The Song of the Day for September 15, 2012 is Being Alive.

About Being Alive

Being Alive was written by Stephen Sondheim for Company, which premiered on Broadway in 1970.  It was the first Broadway musical this author ever saw and I have been a devoted Stephen Sondheim fan ever since.

About This Version

This version of Being Alive was recorded for the 2004 The Art of Romance.  For my money, I think The Art of Romance may be one of Mr. Bennett’s best-conceived albums. When listened to as a whole, it’s a remarkable emotional roller coaster about all aspects of love and romance. Being Alive has a similar placement in this album as it does in Company, the next-to-the last song, where the protagonist realizes that in order to be fully and totally alive, he must give himself up to love. In many ways, Being Alive is the next step after The Good Life in realizing what’s really important in life.

Being Alive was arranged by Lee Musiker and features Phil Woods on saxophone and Candido Camero on conga (Candido was featured on Mr. Bennett’s 1957 Beat of My Heart and also performed with Mr. Bennett at the 1962 Carnegie Hall concert).

As an extra treat, here’s The Art of Romance Electronic Press Kit (EPK). Thanks, You Tube!

A longer version of the EPK is available at tonybennett.com (with the Ultimate Access Pass–free three-month trial is available).