The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: It’s Like Reaching For The Moon

The song of the day for Tuesday, April 9, 2024, is “It’s Like Reaching For The Moon.”

About This Song

“It’s Like Reaching For The Moon” was written in 1936 by Al Sherman, Al Lewis, and Gerald Marquesee. The song was first recorded in 1936 by Billie Holiday with Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra and was a big hit for her. The song has also been recorded by Carmen McRae, Ella Fitzgerald, and Barbara Carroll.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “It’s Like Reaching For The Moon” in May 1989 for his autobiographical album Astoria: Portrait of the Artist, released in 1990. It was arranged and conducted by Jorge Calandrelli.

“It’s Like Reaching For The Moon,” as well as Astoria: Portrait of the Artist, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the Billie Holiday and Teddy Wilson recording from 1936:

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Song of the Day: Trav’lin’ Light

The song of the day for Sunday, April 7, 2024, is “Trav’lin’ Light.”

About Today

We are proud to honor one of the great jazz singers of all time: Billie Holiday. She was born Eleanora Fagan on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was given the nickname of Lady Day by Lester Young, a frequent collaborator; Bille returned the favor by calling him Prez. She began performing in Harlem as a young teenager. She played Harlem venues such as Pod’s and Jerry’s, where she was heard by musicians such as Benny Goodman, who recorded several records with Holiday. From 1935 to 1938, she recorded with Teddy Wilson, and made several of her early hits with him. She later worked and toured with Count Basie and also with Artie Shaw. In the 1940s, she began to find real success, one of which was “Trav’lin’ Light” which she made in 1942 with Paul Whiteman. In the late 1940s, she ran into a series of legal problems due to her use of narcotics, which caused her to lose her cabaret license, which made it impossible for her to appear in New York clubs that served alcohol. Holliday died in 1959 in a New York hospital, where she was being treated for cirrhosis of the liver.

About This Song

“Trav’lin’ Light” was written in 1942 by Trummy Young and Jimmy Mundy with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The first recording of this song was the one she made with Paul Whiteman. It’s been a popular song for both vocal and instrument jazz musicians, including those by Ella Fitzgerald, Chet Baker, Shirley Horn, Sunny Rollins, and Peggy Lee.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Trav’lin’ Light” in June 1996 for his album Tony Bennett On Holiday, released in 1997. It was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.

Tony Bennett On Holiday won the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“Trav’lin’ Light,” as well as Tony Bennett On Holiday, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Holiday’s 1942 recording of “Trav’lin’ Light” with Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra.

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Song of the Day: Sentimental Journey

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 3, 2024, is “Sentimental Journey.”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett is remembering Doris Day, who first recorded today’s song with Les Brown and His Band of Renown. Doris Day was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 3, 1922, and died at 97 on May 13, 2019, in Carmel Valley, California. She began her career as a big band singer with Les Brown in 1939; “Sentimental Journey” was one of her #1 recordings in 1946. In addition to her singing career, Doris Day was a movie star in the 1950s and 1960s.

About This Song

“Sentimental Journey” was written in 1944 by Les Brown and Ben Homer, with lyrics from Ben Green. The song was a hit record for Les Brown and His Band of Renown; it featured Doris Day as vocalist and this song was her first #1 hit song. The song was popular in the US as soldiers returned home at the end of World War II. The song is a well-known standard and has been recorded by Rosemary Clooney, Ella Fitzgerald, and The Ames Brothers.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Sentimental Journey” in July 1995 for his album songs associated with the great women singers, Here’s To The Ladies. “Sentimental Journey” was Miss Day’s representation on that album. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“Sentimental Journey,” as well as Here’s To The Ladies, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s To The Ladies won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Performance.

Here’s Miss Day’s 1946 recording of “Sentimental Journey” with Les Brown and His Band of Renown:

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Song of the Day: But Beautiful

The song of the day for Thursday, March 28, 2024, is “But Beautiful.”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett wishes Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta aka Lady Gaga a very happy birthday! She was born on March 28, 1986, in New York City. She loved music and began piano lessons at the age of 4. She enrolled at New York University in their music school but left her studies to start her career as a performer. She first sang with Tony Bennett for their duet of “The Lady is a Tramp” for Duets II and recorded two additional albums with Bennett: Cheek To Cheek and Love For Sale.

About This Song

“But Beautiful” was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke in 1947 for Bing Crosby to sing in the 1947 movie The Road to Rio. The song has been widely recorded, including recordings by Bill Evans, Bill Evans and Tony Bennett, Johnny Hartman, Billie Holiday, Gregory Porter, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole.

About This Version

Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett recorded “But Beautiful” in 2014 for their album Cheek To Cheek. It was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.

“But Beautiful,” as well as Cheek To Cheek, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Mood Indigo

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 27, 2024, is “Mood Indigo.”

About This Song

“Mood Indigo” was written in 1930 by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills. Originally titled “Dreamy Blues,” Ellington wrote this song 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, so Irving Mills wrote the lyrics, changing the song’s name 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 his tribute album to Duke Ellington: Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. The album, released on September 28, 1999, coincided with what would have been Ellington’s centennial birthday year in 1999.

Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

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

Here’s Ellington’s 1930 recording of “Mood Indigo.”