The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The song of the day for Saturday, December 8, 2018, is “The Way You Look Tonight.”

About This Song

“The Way You Look Tonight” was written in 1936 by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields. It was introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1936 film Swing Time; the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the year. Dorothy Fields remarked:

The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.

Dorothy Fields was the first woman to win an Oscar for songwriting. It’s a magnificent love song that has found a strong position as a jazz standard, with recordings by Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Mel Tormé and Frank Sinatra.

About This Version

Today’s version of “The Way You Look Tonight” was recorded with The Ralph Sharon Trio for the film My Best Friend’s Wedding, released in 1997.

The Way You Look Tonight

The Way You Look Tonight, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as the songs collected on Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 2, is available from iTunes.

About Today

I have a lovely video of Tony singing today’s song in 2014 at the iTunes London Festival and features the fine guitar of Gray Sargent.

Tony Bennett – The Way You Look Tonight (Live from iTunes Festival, London, 2014)

Music video by Tony Bennett performing The Way You Look Tonight (Live from iTunes Festival, London, 2014). (C) 2014 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment http://vevo.ly/6Om08M

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Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The song of the day for Saturday, April 23, 2016 is “The Way You Look Tonight.”

About This Song

“The Way You Look Tonight,” written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields, was introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1936 film Swing Time; the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the year. Dorothy Fields remarked “The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.” Dorothy Fields was the first woman to win an Oscar for songwriting. It’s a magnificent love song that has found a strong position as a jazz standard, with recordings by Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Mel Tormé and Frank Sinatra.

About This Version

Today’s version of “The Way You Look Tonight” is from the soundtrack of My Best Friend’s Wedding and was recorded ~1997 with the Ralph Sharon Trio. Thankfully, this beautiful recording was included on Volume 2 of Rarities, Outtakes and Other Delights in the 2011 Complete Collection box set, which is now also available from iTunes.

I have to say that I cannot get enough of hearing Tony Bennett sing this song. I’ve heard him sing it concert several times and I am always moved to tears. Bennett “gets” this song.

The Way You Look Tonight

Listen to The Way You Look Tonight on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2012


“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as Rarities, Outtakes and Other Delights, Vol. 2, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Saturday is here again and that means a video. Today we have Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap performing “The Way You Look Tonight” from an Elvis Costello special from New Year’s Eve 2008.

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Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The song of the day for Monday, October 26, 2015 is “The Way You Look Tonight.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “The Way You Look Tonight,” is one of the most beautiful love songs ever written. This Jerome Kern tune, with lyrics from Dorothy Fields, was introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1936 film Swing Time; the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the year. Dorothy Fields remarked “The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.” Dorothy Fields was the first woman to win an Oscar for songwriting. It’s a magnificent love song that has found a strong position as a jazz standard, with recordings by Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Mel Tormé and Frank Sinatra.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “The Way You Look Tonight” in 1977 for the soundtrack of the film My Best Friend’s Wedding, with the lovely piano of Ralph Sharon. It’s doesn’t get much more beautiful than this.

The Way You Look Tonight

Listen to The Way You Look Tonight on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2012


“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as all the songs collected on Outtakes, Rarities and Other Delights, Vol. 2, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The song of the day for Saturday, July 19, 2014 is “The Way You Look Tonight.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “The Way You Look Tonight” was written for the 1936 Fred Astaire – Ginger Rogers movie Swing Time by Jerome Kern (music) and Dorothy Fields (lyrics). It should come as no surprise to anyone that the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Dorothy Fields said that

The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.

It’s one of the most beautiful songs in the American songbook and nobody sings it better than Tony Bennett and, maybe, Fred Astaire.

About This Version

Today’s version of “The Way You Look Tonight” was recorded for the soundtrack for My Best Friend’s Wedding, released in 1997. Danny Bennett, Tony’s son and manager, tells the story of this recording. It had to be done remotely, over the Internet, as Bennett was needed in New York. The special high-speed lines were set up and Tony Bennett did the song in just a couple of takes. The Hollywood people were amazed — I guess they were used to these things taking all day with other artists. It’s a terrific version and I’m happy it’s now available for everyone to listen to.

http://open.spotify.com/track/7yED4n2U8RR5LKZVmisiev
“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well all the songs collected on Rarities, Outtakes and Other Delights, Vol. 2, is available from iTunes.

And for YouTube Saturday, we have this video of Tony Bennett singing this song live in London, with Bruce Barth on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, Harold Jones on drums and the most excellent Gray Sargent on guitar.

I can’t help myself. Here’s another video, this one from Swing Time …

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Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The song of the day for Saturday, October 5, 2013 is “The Way You Look Tonight.”

About This Song

Today’s song is from two of America’s greatest songwriters: Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields. “The Way You Look Tonight” was written for the 1936 film Swing Time, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The lyricist Dorothy Fields said that “the first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.” I agree with Ms. Fields: it’s one of the most beautiful songs in the American Songbook.

“The Way You Look Tonight” has been widely recorded since its release by both jazz and popular performers. Tony Bennett first recorded this song for his 1958 album Long Ago and Far Away.

About This Version

For today’s version, we are returning to Rarities discs from the Complete Collection, this time volume 2. Bennett recorded this version with the Ralph Sharon Trio for the film My Best Friend’s Wedding, which was released in 1997. I love this arrangement and hope you do as well.

http://open.spotify.com/track/7yED4n2U8RR5LKZVmisiev
“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as all of the songs on Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Volume 2, is available from iTunes.

As today is Saturday and we hope you have a little more spare time than usual, here’s a video of Tony Bennett singing this song accompanied by his wonderful guitarist Gray Sargent:

No Title

The legendary Tony Bennett performs a unique concert for BBC One in the intimate setting of LSO St Lukes, London. Accompanied by a four piece band Bruce Barth on piano, Gray Sargent on guitar, Harold Jones on drums and Paul Langosch on double bass Bennett performs classic numbers including The Way You Look Tonight (Jerome Kern).

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