The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Smile

The song of the day for Wednesday, February 14, 2024, is “Smile.”

About This Song

“Smile” was written in 1936 by Charlie Chaplin for his last silent film, Modern Times. John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons wrote the lyrics, which were added later. The final scene of the film shows Chaplin and his costar Paulette Goddard, walking hand-in-hand up the road as the sun rises and as this song plays, in one of the most iconic scenes ever filmed.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Smile” on June 24, 1959, featuring an arrangement by Ralph Burns. It was released as a single in 1959; the recording was added to the album I Left My Heart in San Francisco, released in 1962.

“Smile,” as well as I Left My Heart in San Francisco, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the ending of Modern Times with Paulette Goddard and Charlie Chaplin:

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Smile

The song of the day for Wednesday, February 15, 2023, is “Smile.”

About This Song

“Smile” was written in 1938 by Charlie Chaplin, John Turner, and Geoffrey Parsons. Chaplin wrote “Smile” for his last silent film, Modern Times, which shows Chaplin and his costar Paulette Goddard, walking hand-in-hand up the road as the sun rises and as this song plays, in one of the most iconic scenes ever filmed.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand recorded “Smile” on February 3, 2006, for Duets: An American Classic. It was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.

Duets: An American Classic won the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

Tony Bennett won the 2007 Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program for Tony Bennett: An American Classic.

“Smile,” as well as Duets: An American Classic is available on Apple Music.

Here’s that scene from Modern Times with Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard:

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Smile

The song of the day for Friday, August 19, 2022, is “Smile.”

About This Song

Charlie Chaplin wrote “Smile” in 1936 for his last silent film, Modern Times, which shows Chaplin and his costar Paulette Goddard, walking hand-in-hand up the road as the sun rises and as this song plays, in one of the most iconic scenes ever filmed.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Smile” on June 24, 1959. It was released as a single in 1959 (Columbia 45: 4-41434) and again in 1962 on the album I Left My Heart in San Francisco. It was arranged by Ralph Burns.

“Smile,” as well as I Left My Heart In San Francisco is available on Apple Music.

Here’s that final scene from Modern Times.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Smile

The song of the day for Friday, March 20, 2020, is “Smile.”

About This Song

Charlie Chaplin wrote “Smile” in 1936 for his last silent film, Modern Times, which shows Chaplin and his costar Paulette Goddard, walking hand-in-hand up the road as the sun rises and as this song plays, in one of the most iconic scenes ever filmed. The lyrics by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons were added later.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Smile” as a single in 1959, featuring an arrangement by Ralph Burns. The single was included on Bennett’s 1962 album I Left My Heart in San Francisco.

“Smile,” as well as I Left My Heart in San Francisco, is available from iTunes.

And here’s that beautiful scene from Modern Times, with Charles Chaplin and Paulette Goddard.

Smile, Charlie Chaplin , Modern Times, 1936

Smile!

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Smile

The song of the day for Saturday, April 16, 2016 is “Smile.”

About This Song

Charlie Chaplin wrote “Smile” in 1936 for his last silent film, Modern Times, which shows Chaplin and his costar Paulette Goddard, walking hand-in-hand up the road as the sun rises and as this song plays, in one of the most iconic scenes ever filmed. The lyrics, which were added later, are by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons. This song is a favorite of Tony Bennett’s and he sings “Smile” followed by “When You’re Smiling” at the end of his concerts.

About This Version

Today’s version of “Smile” is from The Movie Song Album. Recorded in 1965, it was arranged by Al Cohn. It’s my favorite of all of his recordings of this song.

Smile

Tony Bennett · The Movie Song Album · Song · 1966


“Smile,” as well as The Movie Song Album, is available from iTunes.

About Today

The composer of today’s song, Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, better known as Charlie Chaplin, was born on April 16, 1889 in London to a poor family and knew much hardship early in his life. He was quite a talented child and began touring the music halls as an actor and comedian. At the age of 19, he signed a contract that took him to America, and at that point his career began to bloom. In 1914, he started working for the Keystone Studios, where he began to develop his Tramp persona, which he used in virtually all of his films.

In 1919, Chaplin co-founded United Artists, which gave him complete control over his films including The Kid, The Gold Rush and The Circus. Even after sound was introduced in the early 1930s, he refused to use dialogue in his film and out of that came two of his finest films: City Lights and Modern Times. In the 1940s, Chaplin fell under suspicion for communist sympathies and moved to Switzerland, where he lived for the rest of his life. Chaplin died on December 25, 1977.

He is remembered as one of the most creative early filmmakers who pushed the medium to artistic heights.

We have two videos for you today. First, is Tony Bennett singing “Smile” at the Hollywood Bowl on August 2, 2013, the day before his 87th birthday.

And finally, the very end of Modern Times, featuring today’s song with Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard.