The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I See Your Face Before Me

The song of the day for Friday, February 25, 2022, 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,” as well as Perfectly Frank is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: I Thought About You

The song of the day for Thursday, February 24, 2022, is “I Thought About You.”

About This Song

“I Thought About You” was written in 1939 by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Mercer. In 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 the album Perfectly Frank, which won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“I Thought About You,” 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 Tuesday, February 15, 2022, is “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road).”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett celebrates the birth of America’s greatest songwriter, Harold Arlen. Arlen was born on February 15, 1905.

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 1992 for the album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

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

We’ve got a special video today: Fred Astaire singing today’s song from the 1943 file The Sky’s The Limit.

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Song of the Day: Last Night When We Were Young

The song of the day for Monday, February 18, 2022, 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. Harold 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 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 this version of “Last Night When We Were Young” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement and led The Ralph Sharon Trio, with Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums.

“Last Night When We Were Young,” as well as Perfectly Frank is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: I Thought About You

The song of the day for Wednesday, February 2, 2022, is “I Thought About You.”

About This Song

“I Thought About You” was written in 1939 by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Mercer. In 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, consisting of songs sung by Frank Sinatra. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

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

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