The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Lost in the Stars

The song of the day for February 28, 2014 is “Lost in the Stars.”

About This Song

“Lost in the Stars” was written by Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson for the 1949 musical of the same name, based on the 1948 novel by Alan Paton: Cry, the Beloved Country. Set in South Africa in an era when apartheid seemed as if it would never end, the plot concerns a black priest whose son, in a robbery attempt, kills a white man who is a friend of his father. The priest sings this song at the end of the first act, in a complete crisis of faith.

About This Version

Today’s version of “Lost in the Stars” was recorded with Count Basie and His Orchestra for the 1959 album In Person! His first version of this song was made for the 1956 album Tony. However, it’s our version today that he selected for his Forty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett box set.

http://open.spotify.com/track/32cxJYmijy4f8hzFl1OnsS
“Lost in the Stars,” as well as the album In Person! with Count Basie and His Orchestra, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Speak Low

The song of the day for Monday, February 10, 2014 is “Speak Low.”

About This Song

“Speak Low” was written for the 1943 musical One Touch of Venus by Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash. It was introduced by Mary Martin and Kenny Baker in the original production. In addition to several very fine Tony Bennett recordings, “Speak Low” has been widely recorded by jazz and popular performers, including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Lena Horne.

About This Version

Today’s version of “Speak Low” is from Tony Bennett’s 1990 album Astoria: Portrait of the Artist. It was orchestrated by Jorge Calandrelli and features the Ralph Sharon Trio, with Paul Langosch on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums.

Other Bennett recordings of “Speak Low” include ones made in 1959 for To My Wonderful One, 1962 for On The Glory Road, again in 1962 for the concert at Carnegie Hall, 1964 (When Lights Are Low), 1994 (MTV Unplugged), and 2011 with Norah Jones (Duets II).

http://open.spotify.com/track/46Ff6AUwxX9OLGdDPHXGa4
“Speak Low,” as well as Astoria: Portrait of the Artist, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Speak Low

The song of the day for Wednesday, December 11, 2013 is “Speak Low.”

About This Song

“Speak Low” was written by Kurt Weill, with lyrics by poet Ogden Nash, for the 1943 Broadway musical One Touch of Venus, where it was introduced by Mary Martin and Kenny Baker. Guy Lombardo had a hit single with “Speak Low” in 1944 and it has been recorded steadily ever since. Other recordings, in addition to Tony Bennett’s, include those by Billie Holiday, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass. Bill Evans recorded an instrumental version of the song.

About This Version

Today’s version of “Speak Low” is from Tony Bennett’s autobiographical album Astoria: Portrait of the Artist, released in 1990. Bennett has recorded this song several times, starting with his 1960 recording for To My Wonderful One, his 1962 Carnegie Hall concert and the unreleased On The Glory Road (now available on iTunes), his 1964 album with the Ralph Sharon Trio When Lights Are Low and in 1964 for his appearance on MTV Unplugged. I’d have to guess that he really loves this song, as do I and many of his fans.

http://open.spotify.com/track/46Ff6AUwxX9OLGdDPHXGa4
“Speak Low,” as well as the album Astoria: Portrait of the Artist, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Speak Low

The song of the day for Thursday, November 14, 2013 is “Speak Low.”

About This Song

“Speak Low” was written by Kurt Weill, with lyrics by poet Ogden Nash, for the 1943 Broadway musical One Touch of Venus. The song was introduced by the two stars: Mary Martin and Kenny Baker. Guy Lombardo recorded one of the first versions of this song that became a big hit.

This song is now considered a jazz standard (#120 on jazzstandards.com) and has received many fine recordings, including those by Tony Bennett (who first recorded it in 1959 for the album To My Wonderful One), Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass, and Barbra Streisand. You can read more about Speak Low at The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography.

About This Version

Tony Bennett included “Speak Low” on his autobiographical 1990 album Astoria: Portrait of the Artist. This songs on the album are the story of his return to Astoria after serving in Europe during World War II. In Astoria, we hear about the hopes and dreams of a young man finding his way, thinking about the future and his love for his hometown. Astoria is one of my very favorite Tony Bennett albums.

“Speak Low,” as well as the entire album, was arranged and conducted by Jorge Calandrelli, with whom Mr. Bennett has worked with steadily up to today.

http://open.spotify.com/track/46Ff6AUwxX9OLGdDPHXGa4
“Speak Low.” as well as Astoria: Portrait of the Artist is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Lost in the Stars

    The song of the day for Monday, October 7, 2013 is “Lost in the Stars.”

    About This Song

    “Lost in the Stars” was written by Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson for the 1949 musical of the same name, based on the 1948 novel Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. The novel, and the musical, is set in apartheid South Africa. It tells the story of a black priest whose son has killed a close friend of his father, a white man. This song is sung at the end of Act One, as the priest experiences a crisis of faith.

    Lost in the Stars was Kurt Weill’s last show; he died the following year.

    About This Version

    Today’s version is from Tony Bennett’s 1959 album with Count Basie: In Person! with Count Basie and His Orchestra. It is worth noting that of all the versions of “Lost in the Stars” that Bennett has recorded, this version is the one he chose for his box sets Forty/Fifty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett.

    http://open.spotify.com/track/32cxJYmijy4f8hzFl1OnsS
    “Lost in the Stars,” as well as the entire In Person! album, is available from iTunes and Amazon.

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