The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: The Shadow Of Your Smile

The song of the day for Saturday, June 7, 2014 is “The Shadow Of Your Smile.”

About This Song

“The Shadow Of Your Smile” was written by Johnny Mandel and Paul Francis Webster for the 1965 film The Sandpiper, which starred Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. The song was immediately popular and won both the Grammy Award for Song of the Year and the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

In addition to Tony Bennett’s well-known recording we present here today, other recordings include those by Barbra Streisand, Peggy Lee, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin and Astrud Gilberto.

About This Version

We’re very happy to feature another song from The Movie Song Album, released in 1966. This song was arranged and conducted by the composer, Johnny Mandel and features Jimmy Rowles on piano.

http://open.spotify.com/track/66YI4JFp7BcMcepibGprsN
“The Shadow Of Your Smile,” as well as The Movie Song Album, is available from iTunes.

Today’s video is from 1966 on Japanese television:

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Song of the Day: Samba de Orfeu

The song of the day for Friday, June 6, 2014 is “Samba de Orfeu.”

About This Song

“Samba de Orfeu” was written in 1959 by Luis Bonfá for the 1959 film, Black Orpheus (Orgeu Negro). The film, based on the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, is set in Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval. The film was an international project, with production companies from Brazil, France and Italy. It won the Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language Film, as well as the Palme d’Or from the Cannes Film Festival. In addition to this song from Luiz Bonfá, the film also contained several bossa nova songs from Antonio Carlos Jobim.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Samba de Orfeu” for The Movie Song Album, released in 1966. This song was, as was much of the album, arranged by Johnny Mandel, who wrote several of the songs featured on the album, including “Emily” and “The Shadow Of Your Smile.” The composer Luis Bonfá is featured on guitar for this song.

http://open.spotify.com/track/3OXmkaYkVrJTZqF9VlT3JG
“Samba de Orfeu,” as well as The Movie Song Album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: The Shining Sea

The song of the day for Friday, May 23, 2014 is “The Shining Sea.”

About This Song

Our song today, “The Shining Sea,” is from the 1966 film The Russians Are Coming The Russians Are Coming and was written by Johnny Mandel, with lyrics by Peggy Lee.

I had DVRed this film recently (thanks Turner Classic Movies!) and we sat down to watch it the other day. The film has always been a favorite of mine, but my friend had never seen it. The cast is wonderful: Alan Arkin, Eva Marie Saint, Carl Reiner, Jonathan Winters, Brian Keith and many more film and stage actors. In a nutshell, a Russian submarine accidentally runs aground just offshore from a small New England beach town. A few of the Russians sailors come ashore to find out if there’s a boat they can “borrow” to help move the submarine. Needless to say, hilarity and misunderstandings ensue. And, in the end, a Russian sailor saves a little boy who has fallen out of a church tower and all is well. We had a great time. And, of course, we got to listen to this very lovely song by Mr. Mandel.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “The Shining Sea” in 1966, but the song was not released until 1971 on the album Summer of ’42. This version was arranged and conducted by Johnny Mandel and features Bobby Hackett on cornet.

http://open.spotify.com/track/7CFcpNIFDAW9ZIqwSiQO4k
“The Shining Sea,” as well as the album Summer of ’42, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Little Did I Dream

The song of the day for Sunday, April 27, 2014 is “Little Did I Dream.”

About This Song

Today’s song was composed in 2003 by Dave Frishberg with lyrics by Johnny Mandel. It’s a lovely song by Frishberg and Mandel’s lyrics are, as always, exquisite.

About This Version

Today’s song is from Tony Bennett’s 2004 album The Art of Romance. This song was arranged by Lee Musiker and conducted by Johnny Mandel. It’s a beautiful song from an album full of beautiful songs. It’s one of our favorite albums here at the Year of Tony Bennett — we give it two enthusiastic thumbs up. And, as fellow Portlanders, we’re happy to feature a song by Dave Frishberg.

http://open.spotify.com/track/2n7amVxaxA0a8CXhWX7epx
“Little Did I Dream,” as well as the album The Art of Romance, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: I Remember You

The song of the day for Friday, April 4, 2014 is “I Remember You.”

About This Song

“I Remember You” was written in 1941 for the movie The Fleet’s In. The music is by Victor Schertzinger and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. In the film, the song was introduced by Dorothy Lamour, with Bob Eberly, Helen O’Connell and the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. It is said that Johnny Mercer wrote the song for Judy Garland, who he was in love with, and presented it to her the day after her marriage to David Rose. True or not, this beautiful song does put one in mind of loves that are lost, but always remembered.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this song for his wonderful 2004 album The Art of Romance, which is (to this writer anyway), one of his finest albums. The wonderful arrangement is by Johnny Mandel. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Album.

http://open.spotify.com/track/3osJ7xPsn1UhfRVDcHN7zf
“I Remember You,” as well as the album The Art of Romance, is available from iTunes.