The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I’ve Got the World on a String

The song of the day for Friday, December 11, 2020, is “I’ve Got the World on a String.”

About This Song

“I’ve Got the World on a String” was written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler for the 1932 Cotton Club Parade, where it was introduced by Cab Calloway and Bing Crosby. Alec Wilder, in American Popular Song, considers it one of Arlen’s loveliest songs.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “I’ve Got the World on a String” in 1992 for the album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

I"ve Got the World On a String

Listen to I"ve Got the World On a String on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1992

“I’ve Got the World on a String,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: I See Your Face Before Me

The song of the day for Wednesday, December 2, 2020, is “I See Your Face Before Me.”

About This Song

“I See Your Face Before Me” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1937 Broadway musical Between The Devil, where it was introduced by Adele Dixon. Both Guy Lombardo and Glen Gray recorded the song in that time period. Later recordings include those by Frank Sinatra and Johnny Hartman. The Johnny Hardman version, recorded in 1955, was used in the soundtrack for the 1995 movie The Bridges of Madison County.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I See Your Face Before Me” in 1992 for the album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

I See Your Face Before Me

Listen to I See Your Face Before Me on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1992

“I See Your Face Before Me,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: I Thought About You

The song of the day for Sunday, November 22, 2020, is “I Thought About You.”

About This Song

“I Thought About You” was written in 1939 by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Mercer. n the biography Portrait of Johnny: The Life of John Herndon Mercer, author Gene Lees quotes Mercer about this song:

I can remember the afternoon that we wrote it. He [Van Heusen] played me the melody. I didn’t have any idea, but I had to go to Chicago that night. I think I was on the Benny Goodman program. And I got to thinking about it on the train. I was awake, I couldn’t sleep. The tune was running through my mind, and that’s when I wrote the song. On the train, really going to Chicago.

“I Thought About You” proved quite popular and has been recorded many times by jazz performers including Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Hartman, Shirley Horn, Dinah Washington, and Mel Tormé.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Thought About You” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon did the arrangement.

I Thought About You

Listen to I Thought About You on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1992

“I Thought About You,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Day In, Day Out

The song of the day for Saturday, November 21, 2020, is “Day In, Day Out.”

About This Song

“Day In, Day Out,” written by Rube Bloom and Johnny Mercer, has been a favorite of vocalists since it was written in 1939. The tune itself is also rather unusual at 56 measures long. In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder notes that “the melodic line soared and moved across the page like a lovely brush stroke. And it had, remarkable for any pop song, passion.” It has been recorded by many of the finest vocalists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Nat “King” Cole, Billie Holiday, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, and Margaret Whiting.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Day In, Day Out” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

Day In, Day Out

Listen to Day In, Day Out on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1992

“Day In, Day Out,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)

The song of the day for Thursday, November 19, 2020, is “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road).”

About This Song

“One For The Road” was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1943 film The Sky’s The Limit, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire. Harold Arlen called this song one of his “tapeworms” as at 48 bars, it was longer than the standard 32 bar popular song. Alec Wilder, in American Popular Song, says that “the honors must go the lyric. … Just imagine having the acuity and courage to start a song, as Mercer does, with “It’s a quarter to three”!

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)” for his 1992 album Perfectly Frank. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)

Listen to One for My Baby (And One More for the Road) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1992

“One For My Baby (And One More For The Road),” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from Apple Music.

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