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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

January 9, 2017 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Just Friends

The song of the day for Tuesday, January 10, 2017 is “Just Friends.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “Just Friends,” was written in 1931 by John Klenner and Sam M. Lewis. “Just Friends” has been a popular jazz standard , including vocal versions by Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Charlie Parker and Chet Baker. The song, both the music as well as the lyrics, seem more modern than most songs written in the early 1930s and for that reason has received interesting jazz treatments and found itself quite at home with bebop stylings.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Just Friends” on October 28, 1959 with Ralph Sharon. On that day, Bennett and Sharon walked into the CBS 30th Street Studio with a briefcase full of sheet music, with no preconceived list of songs they were going to record. A song was suggested, worked on a bit by both Bennett and Sharon, and then recorded. The two recorded seventeen songs in one day, which resulted in one of Bennett’s greatest albums: Tony Sings For Two, which was released in early 1961. Just piano and voice and some of the greatest songs from the American songbook. I love this album more than I can say.

Just Friends

Listen to Just Friends on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1961.


“Just Friends,” as well as Tony Sings For Two, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: John Klenner, Ralph Sharon, Sam M. Lewis, Tony Bennett, Tony Sings for Two

March 23, 2015 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Just Friends

The song of the day for Monday, March 23, 2015 is “Just Friends.”

About This Song

“Just Friends” was written in 1931, with music by John Klenner and lyrics by Sam M. Lewis. It has been a popular jazz standard , including vocal versions by Frank Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan. The song, both the music as well as the lyrics, seem more modern than most songs written in the early 1930s and for that reason has received interesting jazz treatments and found itself quite at home with bebop stylings. It has especially popular as an instrumental, with recordings by Charlie Parker, Lee Konitz with Bill Evans, and Sonny Rawlins and Coleman Hawkins.

About This Version

“Just Friends” is the next-to-last song on the original release of our album of the month, Tony Sings For Two. As on the entire album, Ralph Sharon’s accompaniment is delightful.

Just Friends

Listen to Just Friends on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1961.


“Just Friends,” as well as Tony Sings For Two, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: John Klenner, Ralph Sharon, Sam M. Lewis, Tony Sings for Two

June 12, 2014 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Just Friends

The song of the day for Thursday, June 12, 2014 is “Just Friends.”

About This Song

“Just Friends” was written in 1931 by John Klenner (music) and Sam M. Lewis (lyrics). The first recording was in 1931 by Red McKenzie, but the song became popular in 1932 when Russ Columbo recorded it. Notable recordings throughout the years include those by Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Chet Baker and Charlie Parker. It ranks #85 on jazzstandards.org.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this song, as well as several others, in 1964 with an extraordinary group of jazz musicians: Herbie Hancock (piano), Elvin Jones (drums), Ron Carter (bass) and Stan Getz (tenor saxophone). The results were fantastic.

http://open.spotify.com/track/0FKdZzcnDnHfHg0FyNkGCA
“Just Friends,” as well as all of the songs collected on Rarities, Outtakes and Other Delights, Vol. 1, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Elvin Jones, Herbie Hancock, John Klenner, Ron Carter, Sam M. Lewis, Stan Getz

September 18, 2013 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Just Friends

The song of the day for Wednesday, September 18, 2013 is “Just Friends.”

About This Song

“Just Friends” was written in 1931 by John Klenner, with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis. The song was first recorded by Red MacKenzie and his Orchestra, but became popular when recorded by the singer Russ Columbo. It has become a jazz standard with recordings by Chet Baker, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker and Frank Sinatra.

About This Version

In 1964, Tony Bennett did a series of sessions with Herbie Hancock (piano), Stan Getz (tenor sax), Ron Carter (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums). Today’s version of “Just Friends” is from one of these sessions.

http://open.spotify.com/track/0FKdZzcnDnHfHg0FyNkGCA
“Just Friends,” as well all of the songs on Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 1, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Elvin Jones, Herbie Hancock, John Klenner, Ron Carter, Sam M. Lewis, Stan Getz

May 24, 2013 By Suzanne 1 Comment

Song of the Day: Just Friends

The song of the day for Friday, May 24, 2013 is Just Friends.

About This Song

Just Friends was written in 1931 by John Klenner with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis. It’s been a popular jazz standard , including vocal versions by Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Charlie Parker and Chet Baker.  The song, both the music as well as the lyrics, seem more modern that most songs written in the early 1930s and for that reason has received interesting jazz treatments  and found itself quite at home with bebop stylings.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recording this song for his album with Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett Sings For Two, released in 1961 (even though it was recorded in 1959).  With just Bennett accompanied only by Ralph Sharon, it was an unusual album for that time. This outing gave Bennett and Sharon an opportunity to do a very intimate album. In what must have been a remarkable recording session, Bennett and Sharon recorded sixteen songs in one day and  twelve of those songs are on the album. It is one of my favorites of Tony Bennett’s early albums: two great jazz musicians singing some of the best songs ever written.
http://open.spotify.com/track/5fLeV8El2vqaZs7hYwHwCO
Just Friends, as well as Tony Bennett Sings For Two, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: John Klenner, Ralph Sharon, Sam M. Lewis, Tony Bennett Sings For Two

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