The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)

The song of the day for Wednesday, May 13, 2026, is “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)”

About This Song

“Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)” was written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley for the 1964 West End musical The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd. Producer David Merrick saw the production in London and decided to bring it to America, starting first with a nationwide tour. Tony Bennett first recorded the song in 1964 and it was a hit for him; this helped bring attention to the musical and helped ensure its success in the US.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Queen Latifah recorded “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)” in 2011 for Duets II. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

“Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)” as well as Duets II, is available on Apple Music.

We have the official Vevo video from their recording session.

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Song of the Day: Moments Like This

The song of the day for Tuesday, May 5, 2026, is “Moments Like This”

About This Song

“Moments Like This” was written by Burton Lane (music) and Frank Loesser (lyrics) for a 1938 movie called College Swing and was introduced by Florence George. Early recordings include those by Maxine Sullivan, Teddy Wilson and Dick Stabile and His Orchestra. Later recordings include those by Peggy Lee, Bobby Short and Michael Feinstein.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Moments Like This” in January 1986 for The Art of Excellence, Bennett’s first album after he returned to Columbia Records. Jorge Calandrelli wroth the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“Moments Like This,” as well as The Art of Excellence, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Mood Indigo

The song of the day for Wednesday, April 29, 2026, is “Mood Indigo.”

About Today

Today is the anniversary of the birth of Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington, who was born on April 29, 1899, in Washington, D.C. There aren’t enough superlatives to describe Ellington, but Tony Bennett summed it up:

Duke Ellington was a genius. He was unfailingly courteous and generous, but he kept to himself a lot. Who else could understand the depth of what went on inside his brilliant mind?

About This Song

“Mood Indigo” was written in 1930 by Duke Ellington and Barney Bigard, with lyrics by Irving Mills.

Originally titled “Dreamy Blues,” Ellington wrote this song, which is based on a theme by Barney Bigard, who is said to have learned it from his New Orleans clarinet teacher, Lorenzo Tio. Ellington wrote the song specifically for “microphone transmission” and it was first played on a 1930 radio broadcast. Audiences loved the song, and so Irving Mills wrote the lyric, changing the name of the song to “Mood Indigo.” The song has been widely recorded by instrumental and vocal artists, including Tony Bennett, Charles Mingus, Ella Fitzgerald, Thelonious Monk, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Mood Indigo” in May 1999 for Bennett Sings Ellington/Hot and Cool. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

“Mood Indigo,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington/Hot and Cool, is available on Apple Music.

We’ve got a nice 1931 recording by Ellington of “Mood Indigo.”

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Song of the Day: Nature Boy

The song of the day for Sunday, April 26, 2026, is “Nature Boy.”

About This Song

“Nature Boy” was written in 1947 by eden ahbez, the name adopted by George Alexander Aberle, who was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1908. In the 1930s, he lived in Kansas City and worked as a pianist and band leader. In the early 1940s, he moved to Los Angeles and began playing piano in a health food and raw food store run by John and Vera Richter, who followed a Naturmensch and Lebensreform philosophy influenced by the Wandervogel movement in Germany. In following their philosophy, he and other followers grew their hair long, became vegetarians and were, for all practical purposes, the earliest hippies. They called themselves The Nature Boys. At the suggestion of Johnny Mercer, eden ahbez approached Nat King Cole with his song “Nature Boy.” Unable to meet with Nat Cole personally, he left the song with Cole’s valet. Cole began to perform the song in his concerts; in 1947 he recorded it for Capitol Records, with an arrangement by Frank DeVol, who used strings and flute in his orchestration. The song was a big hit for Nat Cole and Capitol Records.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga recorded “Nature Boy” in 2014 for for their album Cheek to Cheek. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

“Nature Boy,” as well as Cheek to Cheek, is available on Apple Music.

We are pleased to share Nat “King” Cole’s 1947 recording of “Nature Boy.”

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Song of the Day: Sophisticated Lady

The song of the day for Friday, April 10, 2025, is “Sophisticated Lady.”

About This Song

“Sophisticated Lady” was written in 1932 by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Mitchell Parish and Irving Mills. Ellington wrote it as an instrumental named “Never No Lament,” but changed the title to “Sophisticated Lady” after the lyrics were added.

Ellington is said to have been inspired to write this song by two of his grade school teachers, who toured Europe in the summers after teaching all year. “To me that spelled sophistication.” “Sophisticated Lady” was first recorded in 1933 on the flip side with Harold Arlen’s “Stormy Weather.” It is, of course, one of Ellington’s most popular and often-played songs. In addition to numerous recordings by Ellington over the years, the song has been recorded by Art Tatum, Anita O’Day, Billie Holiday, Billy Eckstine, Johnny Hodges, Sarah Vaughan, and Glenn Miller.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Sophisticated Lady” in May 1999 for Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

“Sophisticated Lady,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available on Apple Music.

We have Ellington’s 1933 recording of “Sophisticated Lady” with Johnny Hodges, Barney Bigard, Juan Tizol, Cootie Williams, Harry Carney and more: