The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: That Old Devil Moon

The song of the day for Monday, September 25, 2017 is “That Old Devil Moon.”

About This Song

“Old Devil Moon” was written for the 1947 musical Finian’s Rainbow by Burton Lane and Yip Harburg, 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

Tony Bennett kicked off his 1994 MTV Unplugged television performance with “Old Devil Moon,” with the Ralph Sharon Trio, which featured Doug Richeson on bass and Clayton Cameron on drums.

Old Devil Moon - Live

Listen to Old Devil Moon - Live on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1994


“Old Devil Moon,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Old Devil Moon

The song of the day for Saturday, June 24, 2017 is “Old Devil Moon.”

About This Song

“Old Devil Moon” was written in 1947 by Burton Lane (music) and Yip Harburg (lyrics) for the Broadway 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

I found myself returning to Cloud 7 for another song for Saturday.

Tony Bennett recorded “Old Devil Moon” in 1954 for his album Cloud 7. The arrangement is from Chuck Wayne, who arranged most of the album.

Old Devil Moon

Listen to Old Devil Moon on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1955


“Old Devil Moon,” as well as Cloud 7, is available from iTunes.

About Today

For our Saturday YouTube video, here’s Tony singing “Old Devil Moon” from his 1994 MTV Unplugged live televised concert. Playing with Bennett is Ralph Sharon (piano), Doug Richeson (bass) and Clayton Cameron (drums).

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Song of the Day: Fly Me To The Moon

The song of the day for Saturday, December 10, 2016 is “Fly Me To The Moon.”

About This Song

“Fly Me To The Moon,” written by Bart Howard in 1954, was originally titled “In Other Words,” but the song was not doing that well, in spite of several recordings. In 1962, Howard renamed the song to “Fly Me To The Moon,” and the song began to catch on. Tony Bennett’s 1965 recording for If I Ruled The World: Songs For the Jet Set was a big hit. There have been many recordings of the song, including those by Frank Sinatra, Kaye Ballard and many more. However, Bart Howard told Bennett that his 1965 recording was “the definitive performance of this song.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Fly Me To The Moon” in 1965 for the album If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set. The arrangement is from Don Costa.

I hope you don’t mind me featuring this album two days in a row, but I can’t help it. This album is one of my favorites–I play it all the time.

Fly Me To The Moon

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


“Fly Me To The Moon,” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Saturday again already? No worries … today we have Tony singing today’s song from his 1994 appearance on MTV Unplugged.

Tony Bennett - Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words) (Live on MTV Unplugged)

Tony Bennett perfmoring Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words) from MTV Unplugged Listen to Tony Bennett: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/listenYD Subscribe to the official Tony Bennett YouTube channel: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/subscribeYD Follow Tony Bennett: Facebook: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/followFI Instagram: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/followII Twitter: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/followTI Website: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/followWI Spotify: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/followSI YouTube: https://TonyBennett.lnk.to/subscribeYD Chorus: Fly me to the moon Let me play among the stars Let me see what spring is like on A-Jupiter and Mars In other words, hold my hand In other words, baby, kiss me #TonyBennett #FlyMeToTheMoon #MTVUnplugged

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Song of the Day: Old Devil Moon

The song of the day for Saturday, November 12, 2016 is “Old Devil Moon.”

About This Song

“Old Devil Moon” was written by Burton Lane, with lyrics by Yip Harburg, 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

I felt the need for a Yip Harburg song today and “Old Devil Moon” is a great song. I picked Bennett’s version from 1967 for the album Tony Makes It Happen! The excellent arrangement is by the excellent Marion Evans, who still arranges for Tony Bennett, lately on Cheek To Cheek.

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.

About Today

Our video this Saturday is Tony Bennett singing today’s song from his 1995 MTV Unplugged concert. The album from show won the Grammy’s coveted award for Album of the Year. You’ll get no argument from me on this.

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Song of the Day: I Love A Piano

The song of the day for Wednesday, May 4, 2016 is “I Love A Piano.”

About This Song

Irving Berlin wrote “I Love A Piano” in 1915! It was one of Berlin’s ragtime style songs and was introduced in the 1915 Broadway musical Stop! Look! Listen!, where is was sung by Harry Fox. It as recorded in 1915 by Billy Murray, but did not catch on immediately, due in part, I’m sure, to the fact that home phonographs may not have been as prevalent as they were a few decades later. Berlin included it in the 1948 movie Easter Parade with Fred Astaire and Judy Garland and since then the song has been well-received.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Love A Piano” for his live MTV Unplugged album, which won both Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance and Album of the Year at the 1994 Grammy Awards.

I Love a Piano - Live at Sony Studios, New York City, NY - April 1994

Listen to I Love a Piano - Live at Sony Studios, New York City, NY - April 1994 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1994


“I Love A Piano,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from iTunes.

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