• Home
  • About
    • About This Blog
    • About the Authors
  • Song of the Day
  • Album of the Week
  • Music and Art
    • Tony Live!
    • Music
      • Viva Duets
      • Songs
      • Albums
    • Art
  • And More
    • Collaborator of the Month
    • Songwriter of the Month – 2016
    • News
      • Cheek To Cheek
      • Bennett & Brubeck -The White House Sessions Live 1962
      • Life is a Gift
      • Viva Duets
      • Zen of Bennett
      • Other News
    • About His Collaborators
    • Musings
    • Extras
      • Books
      • Interviews
      • Media
  • The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography

The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

April 5, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Wished On The Moon

The song of the day for Wednesday, April 6, 2022, is “I Wished On The Moon.”

About This Song

“I Wished On The Moon” was written in 1935 by Ralph Rainger and Dorothy Parker (yes, that Dorothy Parker). It was first recorded in 1935 by Ruth Etting. Bing Crosby sang it in The Big Broadcast of 1936. Other recordings include those by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, Billie Holiday, Art Pepper, and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Wished On The Moon” in 1996 for his tribute album to Billie Holiday: Tony Bennett On Holiday. The picture of Holiday was painted by Bennett.

“I Wished On The Moon,” as well as Tony Bennett On Holiday is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Billie Holiday’s recording of “I Wished On The Moon.”

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Dorothy Parker, Ralph Rainger, Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett On Holiday

June 7, 2019 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Wished on the Moon

The song of the day for Saturday, June 8, 2019, is “I Wished on the Moon.”

About This Song

Written by Ralph Rainger and Dorothy Parker (yes, that Dorothy Parker), this song was first recorded in 1935 by Ruth Etting. Bing Crosby sang in The Big Broadcast of 1936. Other recordings include those by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, Billie Holiday, Art Pepper, and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Wished on the Moon” in June 1996 for his 1997 album Bennett On Holiday: A Tribute to Billie Holiday.

I Wished on the Moon

I Wished on the Moon, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“I Wished on the Moon,” as well as Bennett on Holiday, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Bennett On Holiday: A Tribute to Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday, Dorothy Parker, Ralph Rainger, Tony Bennett

November 10, 2017 By Suzanne 1 Comment

Song of the Day: I Wished on the Moon

The song of the day for Friday, November 11, 2017 is “I Wished on the Moon.”

About This Song

“I Wished on the Moon” was written in 1935 by Ralph Rainger, with lyrics by Dorothy Parker (yes, that Dorothy Parker). This song was first recorded in 1935 by Ruth Etting. Bing Crosby sang in The Big Broadcast of 1936. Other recordings include those by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, Billie Holiday, Art Pepper and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Wished on the Moon” in 1992 for album of songs associated with Frank Sinatra: Perfectly Frank.

I Wished On the Moon

Listen to I Wished On the Moon on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1992.


“I Wished on the Moon,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Today’s video features Tony Bennett as a guest on the Jimmy Fallon show from last year, where he talks about Frank Sinatra.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Dorothy Parker, Perfectly Frank, Ralph Rainger, Tony Bennett

April 17, 2015 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Wished On The Moon

The song of the day for Friday, April 17, 2015 is “I Wished On The Moon.”

About This Song

Written in 1935 by Ralph Rainger and Dorothy Parker (yes, that Dorothy Parker), this song was first recorded that year by Ruth Etting. Bing Crosby sang it in The Big Broadcast of 1936. Other recordings include those by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, Billie Holiday, Art Pepper and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

“I Wished On The Moon” is the ninth song on our album of the month, Tony Bennett On Holiday. I love this arrangement. Tony starts singing the verse, with just Sharon on piano. As he starts the chorus, the strings come in, softly, but the piano is always dominant. It’s such a perfect sound for this album and this song.

I Wished on the Moon

Listen to I Wished on the Moon on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1997.


“I Wished On The Moon,” as well as Tony Bennett On Holiday, is available from iTunes.

About Billie Holiday’s Version

Billie Holiday recorded “I Wished On The Moon” four times: 1935, 1955, 1957 and 1958 (a live festival recording). All of these versions are great, but I chose the earliest; Billie had just turned 20. This was her fifth recording session and was held on July 2, 1935. In addition to “I Wished On The Moon (MX B17766-1),” they also recorded “What A Little Moonlight Can Do,” “Miss Brown To You” and “A Sunbonnet Blue (And A Yellow Straw Hat).”

Like some of her very early recordings, the first chorus was instrumental and she sang starting with the second chorus. The musicians for this recording included Teddy Wilson (piano), Benny Goodman (clarinet), Ben Webster (tenor sax), Roy Eldridge (guitar), John Truehart (guitar), John Kirby (bass) and Cozy Cole (drums).

I Wished On the Moon (with Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra)

Listen to I Wished On the Moon (with Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra) on Spotify. Billie Holiday · Song · 1933.

“I Wished On The Moon,” as well as Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday On Columbia 1933-1944, Vol. 1, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Dorothy Parker, Ralph Rainger, Tony Bennett On Holiday

Subscribe to The Year of Tony Bennett

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Current Reader Favorites

  • Duke Ellington and the Harlem Renaissance
  • Song of the Day: Look For The Silver Lining
  • Song of the Day: Samba de Orfeu
  • Duke Ellington: 1930s and 1940s
  • Song of the Day: Return to Me
  • Song of the Day: While We're Young
  • Home
  • About
  • Song of the Day
  • Album of the Week
  • Music and Art
  • And More
  • The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography

Copyright © 2022 The Year of Tony Bennett · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress

Posting....