The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Until I Met You

The song of the day for Tuesday, December 1, 2015 is “Until I Met You.”

About This Song

“Until I Met You” was written in 1956 by Freddie Green and Donald E. Wolf. This song is also known as “Corner Pocket.” Freddie Green played rhythm guitar for the Count Basie Orchestra for fifty years. This song has also been recorded by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Sarah Vaughan, among others.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Until I Met You” in 1962 for the album On The Glory Road, the release of which was canceled at the last minute. The album was made available in 2011 as part of the Complete Collection and the album is now available on iTunes.

Until I Met You

Listen to Until I Met You on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1962


“Until I Met You,” as well as On The Glory Road, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Soon It’s Gonna Rain

The song of the day for Thursday, August 20, 2015 is “Soon It’s Gonna Rain.”

About This Song

“Soon It’s Gonna Rain” is from the 1960 off-Broadway musical The Fantasticks, written by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones. It ran for astounding 42 years and 17,162 performances at the Sullivan Street Playhouse. The original cast featured the great Jerry Orbach, in one of his first major roles on the New York stage.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded today’s song in 1962 for his unreleased album On The Glory Road. This recording was added later to the 1971 album Love Story and was also used on re-releases of The Many Moods of Tony. This recording is so true to the song as it is used in the show; it is the big first act love song sung by the two young lovers; this arrangement captures the youth, love and naivety of the song. It’s a real joy for this writer, though I love to hear Bennett sing softly and quietly, with that special intensity he brings.

Soon It"s Gonna Rain

Listen to Soon It"s Gonna Rain on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1962


“Soon It’s Gonna Rain,” as well as On The Glory Road, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Revolvin’ Jones

The song of the day for Sunday, August 16, 2015 is “Revolvin’ Jones.”

About This Song

“Revolvin’ Jones” was was written in 1940 by Will Robison, who met and collaborated with Jack Teagarden. Other well-known Robison songs include “A Cottage For Sale” and “Don’t Smoke in Bed.”

Willard Robison
Willard Robison

In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder wrote that “Everybody loved him and many tried to help him, among them John Mercer. Mildred Bailey revered him and sang every song of his she could lay her hands on. I became aware of him in the late twenties when he recorded for Perfect Records. … He did manage, during his almost euphoric life, to write a few successful songs … but generally his songs were known only to a few singers and lovers of the off-beat and the non-urban song. He had a special flair for gentleness and childhood, the lost and the religious. I suppose it’s not part of the growth of popular music, nor perhaps were any of Robison’s songs. But if they could so much bolster John Mercer’s conviction that there was more to write lyrics about than city life, that the world of memory, of remembered sayings and scenes, was as evocative as the whispered words of lovers, then he did make a contribution.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett’s recording of “Revolvin’ Jones” was made in 1962 for an album titled On The Glory Road. At the very last moment, it was decided to not release the album at all. While some songs recorded for On The Glory Road turned up on other albums, others did not, including “Revolvin’ Jones.” Fortunately for us all, the album was including in the 2011 Complete Collection and is now available for download from iTunes. It’s a charming and funny song and it seems that Bennett has a great time with it. The song was arranged by Ralph Sharon and the album was produced by Ernie Altschuler.

Revolvin" Jones

Listen to Revolvin" Jones on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1962


“Revolvin’ Jones,” as well as On the Glory Road, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Speak Low

The song of the day for Thursday, May 7, 2015 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

Mr. Bennett has recorded this song several times. Today’s recording is from his unreleased (until quite recently) 1962 album On The Glory Road. The arrangement is by Ralph Sharon.

About Today

Earlier today, I was listening to Billie Holiday’s album All Or Nothing At All, where she sings “Speak Low” and I haven’t been able to get this song out of my head, which is always a good reason to choose a song as the song of the day.

Speak Low

Listen to Speak Low on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1962


“Speak Low,” as well as On The Glory Road, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Revolvin’ Jones

The song of the day for Monday, March 16, 2015 is “Revolvin’ Jones.”

About This Song

“Revolvin’ Jones” was written in 1940 by Willard Robison , who met and collaborated with Jack Teagarden. Other well-known Robison songs include “A Cottage For Sale” and “Don’t Smoke in Bed”. In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder wrote that

Everybody loved him and many tried to help him, among them John Mercer. Mildred Bailey revered him and sang every song of his she could lay her hands on. I became aware of him in the late twenties when he recorded for Perfect Records. … He did manage, during his almost euphoric life, to write a few successful songs … but generally his songs were known only to a few singers and lovers of the off-beat and the non-urban song. He had a special flair for gentleness and childhood, the lost and the religious. I suppose it’s not part of the growth of popular music, nor perhaps were any of Robison’s songs. But if they could so much bolster John Mercer’s conviction that there was more to write lyrics about than city life, that the world of memory, of remembered sayings and scenes, was as evocative as the whispered words of lovers, then he did make a contribution.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this charming song for his album The Glory Road, recorded in 1962 and due to be released on June 18, 1962. At the last minute, the release was canceled. The album was finally released in 2011 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection and now, thankfully, available on iTunes.

About Today

Tony Bennett recorded this song 53 years ago today, March 16, 1962, at the CBS 30th Street Studio in New York, alone with four other songs from On The Glory Road.

Revolvin" Jones

Listen to Revolvin" Jones on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1962


“Revolvin’ Jones,” as well as On The Glory Road, is available from iTunes.