The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Blue Velvet

The song of the day for Friday, August 14, 2026, is “Blue Velvet.”

About This Song

“Blue Velvet” was written in 1950 by Bernie Wayne and Lee Morris. It seems that Wayne, while visiting Richmond, Virginia and staying at the Jefferson Hotel, was entranced by the sight of a woman wearing a blue velvet dress and wrote a song about her.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Blue Velvet” on July 17, 1951. Percy Faith wrote the arrangement.

Bernie Wayne pitched “Blue Velvet” to Mitch Miller, head of A&R at Columbia Records. As soon as Miller heard the first few seconds of the recording, he suggested to Wayne that Tony Bennett for his song. Wayne responded with “Don’t you want to hear the rest of the song?” Miller replied “Quit while you’re ahead!”

“Blue Velvet,” as well as The Columbia Singles, Vol. 1, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Rags To Riches

The song of the day for Wednesday, August 12, 2026, is “Rags To Riches.”

About This Song

“Rags to Riches” was written in 1953 by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. When Tony Bennett first heard “Rags to Riches,” he hated the song and was forced by Mitch Miller to record it. With a very nice arrangement by Percy Faith, the recording was huge hit for Bennett and earned him a gold record. Thankfully, Bennett grew to enjoy singing the song. Martin Scorcese used the 1953 recording in the opening of Goodfellas, which helped find a new audience for this song.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Rags to Riches” on March 17, 1953, with a very fine arrangement by Percy Faith.

“Rags to Riches,” as well as the singles collected on The Columbia Singles, Vol. 2 is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the opening to Martin Sorceses’ film Goodfellows, which featured this recording.

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Song of the Day: Stranger in Paradise

The song of the day for Sunday, July 5, 2026, is “Stranger in Paradise.”

About This Song

“Stranger in Paradise” was written in 1953 by Robert Wright and George Forrest for the Broadway musical Kismet. The song was based on “Gliding Dance of the Maidens” from the opera Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin, written in 1890.

“Stranger in Paradise” was the hugely popular song from Kismet. The popularity of Kismet is due in large part to Tony Bennett. At the time Kismet was preparing to open, New York City was having a massive newspaper strike and publicizing the opening of the musical was nearly impossible. The producers asked Tony Bennett to record “Stranger in Paradise” to help promote the production. His version was a hit and so was Kismet.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Stranger in Paradise” on October 13, 1953, and released that same year as a single; the same recording was used on the 1962 album Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits. “Stranger In Paradise” was arranged by Percy Faith.

“Stranger in Paradise,” as well as Mr. Broadway” Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits, is available on Apple Music.”Stranger in Paradise,” as well as Mr. Broadway” Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Cold, Cold Heart

The song of the day for Sunday, May 31, 2026, is “Cold, Cold Heart.”

About This Song

“Cold, Cold Heart” was written in 1950 by Hank Williams.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Cold, Cold Heart” 75 years ago on May 31, 1951, featuring an arrangement by Percy Faith. It was hit for Bennett, charting for 27 weeks on Billboard. Bennett’s recording of “Cold, Cold Heart” was significant, as it was one of first Country-Western songs to cross over to popular audiences, bringing wider audience to the genre and Hank Williams.

Bill Janovitz, a writer for Allmusic wrote:

That a young Italian singing waiter from Queens could find common ground with a country singer from Alabama’s backwoods is testament both to Williams’ skills as a writer and to Bennett’s imagination and artist’s ear.

“Cold, Cold Heart,” as well as The Columbia Singles, Vol. 1, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the original 1951 recording of “Cold, Cold Heart” by Hank Williams.

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Song of the Day: Just in Time

The song of the day for Sunday, May 3. 2026, is “Just in Time.”

About Today

We are remembering Betty Comden, who was born on, May 3, 1917, in Brooklyn, NY. In 1938, she met Adolph Green in 1938 and they worked together for many years. Though mainly known as lyricists, Comden and Green were equally known as writers for the stage (On the Twentieth Century) and screen (Singin’ in the Rain).

About This Song

“Just in Time” was written by Jule Styne, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green, for the 1956 musical Bells Are Ringing, where it was introduced by Judy Holliday and Sidney Chaplin. Holliday and Dean Martin sang it in the 1960 film version of Bells Are Ringing.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Just in Time” on your author’s 6th birthday, September 19, 1956, featuring an arrangement by Percy Faith. It was released as a single in 1956; the recording was included on Bennett’s 1962 album Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits.

“Just in Time,” as well as Mr. Broadway: Tony’s Greatest Broadway Hits, is available on Apple Music.

We have “Just in Time” from the original cast album of Bells are Ringing, sung by Judy Holliday and Sydney Chaplin: