The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Tony Live! Keep Smiling at Trouble

The song of the day for Saturday, March 28, 2020, is “Keep Smiling at Trouble.”

About This Song

“Keep Smiling at Trouble” was written in 1924 by Lewis Gensler, with lyrics by Al Jolson and Buddy DeSylva. It was first recorded by Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians in 1924, with vocals by his brother, Tom Waring. Other noted recordings were by Jolson, Ruby Braff, Tommy Dorsey, Della Reese, and Bobby Hackett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded his show at The Sahara in Las Vegas in April 1964, including “Keep Smiling at Trouble.” The show was released in 2011 as Live at The Sahara: Las Vegas, 1964.

“Keep Smiling at Trouble,” as well as Live at The Sahara: Las Vegas, 1964, is available from iTunes.

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Tony Live! This Could Be the Start of Something Big

The song of the day for Saturday, March 21, 2020, is “This Could Be the Start of Something Big.”

About This Song

“This Could Be the Start of Something Big” was written in 1956 by multi-talented Steve Allen. Allen was the first host of The Tonight Show in 1953. He was also an accomplished pianist and singer and, as evidenced by this song, a fine composer as well.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “This Could Be the Start of Something Big” on April 6, 1964, at The Sahara Hotel in the Congo Room. Frank Laico recorded the show, which was finally released in 2011 as part of the Complete Collection box set as Live at the Sahara: Las Vegas 1964.

“This Could Be the Start of Something Big,” as well as Live at the Sahara: Las Vegas 1964, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Sing You Sinners

The song of the day for Sunday, October 11, 2015 is “Sing You Sinners.”

About This Song

“Sing You Sinners” was written in 1930 by W. Franke Harling (music) and Sam Coslow (lyrics) for the 1930 film “Honey,” starring Lillian Roth. The song was an early hit in 1950 for Tony Bennett. He sings the song regularly in concerts today.

About These Versions

We have several versions of this song. All of them are great, upbeat versions. The two earliest recordings were singles recorded in 1950 and 1955 by Marty Manning and Percy Faith, respectively. Following that we have two live version: 1962 at Carnegie Hall and 1964 at The Sahara in Las Vegas. We close with a duet from 2006 with John Legend, released on Duets: An American Classic. I like them all but I love this song a lot and don’t think I could ever be disappointed when Tony Bennett sings it: no matter when, no matter where, it swings like hell.

1950

Sing You Sinners

Listen to Sing You Sinners on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2011


“Sing You Sinners,” as well as The Columbia Singles, Vol. 1, is available from iTunes.

1955

Sing You Sinners

Listen to Sing You Sinners on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2011


“Sing You Sinners,” as well as The Columbia Singles, Vol. 4, is available from iTunes.

1962

Sing You Sinners (From "Honey") - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962

Listen to Sing You Sinners (From "Honey") - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Ralph Sharon & His Orchestra · 1962


“Sing You Sinners,” as well as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall, is available from iTunes.

1964

Sing You Sinners - Live at the Sahara Hotel, Las Vegas, NV - April 1964

Listen to Sing You Sinners - Live at the Sahara Hotel, Las Vegas, NV - April 1964 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1964


“Sing You Sinners,” as well as Live at The Sahara – Las Vegas 1964, is available from iTunes.

2006

Sing You Sinners (with John Legend)

Listen to Sing You Sinners (with John Legend) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, John Legend · 2006


“Sing You Sinners,” as well as Duets: An American Classic, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Ain’t Misbehaving

The song of the day for Tuesday, July 22, 2014 is “Ain’t Misbehaving.”

About This Song

“Ain’t Misbehaving” was written in 1929 by Thomas “Fats” Waller and Harry Brooks, with lyrics by Andy Razaf. Waller recorded the original version, released by the Victor label on August 2, 1929. This recording received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1984; the song was named as one of the 365 Songs of the (20th) Century, as selected by the Recording Industry Association of America.

There were six other versions recorded in 1929, including those by Ruth Etting, Louis Armstrong and Leo Reisman and His Orchestra. The song has remained vastly popular over the years, with recordings by the greats of jazz: Anita O’Day, Billie Holiday, Eartha Kitt, Ella Fitzgerald, Kay Starr, Sidney Bechet and many, many more. The song found new popularity in 1978 with the musical revue of the same name with a book by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby, Jr. Your author had the great fortune to see the production with the original cast and it was one of the most exciting and happiest evenings I have ever spent in a theatre.

About This Version

Today’s version is from Bennett’s live appearance at the Sahara in Las Vegas in 1964, recently released on the album Live At The Sahara: From This Moment On, recorded in April, 1964. In that same time frame, he recorded the song with the Ralph Sharon Trio for the album When Lights Are Low.

Both versions feature a slower tempo than one usually hears today. I like this tempo a lot and has a much different feel than the song does when sung at the much faster tempo, such as from the 1978 Ain’t Misbehaving. It’s a great song at about any tempo and today’s version is a joy.

http://open.spotify.com/track/4e7Xq3O7WJC9TcJOdOcPEb
“Ain’t Misbehaving,” as well as the album Live At The Sahara: From This Moment On, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Once Upon a Time

The song of the day for Tuesday, January 7, 2013 is “Once Upon a Time.”

About This Song

“Once Upon a Time” was written by Charles Strouse (music) and Lee Adams (lyrics) for the 1962 Ray Bolger musical All American, where it was introduced by Bolger and Eileen Herlie. While the musical was not a major smash hit, the song is quite lovely. In addition to Tony Bennett’s fine recording, it was also recorded by Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Howard Keel, Bobby Darrin and Mandy Patinkin.

My mother had an Andy Williams album with this song on it. As a young pre-teen girl, I thought it was the most beautiful and romantic song I’d ever heard. I still do, though I much prefer Tony Bennett’s versions of it.

About This Version

The first recording of “Once Upon a Time” by Tony Bennett has quite a history: it was the A-side to the 45rpm single that had “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” on the B-side. And we all know how that turned out. Bennett mentions in concert how they were out plugging “Once Upon a Time” but the public really loved “I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” which turned out, of course, to be the song that won Bennett his first Grammy awards for Best Record of the Year and Best Solo Performance, Male. Nonetheless, “Once Upon a Time” is a beautiful song and he sings it regularly in concerts today.

Today’s version is not the original, but the live version from Live at the Sahara: Las Vegas, 1964, released last year. Today, my co-blogger and I both found ourselves, independently, not only listening to this concert album, but focusing on and replaying “Once Upon a Time.” This synchronicity is too perfect to ignore and so this is our song for today.

http://open.spotify.com/track/2oiXN92Q5EG56jxWkENK9L
“Once Upon a Time,” as well as Live at the Sahara: Las Vegas, 1964, is available from iTunes.