The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: The Christmas Song

The song of the day for December 19, 2024, the sixth day of The Twelve Days of a Tony Bennett Christmas, is “The Christmas Song.”

About This Song

“The Christmas Song,” also known by the first line of the lyric as “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,” was written by Mel Tormé and Robert Wells in 1941. They wrote in on a very hot summer day and they were trying to think cold Christmasy thoughts to cool off. The song was written forty minutes ago and is one of America’s most classic Christmas songs. The first recording was by Nat “King” Cole in 1946.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “The Christmas Song” in June 1967 for Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album, released in 1980. Robert Farnon wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“The Christmas Song,” as well as Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the 1946 recording by Nat Cole:

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Song of the Day: Sweet Lorraine

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 11, 2020, is “Sweet Lorraine.”

About This Song

“Sweet Lorraine” was written in 1928 by Cliff Burwell and Mitchell Parish. The song was originally a vaudeville song; the Rudy Valle recording made the song quite popular and a nice, up-tempo jazz number. Nat King Cole had a major hit with this song in 1940.

About This Version

I’ll let Tony tell the story about this recording:

That album, If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set, also included a song that’s always been very special to me: “Sweet Lorraine.” I dedicated it to Nat Cole, who had died a month earlier in April 1965. I was heartbroken when I heard that Nat had passed away. Bobby Hackett and I were working at the Palmer House in Chicago, and it seemed appropriate to pay tribute by recording Nat’s signature tune while we were in his hometown. Bobby, whose instrument was normally cornet, surprised us all by playing ukulele on this record; his buddy Joe Marsala played clarinet.

“Sweet Lorraine,” as well as If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set , is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Sweet Lorraine

The song of the day for Tuesday, May 6, 2014 is “Sweet Lorraine.”

About This Song

“Sweet Lorraine” was composed by Cliff Burwell with lyrics by Mitchell Parish. The song was published in 1928 and quickly became a jazz standard. Rudy Vallee, accompanied by Burwell, recorded the song in 1928. Other early recordings included those by Isham Jones and Teddy Wilson. Later recordings include those by Louis Armstrong, Art Tatum, Chet Baker, Coleman Hawkins and, most famously, Nat “King” Cole.

About This Version

Today’s version is from Tony Bennett’s 1965 album If Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set. I’ll let Tony Bennett tell the story (from The Good Life):

That album also included a song that’s always been very special to me: “Sweet Lorraine.” I dedicated it to Nat Cole, who had died a month earlier in in April 1965. I was heartbroken when I heard that Nat had passed away. Bobby Hackett and I were working at the Palmer House in Chicago, and it seemed appropriate to pay tribute by recording Nat’s signature tune while we were in his hometown. (Bobby, whose instrument was normally cornet, surprised us all by playing ukulele on this record; his buddy Joe Marsala played clarinet.)

http://open.spotify.com/track/50XojfSBJJQ75bAFowNyGZ
“Sweet Lorraine,” as well as the album If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set, is available from iTunes.