The song of the day for Wednesday, January 25, 2017 is “Rules Of The Road.”
About This Song
Today’s song, “Rules Of The Road,” was written in 1961 by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh. Coleman and Leigh are well-known for both their scores for Broadway musicals, such as Little Me and Wildcat, their standalone songs, such as “Rules of the Road,” are equally compelling. In addition to several recordings by Tony Bennett, the song has also been recorded by Lena Horne, Shirley Horne, Nat King Cole and Rosemary Clooney.
About This Version
Regular visitors to The Year of Tony Bennett know that this song is a favorite of mine. I usually choose Bennett’s original 1961 version, with a Ralph Burns big band arrangement, from the album I Left My Heart In San Francisco. Today, however, I’m featuring his 1964 version, arranged by Ralph Sharon, with the Ralph Sharon Trio that featured Hal Gaylord on bass and Billy Exiner on drums, on the album When Lights Are Low. It’s a much quieter and introspective reading of the song … so interesting, in fact, that I’m also adding the 1961 version, in case you’d like to listen and compare the two.
“Rules Of The Road,” as well as When Lights Are Low, is available from iTunes.
Here’s the 1961 version from I Left My Heart in San Francisco, also available from iTunes: