The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Tony Live! Speak Low

The song of the day for Sunday, July 12, 2020, is “Speak Low.”

About This Song

“Speak Low” was written by Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash for the 1943 musical One Touch of Venus, where it was introduced by Mary Martin and Kenny Baker. In addition to several very fine Tony Bennett recordings, “Speak Low” has been widely recorded by jazz and popular performers, including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Lena Horne.

About This Version

This version is from Tony’s 1994 MTV Unplugged program. This is my favorite of all of his recordings of “Speak Low.” It is hip and very cool–a perfect jazz performance.

“Speak Low,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from Apple Music.

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Tony Live! Old Devil Moon

The song of the day for Saturday, July 11, 2020, is “Old Devil Moon.”

About Today

Tony Live moves to 1994 and one of Tony Bennett’s greatest triumphs: His live appearance on MTV Unplugged on April 12, 1994. The performance was a huge hit, for both MTV and Bennett. The concert album MTV Unplugged not only won Bennett the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance but also the coveted award for Album of the Year.

About This Song

“Old Devil Moon” was written by for the 1947 musical Finian’s Rainbow, which also gave us “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

“Old Devil Moon,” as well as MTVUnplugged, is available from Apple Music.

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Playlist of the Week: Tony Loves to Sing with Elvis and Diana

The playlist for the week of October 13 is Tony Loves to Sing with Elvis and Diana.

This week’s playlist consists of duets featuring Tony and one of that marvelous couple: Elvis Costello and Diana Krall. This week’s songs are presented in chronological order.

1994 MTV Unplugged
They Can’t Take That Away From Me by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. Elvis Costello.

2001 Playin’ With My Friends
Alright, Okay, You Win by Mamie Watts and Sid Wyche. Diana Krall.

2006 Duets: An American Classic
The Best is Yet to Come by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh. Diana Krall.
Are You Havin’ Any Fun? by Jack Yellen and Sammy Fain. Elvis Costello.

2018 Love is Here to Stay
‘S Wonderful by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. Diana Krall.
Love Is Here to Stay George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. Diana Krall.
Somebody Loves Me George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. Diana Krall.
Do It Again George Gershwin and Buddy DeSylva. Diana Krall.
They Can’t Take That Away From Me George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. Diana Krall.

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Song of the Day: It Amazes Me

The song of the day for Saturday, April 13, 2019, is “It Amazes Me.”

About This Song

“It Amazes Me” was written by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh in 1958. Liza Minnelli recorded this song when she was only eighteen years old on her first album. It has also been recorded by Bill Evans, George Shearing, and Cleo Laine.

About This Version

Today, we’re featuring Tony Bennett’s version of “It Amazes Me” from his legendary 1962 concert at Carnegie Hall, captured on Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall.

It Amazes Me – Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY – June 1962

It Amazes Me – Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY – June 1962, a song by Tony Bennett, Ralph Sharon & His Orchestra on Spotify

“It Amazes Me,” as well as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall, is available from iTunes.

About Today

It’s Video Saturday and today I’ve got two videos today.

First up is Tony Bennett singing today’s song from his MTV Unplugged appearance in 1994.

Tony Bennett – It Amazes Me (from MTV Unplugged)

Music video by Tony Bennett performing It Amazes Me. (C) 1994 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment

Next up is a performance at a tribute to Cy Coleman, who passed away in 2004, sung by the great Elaine Stritch. In her introduction to singing this song, she offers one of the funniest quotes I’ve ever heard: “I don’t think people who drink martinis watch The Sound of Music.”

Elaine Stritch, It Amazes Me

It Started With a Dream, Tribute to Cy Coleman

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Song of the Day: They Can’t Take That Away From Me

The song of the day for Saturday, July 7, 2018 is “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.”

About This Song

“They Can’t Take That Away From Me” was written in 1936 by George and Ira Gershwin. The song was written for the 1937 Fred Astaire – Ginger Rodgers movie Shall We Dance. Unlike most songs that Astaire introduced in his films, there was no dance number associated with “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.” It is one of the Gershwin’s finest love songs. George Gershwin died just two months after this film was released.

About This Version

Tony Bennett first recorded “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” in 1967 for the album For Once In My Life. Our selection for today is, however, from his 1993 album Steppin’ Out, a collection of songs introduced by Fred Astaire.

They Can"t Take That Away from Me

Listen to They Can"t Take That Away from Me on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1993


“They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” as well as Steppin’ Out, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Our video for today is the duet of today’s song with Elvis Costello and Tony Bennett at the 1994 MTV Unplugged concert.

I read today that Elvis Costello has had to cancel the remainder of his European tour this summer to recover from cancer surgery. Apparently the surgery was successful and I was so happy to read that. My very best wishes go out to Mr. Costello and his family as we hope for his complete recovery.

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