The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Old Devil Moon

The song of the day for Sunday, July 19, 2015 is “Old Devil Moon.”

About This Song

“Old Devil Moon” was written for the 1947 musical Finian’s Rainbow, with music by Burton Lane and lyrics from Yip Harburg. Also from this musical is the song “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?” While Alec Wilder was no fan of “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?”, in America Popular Song he praises “Old Devil Moon” as “a well-written, wholly convincing song. It drives, and its initial intensity is sustained throughout.”

About This Version

Today’s version is Bennett’s second recording of “Old Devil Moon.” He recorded for his first album, Cloud 7, in 1954. Today’s version is from 1964 for the album Tony Makes It Happen!. I love the opening of this song, with the glissando of strings; Rainbow is, after all, a musical filled with magic. While the strings continue to remind us of its ethereal quality, this is a superb big band arrangement.

I think my favorite part comes about 1:20 into the recording, where Bennett holds the note as he sings ‘love’ for what seems like forever, while the brass climbs up the scale. It’s really fantastic!

About This Week

This week, The Year of Tony Bennett honors a friend of this blog: Marion Evans. During the week, we will feature recordings by this gifted arranger.

Marion Evans and Tony Bennett in 1967. Photo by Milt Hinton.
Marion Evans and Tony Bennett in 1967. Photo by Milt Hinton.

Evans arranged and conducted all the songs on Bennett’s 1967 album Tony Makes It Happen! and continues to arrange for him today.

Old Devil Moon

Listen to Old Devil Moon on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1967


“Old Devil Moon,” as well as Tony Makes It Happen!, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: They All Laughed

The song of the day for Friday, June 19, 2015 is “They All Laughed.”

About This Song

George and Ira Gershwin wrote “They All Laughed” in 1937 for the Fred Astaire film Shall We Dance. Mr. Bennett often performs this song in concert.

About This Version

I’m so glad that Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga included this song for this album. It’s a great Gershwin tune and I love that slightly self-deprecating lyric. The excellent arrangement is by — who else — Marion Evans.

About Today

Today is the first of four performances at Radio City Music Hall by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. Nick, a good friend of the blog, sent me this photograph that he took on recent trip to New York:

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They All Laughed

Listen to They All Laughed on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga · 2014


“They All Laughed,” as well as Cheek To Cheek, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: I Won’t Dance

The song of the day for Saturday, June 13, 2015 is “I Won’t Dance.”

About This Song

“I Won’t Dance” was written in 1934 by Jerome Kern. The original 1934 lyrics were by Oscar Hammerstein and Otto Harbach. The song was originally written for a London musical called Three Sisters, though the show was flop and was quickly forgotten. The following year, a film of Roberta was made, and the song was re-purposed, this time with the new Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields lyrics, which are used in today’s song.

About This Version

I absolutely adore this song and even more this version. Arranged by Marion Evans, this song swings like crazy. The first chords in the introduction really pops; the listener knows he or she is in for a great time. It’s a terrific sound and I want to jump up and dance every time I hear it.

I Won"t Dance

Listen to I Won"t Dance on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga · 2014


“I Won’t Dance,” as well as Cheek To Cheek, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Today is Saturday and that means a video. Today’s video is Tony and Lady Gaga singing today’s song from their PBS special, originally aired last fall. It has showgirls! I love showgirls!

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Song of the Day: Out Of This World

The song of the day for Friday, June 5, 2015 is “Out Of This World.”

About This Song

This song was written for the 1945 movie of the same name by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. Out Of This World starred Eddie Bracken; however Bing Crosby dubbed the vocals for Bracken and introduced the song. Alec Wilder was a fan of “Out Of This World,” praising its ethereal quality and the excellent lyrics by Mercer.

About This Version

Marion Evans and Tony Bennett in 1967. Photo by Milt Hinton.
Marion Evans and Tony Bennett in 1967. Photo by Milt Hinton.

Tony Bennett has recorded this song three times and I had to listen them all to make up my mind. I decided on the 1967 version from For Once In My Life. The Marion Evans arrangement is superb; Evans conducted as well. There’s an underlying urgency in the arrangement that adds a layer of mystery and even a hint of danger under Bennett’s singing, which is masterful. There were some excellent musicians on this session as well, including Urbie Green on trombone and Joe Soldo on flute. You can find out more about the January 18, 1967 session at our sister site, The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography.

Out Of This World

Listen to Out Of This World on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1967


“Out Of This World,” as well as For Once In My Life, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: The Lady Is A Tramp

The song of the day for Monday, May 26, 2015 is “The Lady Is A Tramp.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “The Lady Is A Tramp,” was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the 1937 Broadway musical Babes In Arms. The song was meant as a spoof on the high society of New York, where the singer is clear about what she likes to do, no matter what everyone else is doing. “The Lady Is A Tramp” has been sung by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Lena Horne. More recently, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga sang a duet of this song on their 2011 album “Duets II.”

About This Version

Our version today is the Tony Bennett/Lady Gaga duet from Duets II. Not only do Mr. Bennett and Lady Gaga have a great time singing this song, the Marion Evans arrangement swings like crazy. It only took the first measure to make me fall in love with this arrangement.

About Today

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga will be appearing this evening in Vancouver BC as part of their Cheek2Cheek Tour. They’ll be in California for the rest of the week and come June, they’re off to Europe to take the summer jazz festivals by storm.

The Lady is a Tramp (feat. Tony Bennett)

Listen to The Lady is a Tramp (feat. Tony Bennett) on Spotify. Song · Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett · 2011


“The Lady Is A Tramp,” as well as Duets II, is available from iTunes.