It’s a beautiful arrangement and I hope you like it as much as I do.

http://open.spotify.com/track/7I6ab6OcXBwR2k3m0QYdEv
The medley of “One For My Baby” and “It Had To Be You,” as well as all of the cuts on Rarities, Outtakes and Other Delights, Vol. 1, is available from iTunes.