The song of the day for Thursday, May 6, 2021, is “Revolvin’ Jones.”
About This Song
“Revolvin’ Jones” was written in 1940 by Willard Robison. Other well-known Robison songs include “A Cottage For Sale” and “Don’t Smoke in Bed.” In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder wrote
Everybody loved him and many tried to help him, among them John Mercer. Mildred Bailey revered him and sang every song of his she could lay her hands on. I became aware of him in the late twenties when he recorded for Perfect Records. … He did manage, during his almost euphoric life, to write a few successful songs … but generally his songs were known only to a few singers and lovers of the off-beat and the non-urban song. He had a special flair for gentleness and childhood, the lost and the religious. I suppose it’s not part of the growth of popular music, nor perhaps were any of Robison’s songs. But if they could so much bolster John Mercer’s conviction that there was more to write lyrics about than city life, that the world of memory, of remembered sayings and scenes, was as evocative as the whispered words of lovers, then he did make a contribution.
About This Version
Tony Bennett recorded “Revolvin’ Jones” in 1962 for the album On The Glory Road. The album was canceled at the last moment. While some songs recorded for On The Glory Road made it to other albums, today’s song wasn’t made available until the album was released as part of the 2011 Complete Collection box set. Ralph Sharon wrote the very effective arrangement.
Revolvin’ Jones
Listen to Revolvin’ Jones on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1962.
“Revolvin’ Jones,” as well as on The Glory Road, is available from Apple Music.