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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

October 23, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Could Write a Book

The song of the day for Monday, October 24, 2022, is “I Could Write a Book.”

About This Song

“I Could Write a Book” was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the Broadway musical Pal Joey, where it was introduced by Gene Kelly and Leila Ernst. This has always been an interesting song. Today it’s considered a lovely romantic number, but in the context of the musical, it’s sung as a phony love song in order to woo the innocent ingenue. It’s been widely recorded by artists including Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Betty Carter, Anita O’Day, and Ella Fitzgerald.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Could Write a Book” in July 1973 for his album Tony Bennett Sings 10 Great Rodgers & Hart Songs, released in 1976.

“I Could Write a Book,” as well as Tony Bennett Sings The Rodgers & Hart Songbook is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Lorenz Hart, Pal Joey, Richard Rodgers, Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songboo

April 24, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Could Write a Book

The song of the day for Monday, April 25, 2022, is “I Could Write a Book.”

About This Song

“I Could Write a Book” was written by Richard Rodgers and Larry Hart for the Broadway musical Pal Joey, where it was introduced by Gene Kelly and Leila Ernst. This has always been an interesting song. Today it’s considered a lovely romantic number, but in the context of the musical, it’s sung as a phony love song in order to woo the innocent ingenue. It’s been widely recorded by artists including Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Betty Carter, Anita O’Day, and Ella Fitzgerald.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Could Write a Book” in 1973 with the Ruby Braff-George Barnes Quartet, which feature Braff on cornet, Barnes and Wayne Wright on guitar, and John Guiffrida on bass. The recording was released in 1976 on Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs.

“I Could Write a Book,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: George Barnes, John Guiffrida, Larry Hart, Lorenz Hart, Pal Joey, Richard Rodgers, Ruby Braff, Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Song, Wayne Wright

February 10, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Bewitched

The song of the day for Friday, February 11, 2022, is “Bewitched.”

About This Song

“Bewitched,” written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, was one of the hit songs from the 1940 musical Pal Joey, where it was introduced by Vivienne Segal. Notable recordings are by Benny Goodman, Mel Tormé, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra. Alec Wilder admired the lyric and the verse, but found the song “notey.” In spite of being notey, it’s a cornerstone of the American Songbook.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Bewitched” on October 28, 1959, with an arrangement by Ralph Sharon. It was released in 1961 on the album Tony Sings For Two.

Tony Sings For Two is a remarkable album for Bennett, who tells the story in his autobiography, The Good Life:

I always wanted to be unpredictable, and so for my next project, I decided to go in the opposite direction from the big orchestral albums I’d been doing lately and cut an intimate piano-vocal album with Ralph Sharon. We booked time in the studio and pored through music books, trying one tune after another. The arrangements were spontaneous, and we finished each song in one or two takes. In one afternoon we laid down sixteen tunes—which must be some kind of record—twelve of which made it onto the album, which became 1961’s Tony Sings for Two, Mitch Miller showed up at the start of these sessions, furious that I was really going through with it. When he saw that there was no dissuading me, he turned to Frank Laico and said, “I’m leaving. I can’t support this.” Tony Sings for Two turned out to be one of my finest records ever.

“Bewitched,” as well as Tony Sings For Two is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Larry Hart, Pal Joey, Ralph Sharon, Richard Rodgers, Tony Bennett, Tony Sings for Two

December 27, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Bewitched

The song of the day for Tuesday, December 28, 2021, is “Bewitched .”

About This Song

“Bewitched” (more commonly called by its full name “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”) was written by Richard Rodgers and Larry Hart for the 940 musical Pal Joey, where it was introduced by Vivienne Segal. Notable recordings are by Benny Goodman, Mel Tormé, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra. Alec Wilder admired the lyric and the verse, but found the song “notey.” In spite of being notey, it’s a cornerstone of the American Songbook.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Bewitched” on October 28, 1961, with just Ralph Sharon on piano. They booked the studio and recorded 16 songs in one afternoon, in one or takes for each song. Bennett relates in his autobiography The Good Life:

I always wanted to be unpredictable, and so for my next project, I decided to go in the opposite direction from the big orchestral albums I’d been doing lately and cut an intimate piano-vocal album with Ralph Sharon. We booked time in the studio and pored through music books, trying one tune after another. The arrangements were spontaneous, and we finished each song in one or two takes. In one afternoon we laid down sixteen tunes—which must be some kind of record—twelve of which made it onto the album, which became 1961’s Tony Sings for Two, Mitch Miller showed up at the start of these sessions, furious that I was really going through with it. When he saw that there was no dissuading me, he turned to Frank Laico and said, “I’m leaving. I can’t support this.” Tony Sings for Two turned out to be one of my finest records ever.

Tony Sings For Two was not released until 1961. It’s one of Bennett’s finest albums.

“Bewitched ,” as well as Tony Sings For Two is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Larry Hart, Pal Joey, Ralph Sharon, Richard Rodgers, Tony Bennett, Tony Sings for Two

September 23, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Could Write a Book

The song of the day for Friday, September 26, 2021, is “I Could Write a Book.”

About This Song

“I Could Write a Book” was written by Richard Rodgers and Larry Hart for the Broadway musical Pal Joey, where it was introduced by Harold Lang and Leila Ernst. This has always been an interesting song. Today it’s considered a lovely romantic number, but in the context of the musical, it’s sung as a phony love song in order to woo the innocent ingenue. It’s been widely recorded by artists including Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Betty Carter, Anita O’Day, and Ella Fitzgerald.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Could Write a Book” in 1973 with The George Barnes-Ruby Braff Quartet. The recording was released in 1976 on the album Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers and Hart Songs.

I Could Write A Book

Listen to I Could Write A Book on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2004.

“I Could Write a Book,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings is available on Apple Music

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Larry Hart, Pal Joey, Richard Rodgers, The George Barnes - Ruby Braff Quartet, Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers and Hart Songs

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