The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Wanna Be Around

The song of the day for Saturday, March 26, 2021, is “I Wanna Be Around.”

About This Song

“I Wanna Be Around” was written in 1959 by Johnny Mercer and Sadie Vimmerstedt.

The story of “I Wanna Be Around” is legendary in the music business. Sadie Vimmerstedt, who lived in Youngstown, Ohio, was a big fan of Johnny Mercer’s music. She wrote the opening line ‘I want to be around to pick up the pieces when somebody breaks your heart’ and felt it sounded like a Johnny Mercer song. She mailed a letter to ‘Johnny Mercer, Songwriter, New York.’ The post office forwarded the letter to ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), who got the letter to Mercer. Mercer wrote the melody himself and completed the lyrics for “I Wanna Be Around” in 1959 and asked Tony Bennett to record it, which he did in 1962. Mercer gave 50% of the profits to Ms. Vimmerstedt, which made her a wealthy woman and enabled her to retire and travel the world. It is one of the great songs in the American Songbook.

About This Version

Tony Bennett r3ecorded “I Wanna Be Around” in 1962 for the album I Wanna Be Around, released in 1963. Marty Manning wrote the arrangement.

I Wanna Be Around…

Listen to I Wanna Be Around… on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1963.

“I Wanna Be Around,” as well as the album I Wanna Be Around, is available from Apple Music.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Twilight World

The song of the day for Saturday, March 20, 2021, is “Twilight World.”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett is honoring pianist Marian McPartland on the anniversary of her birth on March 20, 1918, in Slough, England. She showed remarkable aptitude on the piano from an early age and received a musical education as a girl. She studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. But she yearned to play jazz piano and in 1938 left school to join a four-piano vaudeville act, followed by other engagements. When World War II started, she volunteered for the Entertainment National Service Association and played for Allied troops, and later hired on with the USO. She was assigned to a group called the Band Wagon and played throughout the war. In 1944, she met a soldier-cornetist from Chicago named Jimmy McPartland and they were soon wed.

By 1946, the couple was back in the United States, where Jimmy formed a group including Marian on piano. In 1952, she got a gig at the Hickory House in New York, where she played with her trio (Joe Morello on drums and Bill Crow on bass) until the early 1960s. A frequent visitor to the club was Duke Ellington, who told her that she played too many notes and she definitely took his advice.

Many Americans know Marian McPartland from her wildly successful and award-winning public radio program called Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz (which your author seldom missed) from 1979 to 2011.

Tony Bennett was a guest on the show in 1990:

In addition to her career as a jazz pianist, she was also a noted writer. Her book All In Good Time is a favorite of mine, especially the audio version, narrated by the author.

McPartland remained active until her death from natural causes on August 20, 2013, at the age of 95.

About This Song

Marian McPartland wrote “Twilight World” in 1957, with lyrics from Johnny Mercer. This ballad has proven to be one of her most enduring and popular songs. The tune itself is a lovely mid-tempo ballad, sometimes played in a bossa nova style. The lyrics by Johnny Mercer are quite good, and the combination makes for a nearly perfect jazz song. Tony Bennett said “well, that song will last forever. It’s a beautiful song.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Twilight World” in 1971 for his album With Love, featuring an arrangement by Robert Farnon.

Twilight World

Listen to Twilight World on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1972.

“Twilight World,” as well as With Love, is available from Apple Music.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: This Time The Dream’s On Me

The song of the day for Friday, March 5, 2021, is “This Time The Dream’s On Me.”

About This Song

“This Time The Dream’s On Me” was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1941 film musical, Blues in the Night, which also featured the title song. Blues in the Night is a somewhat film noir musical about a down-on-their-luck band that plays blues music.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “This Time The Dream’s On Me” for his 1960 album Tony Bennett Sings A Stream Of Harold Arlen. Glenn Osser arranged and conducted the orchestra for the album.

This Time The Dream’s On Me

Listen to This Time The Dream’s On Me on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1960.

“This Time The Dream’s On Me,” as well as Tony Bennett Sings A Stream Of Harold Arlen, is available from Apple Music.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Out Of This World

The song of the day for Thursday, March 4, 2021, is “Out Of This World.”

About This Song

“Out Of This World” was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1945 movie of the same name. Out Of This World starred Eddie Bracken; however, Bing Crosby dubbed the vocals for Bracken and introduced the song. Alec Wilder was a fan of this song, praising its ethereal quality and the excellent lyrics by Mercer.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Out Of This World” with a superb jazz quartet: Herbie Hancock (piano), Stan Getz (tenor sax), Ron Carter (bass), and Elvin Jones (drums). It’s just as great a recording as you can imagine with all that talent. This song, as well as a few others with the quartet, are on Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 1.

Out of This World

Listen to Out of This World on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2012.

“Out Of This World,” as well as Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 1, is available from Apple Music.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: That Old Black Magic

The song of the day for Tuesday, February 16, 2021, is “That Old Black Magic.”

About This Song

One of the great songs by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, “That Old Black Magic” was written in 1942 and first recorded by Glenn Miller. It was also used in the 1942 movie Star Spangled Rhythm. It’s been recorded many times and used in several films, including the 1956 film Bus Stop, where it was sung by Marilyn Monroe.

About This Version

In 1962, Tony Bennett and his trio and The Dave Brubeck Quartet were invited by President John Kennedy to perform in the White House Rose Garden as a thank you to that year’s Presidential Scholars. There was so much interest in the concert that it was moved to the Mall near the Washington Monument. After each artist played their respective sets, Bennett and Brubeck, along with Eugene Wright on bass and Joe Morello on drums returned for a short improv set. One of the songs in that set was “That Old Black Magic.” The concert was recorded, but the tapes had been long since lost. Soon after Brubeck’s death in December 2012, the tapes were found in the classical music archives of Sony/Columbia Records. The album Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962 was released in April 2013.

That Old Black Magic (with The Dave Brubeck Trio) – Live

Listen to That Old Black Magic (with The Dave Brubeck Trio) – Live on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2013.

“That Old Black Magic,” as well as Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962, is available from Apple Music.

Subscribe to The Year of Tony Bennett

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Current Reader Favorites