The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Sweet Lorraine

The song of the day for Friday, March 17, 2023, is “Sweet Lorraine.”

About Today

We are celebrating the birth of Nathaniel Adams Cole, better known as Nat “King” Cole, on March 17, 1919, in Montgomery, Alabama. Cole started his career as a pianist, and gradually started singing as well. Cole tragically died from cancer at the young age of 45 from lung cancer. His daughter, Natalie Cole, carried on the family profession and became a professional singer in her own right.

About This Song

“Sweet Lorraine” was written in 1928 by Cliff Burwell and Mitchell Parish. It was written to be used in a vaudeville show. Rudy Vallee and his Heigh-Ho Yale Collegians recorded the song in 1928; the recording made the song popular and was widely recorded by artists including Teddy Wilson, Isham Jones, and Joe Venuti in the 1930s. Nat “King” Cole recorded it in 1940.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Sweet Lorraine” on March 11, 1965, with Bobby Hacket on the ukulele and Joe Marsala on clarinet. Bennett included the recording on his 1965 album If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set.

“Sweet Lorraine,” as well as If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set is available on Apple Music.

We’ve got a video of Nat “King” Cole singing today’s song:

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Song of the Day: Sweet Lorraine

The song of the day for Thursday, March 17, 2022, is “Sweet Lorraine.”

About Today

Today we are honoring Nat “King” Cole, who was born on March 17, 1919.

About This Song

“Sweet Lorraine” was written in 1928 by Cliff Burwell and Mitchell Parish. It was originally a vaudeville song; the Rudy Valle recording made the song quite popular and a nice, up-tempo jazz number. Nat “King” Cole had a major hit with this song in 1940.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Sweet Lorraine” in 1965 in Chicago. Bennett was working with cornettist Bobby Hackett at the Palmer House. Nat “King” Cole had passed away just the month before and they wanted to do a recording of “Sweet Lorraine,” one of Cole’s early hits. Hackett played the ukulele for the recording and a friend of his, Joe Marsala, played clarinet. The recording was included on If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set.

“Sweet Lorraine,” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set is available on Apple Music.

We were very pleased to find a video of Nat Cole and his trio performing “Sweet Lorraine.”

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Song of the Day: Sophisticated Lady

The song of the day for Thursday, April 29, 2021, is “Sophisticated Lady.”

About Today

Today marks the 122nd anniversary of the birth of Duke Ellington, born in Washington D.C. on April 29, 1899. His music will never be forgotten and will never be outdated.

About This Song

“Sophisticated Lady” was written by Duke Ellington in 1932, with lyrics by Irving Mills and Mitchell Parish. Ellington is said to have been inspired to write this song by two of his grade school teachers, who toured Europe in the summers after teaching all year. “To me that spelled sophistication.” “Sophisticated Lady” was first recorded in 1933 on the flip side with Harold Arlen’s “Stormy Weather.” It is, of course, one of Ellington’s most popular and often-played songs. In addition to numerous recordings by Ellington over the years, the song has been recorded by Art Tatum, Anita O’Day, Billie Holiday, Billy Eckstine, Johnny Hodges, Sarah Vaughan, and Glenn Miller.

About This Version

Tony Bennett was recorded in 1999 for the album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

Sophisticated Lady

Tony Bennett · Bennett Sings Ellington / Hot And Cool · Song · 1999

“Sophisticated Lady,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from Apple Music.

Here’s Ellington’s 1932 instrumental recording.

Sophisticated Lady - Take 2

Listen to Sophisticated Lady - Take 2 on Spotify. Song · Duke Ellington · 2018

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Song of the Day: Sweet Lorraine

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 17, 2021, is “Sweet Lorraine.”

Today’s song is in honor of Nat “King” Cole, who was born on March 17, 1919. Nat Cole recorded “Sweet Lorraine” in 1940 and it was a big hit for him. Tony Bennett and Nat Cole were good friends, and Bennett dedicated today’s song of the day in Cole’s memory.

About This Song

“Sweet Lorraine” was written in 1928 by Cliff Burwell and Mitchell Parish. It was originally a vaudeville song; the Rudy Valle recording made the song quite popular and a nice, up-tempo jazz number.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Sweet Lorraine” on March 11, 1965, with Buddy Hackett on ukulele and Joe Marsala on clarinet. The recording was released on If I Ruled The World: Songs for the Jet Set, released in 1965.

Sweet Lorraine

Tony Bennett · If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set · Song · 1965

“Sweet Lorraine,” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs for the Jet Set, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Sweet Lorraine

The song of the day for Wednesday, September 2, 2020, is “Sweet Lorraine.”

About This Song

“Sweet Lorraine” was written by Cliff Burwell and Mitchell in 1928, It was originally a vaudeville song; the Rudy Valle recording made the song quite popular and a nice, up-tempo jazz number. Nat King Cole had a major hit with this song in 1940.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Sweet Lorraine” in 1965, though it was not part of the rest of the sessions for If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set. In March 1965, Tony Bennett and Bobby Hackett were appearing live in Chicago and decided to record this song in tribute to Nat King Cole, who had died a month earlier. Hackett played the ukulele (not the cornet, which was his instrument) and Hackett’s friend, Joe Marsala, played clarinet.

“Sweet Lorraine,” as well as If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set, is available from Apple Music.