The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I’ll Be Seeing You

The song of the day for Saturday, July 13, 2019, is “I’ll Be Seeing You.”

About This Song

“I’ll Be Seeing You,” written in 1938 by Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal, grew to its fame during World War II, when it became something of an anthem for soldiers serving overseas and the loved ones left at home. It’s been recorded by Billie Holiday, Al Hirt, Lisa Minelli, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Rosemary Clooney, and Willie Nelson.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’ll Be Seeing You” in 1992 for his album of songs sung by Frank Sinatra: Perfectly Frank. The album won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

I’ll Be Seeing You

I’ll Be Seeing You, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“I’ll Be Seeing You,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.

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Playlist of the Week: Tony Loves a Harold Arlen Song

The playlist of the week of June 23 is Tony Loves a Harold Arlen Song.

Harold Arlen is widely considered to be one of America’s finest songwriters. Bennett’s recordings of his work are all wonderful.

Tony Loves a Harold Arlen Song

Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, from The Playground

A Sleepin’ Bee, with lyrics by Truman Capote, from Tony Sings For Two

Blues in the Night, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, from Playin’ With My Friends

Don’t Like Goodbyes, with lyrics by Truman Capote, from The Art of Romance

Ill Wind (You’re Blowin’ Me No Good), with lyrics by Ted Koehler, from Tony Bennett On Holiday

Last Night When We Were Young, with lyrics by Yip Harburg, from Perfectly Frank

One for My Baby (And One More for the Road), with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, on Perfectly Frank

So Long, Big Time, with lyrics by Dory Langon Previn, on The Many Moods of Tony

That Old Black Magic, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, from Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962

The Man That Got Away, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, from Tony Sings For Two

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Song of the Day: One For My Baby

The song of the day for Friday, May 3, 2019, is “One For My Baby (And One More For the Road).”

About This Song

“One For My Baby (And One More 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 has recorded “One For My Baby (And One More For the Road)” several times, but the honor today goes to his 1992 recording for the album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon did the fine arrangement.

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

One for My Baby (And One More for the Road), a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

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

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Song of the Day: Last Night When We Were Young

The song of the day for Saturday, April 27, 2019, is “Last Night When We Were Young.”

About This Song

“Last Night When We Were Young” was written in 1935 by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. Arlen considered “Last Night When We Were Young” to be one of his favorite songs. In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder calls it a “most remarkable and beautiful song … (that) goes far beyond the boundaries of popular music.” Yip Harburg, pictured here with Harold Arlen, has said that he doesn’t know exactly where the title came from but that “the juxtaposition of those two phrases is almost a whole world of philosophy.”
Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg
All in all, it’s a very beautiful and introspective song that is much beloved by singers. Frank Sinatra included on his wonderful album In The Wee Small Hours. It has also been recorded by Judy Garland, Mel Tormé, Carmen McRae, and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett first recorded “Last Night When We Were Young” in 1959 album To My Wonderful One, with an arrangement by Frank DeVol. Today, however, I’m featuring Bennett’s 1992 recording for the album Perfectly Frank, arranged by Ralph Sharon. In an unguarded moment, I once said that Tony Bennett sings Frank Sinatra better than Frank Sinatra and I still believe that, as far as this album of songs associated with Frank Sinatra is concerned.

Last Night When We Were Young

Last Night When We Were Young, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“Last Night When We Were Young,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: East of the Sun

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 19, 2019, is “East of the Sun (West of the Moon).”

About This Song

Brooks Bowman wrote “East of the Sun” in 1934 while a student at Princeton University for a student musical production called Stags at Bay, produced by the Princeton Triangle Club. The song had great reception and was noted by Princeton alumnus F. Scott Fitzgerald. After his graduation from college in 1936, he worked briefly in Hollywood in films but soon decided to return to the East Coast. He was about to start a contract with a New York music publisher when he was killed in an automobile accident in 1937.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “East of the Sun (West of the Moon)” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank, which features songs associated with Frank Sinatra. Ralph Sharon was the arranger.

East of the Sun (West of the Moon)

East of the Sun (West of the Moon), a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“East of the Sun (West of the Moon),” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes

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