The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I’ve Got You Under My Skin

The song of the day for Saturday, December 27, 2025, is “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.”

About This Song

“I’ve Got You Under My Skin” was written by Cole Porter is 1936 for the musical film Born to Dance. Significant recordings include those by Frank Sinatra (with the Nelson Riddle arrangement), Diana Krall, Peggy Lee, and Rosemary Clooney.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga recorded “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” for their 2021 album Love For Sale. Marion Evans wrote the arrangement and conducted the big band.

Love For Sale won the 64th Annual Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

“I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” as well as Love For Sale, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Country Girl

The song of the day for Wednesday, November 26, 2025, is “Country Girl.”

About This Song

“Country Girl” was written by the Canadian-born composer, conductor, arranger and trumpet player Robert Farnon. Farnon composed both light classical and popular music, as well as film and television scores. Robert Farnon worked with Tony Bennett on several albums, including the wonderful 1968 Snowfall.

The song was based on the William Wordsworth poem “The Solitary Reaper.” “Country Girl” was written in 1966 for the Eurovision Song Contest; it came in third. All I can say is that those other two songs must have been phenomenal, because “Country Girl” is one of the most beautiful and touching songs that I have ever heard.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Country Girl” 59 years ago on November 26, 1966, for Tony Makes It Happen, released in 1967. Marion Evans wrote the arrangement and conducted.

“Country Girl,” as well as Tony Makes It Happen, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: You Can Depend on Me

The song of the day for Friday. November 21, 2025, is “You Can Depend on Me.”

About This Song

“You Can Depend on Me” was written in 1931 by Charles Carpenter, Louis Dunlap, and Earl “Fatha” Hines. The first recording was by Louis Armstrong in 1931. Other recordings include those by Nat “King” Cole and Brenda Lee.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “You Can Depend on Me” on September 11, 1956, for his second album, Tony, released in 1957.

There was some controversy regarding credits for the arrangements on Tony. Bennett wrote in his autobiography The Good Life:

All the guys—Marion [Evans], Gil [Evans], Neal [Hefti], Don [Costa]—did a tremendous job on the orchestrations for Tony, but you’d never know it from reading the front or back cover of that album. At that time Columbia was heavily pushing Ray Conniff. He was going to be the new Percy Faith, their next big name in instrumental pop music. Ray conducted the sessions, and he did a good job, but it burned me up that none of the others received any credit on the cover. Over the next few months I was embarrassed when I ran into them. They’d always ask me why they didn’t get credit. I felt terrible about it.

“You Can Depend on Me,” as well as Tony, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the 1931 recording of “You Can Depend on Me” by Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra.

Armstrong recorded “You Can Depend on Me” again in 1951, live at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, released on Satchmo At Pasadena, which has Armstrong singing vocals.

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Song of the Day: Just One of Those Things

The song of the day for Friday, November 7, 2025, is “Just One of Those Things.”

About This Song

“Just One of Those Things” was written by Cole Porter for the 1935 musical Jubilee. During rehearsals, Moss Hart, the librettist, that an additional song was needed, and Porter wrote the song overnight. “Just One of Those Things” has been widely recorded. Significant recordings include those by Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Judy Garland, Nat Cole, and many more.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Just One of Those Things” for his 2021 album Love For Sale. Marion Evans wrote the arrangement and conducted the big band.

Note that most of the songs on this album are duets with Lady Gaga; however each artist had two solo recordings in addition to the duets. including today’s song.

Love For Sale won the 64th Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

“Just One of Those Things,” as well as Love For Sale, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Just One Of Those Things

The song of the day for Thursday, September 18, 2025, is “Just One Of Those Things.”

About This Song

“Just One Of Those Things” was written by Cole Porter for the 1935 musical Jubilee. It’s one of Porter’s most popular songs and has been recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra. Alec Wilder in American Popular Song spoke of the lyric as ‘a trip to the moon on gossamer wings’ and “that it seems impossible that it wasn’t sitting on his piano, waiting for Porter even before he wrote the lyric.” It has a certain literary fame as well: Holden Caulfied, in Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye likes the song and notes that even the “stinking band” in the hotel lounge “couldn’t ruin it entirely.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Just One Of Those Things” in 2021 for his album Love For Sale. Marion Evans wrote the arrangement. Although Love For Sale features duets with Lady Gaga, both Bennett and Lady Gaga had several solos, including today’s song.

“Just One Of Those Things,” as well as Love For Sale, is available on Apple Music.