The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Dream Dancing

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 28, 2023, is “Dream Dancing.”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett is proud to honor Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, known professionally as Lady Gaga, on her birthday! Happy birthday! We love you madly.

About This Song

Cole Porter wrote “Dream Dancing” for the 1941 movie You’ll Never Get Rich, though it was introduced only in its instrumental form. The first recording of the song, with lyrics, was made by Fred Astaire in the same year, with The Delta Rhythm Boys. Other recordings include those by Ella Fitzgerald, Zoot Zims with Jimmy Rowles, and Mel Tormé.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga recorded “Dream Dancing” for their 2021 album Love For Sale. The orchestral arrangement is by Jorge Calandrelli.

“Dream Dancing,” as well as Love For Sale is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the official video for the recording:

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Song of the Day: But Beautiful

The song of the day for Friday, March 3, 2023, is “But Beautiful.”

About This Song

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

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga recorded “But Beautiful” in 2014 for their album Cheek To Cheek. The arrangement was written by Jorge Calandrelli. The recording features Gray Sargent on guitar.

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

Here’s the video from the studio recording of today’s song:

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Song of the Day: Nature Boy

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 1, 2023, 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 their album Cheek To Cheek. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

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

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Song of the Day: How Do You Keep The Music Playing

The song of the day for Sunday, February 28, 2023, is “How Do You Keep The Music Playing.”

About This Song

“How Do You Keep The Music Playing” was written by Michel Legrand, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, in 1982 for the movie Best Friends. The initial recording was a duet by Patti Austin and James Ingram, which became a hit single in 1983. It was one of three songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman that were nominated that year for an Academy Award for Best Song (though the award went to “Up Where We Belong” from the movie An Officer and a Gentleman). The song has become a popular standard and has had many fine recordings, including those by Frank Sinatra (who encouraged Bennett to sing this song), Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis and Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett and George Michael, and, most recently, Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin recorded “How Do You Keep The Music Playing” in 2011 for the album Duets II. It was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.

“How Do You Keep The Music Playing,” as well as Duets II is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the video from the recording session:

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Song of the Day: Blue Velvet

The song of the day for Saturday, February 25, 2023, is “Blue Velvet.”

About This Song

“Blue Velvet” was written in 1950 by Bernie Williams and Lee Morris. Tony Bennett’s 1951 recording of “Blue Velvet” was the first recording of the song and was one of his early hits for Columbia.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and k.d. lang recorded “Blue Velvet” in 2011 for Duets II. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

“Blue Velvet,” as well as Duets II is available on Apple Music.

Here are Tony and k.d. lang from the recording session: