The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day:Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive

The song of the day for Friday, March 292, 2019, is “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive.”

About This Song

“Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive” was written in 1944 by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. This charming song was written in the style of sermon with the message of being positive is the key to happiness. Mercer is said to have heard a sermon by Father Divine, who said “you got to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.” And thus this memorable song was born. The song was first used in the 1944 movie Here Comes the Waves, starring Bing Crosby and Betty Hutton. Significant recordings include those by Bing Crosby, Kay Kyser, Artie Shaw, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dinah Washington.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive” in 1998 for his delightful album for children: The Playground. He is accompanied by the Ralph Sharon Quartet, featuring Sharon on piano, Clayton Cameron on drums, Paul Langosch on bass, and Gray Sargent on guitar.

Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive

Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive,” as well as The Playground, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Swinging on a Star

The song of the day for Friday, March 18, 2016 is “Swinging on a Star.”

About This Song

“Swinging on a Star” was written in 1944 by the songwriting team of Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke for the movie Going My Way, starring Bing Crosby. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for that year. Crosby recorded a very successful version of the song in 1944. Other recordings include those by Rosemary Clooney, Burl Ives, and Ruby Braff, among many others. I must confess that I can remember singing this song when I was young as three years old. I thought growing up to be a fish was the funniest thing I’d ever heard. I can only wonder how annoying this must have been for my loving, patient parents.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Swinging on a Star” in 1998 for his album for children, The Playground. It features the Ralph Sharon Quartet, with Sharon on piano, Gray Sargent on guitar, Paul Langosch on bass and Cameron Clayton on drums. The song is just as much fun as I remember it from 1953.

Swinging On A Star

Swinging On A Star, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify


“Swinging on a Star,” as well as The Playground, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Dat Dere

The song of the day for Tuesday, October 27, 2015 is “Dat Dere.”

About This Song

The jazz instrumental “Dat Dere” was written in 1960 by Bobby Timmons; it was first played by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in 1960, with Timmons on piano. Oscar Brown, Jr. wrote lyrics for the tune in 1961 for his album Sin & Soul … and Then Some. The song has been recorded by jazz and popular singers including Mel Tormé and Rickie Lee Jones.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this terrific version of “Dat Dere” in June 1998 for his album of music for children, The Playground. The album features the Ralph Sharon Quartet, with Paul Langosch on bass, Clayton Cameron on drums and Gray Sargent on guitar. Mr. Sargent continues to play (very excellent) guitar for Mr. Bennett today.

Dat Dere

Dat Dere, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify


“Dat Dere,” as well as The Playground, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Don’t Cry Baby

The song of the day for Thursday, January 31, 2013 is Don’t Cry Baby.

About Don’t Cry Baby

Don’t Cry Baby was written by Saul Bernie, James P. (Jimmy) Johnson and Stella Unger. Jimmy Johnson was a composer and pianist who, along with Jelly Roll Morton, came into prominence in the era between ragtime and the stride piano techniques in early jazz. Saul Bernie and Stella Unger were both composers who were active in the 1920s.

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It was first sung by Bessie Smith in 1929. Erskine Hawkins recorded it in 1943; this version reached #1 on the Harlem Hit Parade in 1943 and #15 on the popular charts. Etta James recorded it in 1961 as well.

About This Version

This blues song is from Tony Bennett’s 2001 album Playin’ With My Friends. Although the album has a good number of duets (Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt, k.d. lang, and Ray Charles among others), this song is one of the solos.

This album features the Ralph Sharon Quartet, with Sharon on piano, Paul and Langosch on bass, Clayton Cameron on drums and Gray Sargent on guitar. Don’t Cry Baby also used Harry Allen on sax and Mike Melvoin on the Hammond B3 organ. There’s nothing like the sound of the Hammond B3 on a blues album.

Don’t Cry Baby, as well as the full Playin’ With My Friends album, is available from iTunes.

 

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Song of the Day: I’m Just A Lucky So And So

The song of the day for Saturday, January 5, 2013 is I’m Just A Lucky So and So.

Tony Bennett and Duke Ellington
Tony Bennett and Duke Ellington

About I’m Just A Lucky So and So

This song was written in 1945 by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Mack David.  While not one of Ellington’s most often played songs, it’s had recordings by many great artists, including Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. It’s a great, fun song.

About This Version

Tony Bennett has recorded this song several times: in 1956 on his album Tony and in 1962 for the Carnegie Hall concert. Today’s version is from Bennett’s 1999 Ellington album: Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, with the Ralph Sharon Quartet (Ralph Sharon (piano), Paul Langosch (bass), Gray Sargent (guitar) and Clayton Cameron (drums).

http://open.spotify.com/track/1wn8QJ1lMmoR29w5w7qtZb

I’m Just A Lucky So and So, as well as the full Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from iTunes.

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