The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The song of the day for Saturday, February 1, 2014 is “The Way You Look Tonight.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “The Way You Look Tonight” is one of Jerome Kern’s most beautiful songs, with wonderful lyrics by Dorothy Fields. They wrote this song for the 1936 film Swing Time, starring Fred Astaire (who introduced the song) and Ginger Rogers.

About This Version

Today’s version of “The Way You Look Tonight” is from Bennett’s 1958 album Long Ago And Far Away and was arranged and conducted by Frank DeVol. Bennett sings this song in most of his concerts and it’s always a show-stopper, with great heart and emotional depth. This author never tires of hearing it; I hope you never tire of it either. It’s one of the greatest songs in the American Songbook sung by its greatest proponent.

http://open.spotify.com/track/1cIPfxkVrIglSgpYCtYyCN
“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as the album Long Ago and Far Away, is available from iTunes.

As it’s Saturday, here’s your video: Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap singing today’s song, from the Elvis Costello Spectacle, from December 2008:

And if you have time for another video, here’s the scene from Swing Time, with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers:

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Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The song of the day for Saturday, December 7, 2013 is “The Way You Look Tonight.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “The Way You Look Tonight,” was written by two of America’s greatest songwriters: Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields. The song was written for the 1936 film Swing Time and was, of course, originally introduced by Fred Astaire. In 1936, the song was also recorded by Bing Crosby with his current wife Dixie Lee and also Billie Holiday. It has been steadily recorded ever since, with major jazz and popular recordings up to today.

Even though Fields’ lyrics are exquisite, “The Way You Look Tonight” has had many fine instrumental recordings as well, including those by Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson.

Dorothy Fields is quoted as saying “the first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.”

I couldn’t agree more.

About This Version

Today’s version of “The Way You Look Tonight” was recorded in 1958 for the album Long Ago and Far Away. The album was arranged and conducted by Frank DeVol; his orchestra was used for the album as well. Bennett made another wonderful recording of this song in 1997 for the movie My Best Friend’s Wedding; this version is included on the 50/60 Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett (which I featured a couple of months ago; you can read that post here). But today I find it interesting to listen to Mr. Bennett singing his original version and then the one fifty years later, on our YouTube Saturday video.

Tony Bennett sings this song regularly in concert and it always moves the audience to tears, including your opinionated author. At one concert, a woman I didn’t even know cried on my shoulder after he sang this song. I have never heard anyone sing any song with so much emotional depth and heart as Tony Bennett singing this song in concert.

http://open.spotify.com/track/1cIPfxkVrIglSgpYCtYyCN
“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as the album Long Ago and Far Away, is available from iTunes.

It’s YouTube Saturday again, and so we’re featuring a Tony Bennett video today. The song of the day version was recorded in 1958. This video was recorded fifty years later, in 2008 on an Elvis Costello television special. Mr. Bennett is accompanied by Bill Charlap.

And today we’ll double down … here’s Fred and Ginger:

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Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The Year of Tony Bennett pays tribute today to the great Jerome Kern, born on January 27, 1885. We honor Jerome Kern with our song of the day for Saturday, January 27, 2013: The Way You Look Tonight.

About The Way You Look Tonight

Written for the 1936 Fred Astaire film, Swing Time, The Way You Look Tonight is by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.  It immediately became a standard for popular and jazz singers, including Bing Crosby and Billie Holiday. It has also become a jazz instrumental favorite, with recordings by Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, among others.

Dorothy Fields is quoted as saying

The first time Jerry played the melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.

About This Version

Tony Bennett first recorded The Way You Look Tonight in 1958 and was featured on the album Long Ago … And Far Away.

Today’s version is from 1997. Originally recorded for the soundtrack for My Best Friend’s Wedding, it was included on Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Volume 2 from the 2011 Tony Bennett Complete Collection. Mr. Bennett sings this song at most, if not all, of his live performances. Viva Duets, released in 2012, features a duet of this song with Thalia.

The Way You Look Tonight

Listen to The Way You Look Tonight on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2012

The Way You Look Tonight, as well as Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Volume 2, is available at iTunes.