The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Last Night While We Were Young

The song of the day for Wednesday, September 18, 2024, is “Last Night While We Were Young.”

About This Song

“Last Night While 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 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.” 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 recorded “Last Night While We Were Young” in June 1992 for his album in tribute to Frank Sinatra, Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“Last Night While We Were Young,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on 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 Saturday, July 27, 2024, 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 recorded this version of “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)” in June 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

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

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Song of the Day: Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me

The song of the day for Sunday, June 30, 2024, is “Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me.”

About This Song

“Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me” was written by Rube Bloom and Ted Koehler in 1933. It was introduced in the Cotton Club Parade — World’s Fair Edition.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me” in June 1992 for Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

Perfectly Frank won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: I Fall In Love Too Easily

The song of the day for Wednesday, June 19, 2024, is “I Fall In Love Too Easily.”

About This Song

“I Fall In Love Too Easily” was written for the 1945 movie Anchors Away, where it was introduced by Frank Sinatra. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song but lost to “It Might As Well Be Spring” by Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is a well-respected jazz standard, with recordings by Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Anita O’Day, and Johnny Hartman.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Fall In Love Too Easily” in June 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

“I Fall In Love Too Easily,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)

The song of the day for Monday, April 15, 2024, is “East of the Sun (West of the Moon).”

About This Song

Brooks Bowman wrote “East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)” 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 a great reception and was noted by Princeton alumnus F. Scott Fitzgerald. After he graduated from college in 1936, he worked briefly in Hollywood for the film industry but 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 (and West of the Moon)” in June 1992 for his album Perfectly Franka, consisting of songs associated with his good friend Frank Sinatra. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

Perfectly Frank won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“East of the Sun (and West of the Moon),” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on Apple Music.