The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Lost in the Stars

The song of the day for Wednesday, October 30. 2024, is “Lost in the Stars.”

About This Song

“Lost in the Stars” was written by Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson for the 1949 musical of the same name, based on the 1948 novel by Alan Paton, Cry, the Beloved Country. Set in South Africa in an era when apartheid seemed as if it would never end, the plot concerns a black priest whose son kills, in a robbery attempt, a white man who is a friend of his father. The priest sings this song at the end of the first act, in a complete crisis of faith.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Lost in the Stars” on June 6, 1956, for his second album, Tony, released in 1957. Percy Faith wrote the arrangement.

“Lost in the Stars,” as well as Tony, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Maybe September

The song of the day for Sunday, September 9, 2024, is “Maybe September.”

About This Song

“Maybe September” was written in 1965 by Percy Faith, with lyrics by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, for the movie The Oscars. The Oscars was the only movie that Tony Bennett acted in, where he played the good guy, an agent named Hymie Kelly. While the film received mixed reviews, this song is terrific and was beautifully sung by Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “Maybe September” with Bill Evans in September 1976 for thier second album, Together Again, released in 1977.

“Maybe September,” as well as Together Again, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Stranger in Paradise

The song of the day for Thursday, July 18, 2024, is “Stranger in Paradise.”

About This Song

“Stranger in Paradise” was written by Robert Wright and George Forrest, based on Alexander Borodin’s Gilding Dance of the Maidens, in 1953 for the Broadway musical Kismet. The song was a 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 musical’s opening 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 it was released as a single immediately; 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.

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Song of the Day: Blue Velvet

The song of the day for Wednesday, July 17, 2024, is “Blue Velvet.”

About Today

73 years ago today on July 17, 1951, Tony Bennett recorded “Blue Velvet.”

About This Song

“Blue Velvet” was written in 1950 by Bernie Wayne and Lee Morris. Tony Bennett’s 1951 recording of “Blue Velvet” was the first recording of the song and was one of his early hits for Columbia.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Blue Velvet” on July 17, 1951. It was arranged by Percy Faith.

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

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Song of the Day: Cold, Cold Heart

The song of the day for Friday, May 31, 2024, is “Cold, Cold Heart.”

About This Song

“Cold, Cold Heart” was written by Hank Williams in 1951.

Williams subsequently telephoned Bennett to say, “Tony, why did you ruin my song?” But that was a prank – in fact, Williams liked Bennett’s version and played it on jukeboxes whenever he could.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Cold, Cold Heart” seventy-three years ago today on May 31, 1951, featuring an arrangement by Percy Faith. The song was released as a single on July 2, 1951.

Allmusic writer Bill Janovitz said this about the recording:

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 , is available on Apple Music.

On Valentine’s Day 2012, Google did this Doodle on their browser home page, featuring Tony’s recording.