The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Put On A Happy Face

The song of the day for Monday, August 15. 2022, is “Put On A Happy Face.”

About This Song

“Put on A Happy Face” was written by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams for the 1960 musical Bye, Bye Birdie, based loosely on the story of Elvis Presley being drafted into the Army in 1957.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Put On A Happy Face” on May 6, 1960, with an arrangement by Frank Devol. It was released as a single in 1960 and was added to Bennett’s 1962 compilation of Broadway songs he recorded between 1953 and 1961: Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits.

“Put On A Happy Face” as well as Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Just In Time

The song of the day for Sunday, August 15, 2021, is “Just In Time.”

About This Song

“Just In Time” was written by Jule Styne, with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, for the 1956 musical Bells Are Ringing, where it was introduced by Judy Holliday and Sidney Chaplin. Holliday and Dean Martin sang it in the 1960 film version of Bells Are Ringing.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Just In Time” in 1956, with an arrangement by Percy Faith, and it was released as a single that year. It was included on Bennett’s 1962 album Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Great Broadway Hits.

Just in Time

Listen to Just in Time on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1962

“Just In Time,” as well as Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Put On A Happy Face

The song of the day for Friday, May 6, 2021, is “Put On A Happy Face.”

About This Song

“Put On A Happy Face” was written by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams for the 1960 Broadway musical Bye, Bye Birdie, based loosely on the story of Elvis Presley being drafted into the Army in 1957.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Put On A Happy Face” 61 years ago today on May 6, 1960 for his album, Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits, released in 1962. Frank DeVol wrote the arrangement.

Put On A Happy Face

Listen to Put On A Happy Face on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1962

“Put On A Happy Face,” as well as Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Just In Time

The song of the day for Monday, January 18, 2021, is “Just In Time.”

About This Song

“Just In Time” was written for the 1956 Broadway musical Bells Are Ringing; the music was composed by Jule Styne, with lyrics by Adolph Green and Betty Comden. It was introduced by Judy Holliday and Sidney Chaplin; Holliday and Dean Martin sang it in the 1960 film version of Bells Are Ringing.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Just In Time” on my birthday in 1956 and it was released as a single that year. It was later added to his 1962 album Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits.

In 1965 Harry Belafonte, a good friend of Bennett’s, asked him to join Martin Luther King, Jr. for the third Selma march, the march after Bloody Sunday. This interview with Harry Belafonte and Tony Bennett, conducted by Chris Cuomo, tells the story:

Tony Bennett / Harry Belafonte remember Bloody Sunday / Selma Alabama

Tony Bennett / Harry Belafonte remember Bloody Sunday / Selma Alabama

In 1978, the miniseries King was aired, starring Paul Winfield as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Cecily Tyson as Coretta Scott King. Tony Bennett played himself and recreated his performance.. The entire miniseries is available on YouTube; I cued it up to Bennett’s performance:

* " King " -- Tv Miniseries - 1978 - complete (Martin Luther King Jr.) *

Uploaded by Steve NoSpinningEarth on 2014-07-04.

Just in Time

Listen to Just in Time on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1962

“Just In Time,” as well as Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Stranger in Paradise

The song of the day for Saturday, March 9, 2019, is “Stranger in Paradise.”

About This Song

“Stranger in Paradise” was written in 1953 by Robert Wright and George Forrest, based on Alexander Borodin’s “Gilding Dance of the Maidens.” It was the hugely popular song from the 1953 musical Kismet. The popularity of Kismet is due in large part to Tony Bennett. At the time Kismet was preparing to open, New York City was having a massive newspaper strike and publicizing the opening of the musical was nearly impossible. The producers asked Tony Bennett to record “Stranger in Paradise” to help promote the production. His version was a hit and so was Kismet.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Stranger in Paradise” in 1953 and features an arrangement by Percy Faith; it was released as single that year. Today’s song was included on the 1962 Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits.

Stranger in Paradise – Remastered

Stranger in Paradise – Remastered, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“Stranger in Paradise,” as well as Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits, is available from iTunes.

About Today

For our video today, we have Tony singing his duet of “Stranger in Paradise” with Andrea Bocelli for the album Duets II.

Stranger In Paradise (from Duets II: The Great Performances)

Tony Bennett & Andrea Bocelli’s official music video for ‘Stranger In Paradise’. Click to listen to Tony Bennett on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/TonyBennettSpotify?IQid=TonyBSIP As featured on Duets II.

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