The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: My Funny Valentine

The song of the day for Monday, February 26, 2024, is “My Funny Valentine.”

About This Song

“My Funny Valentine” was written by Richard Rodgers and Larry Hart for the 1937 Broadway musical Babes in Arms, where it was introduced by Mitzi Green. This ballad is one of the most-loved songs in the American songbook and has been sung by most jazz and cabaret artists. In addition to Tony Bennett’s excellent recordings of this song, others include those by Chet Baker, Frank Sinatra, and Miles Davis.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “My Funny Valentine” sixty years ago today on February 26, 1964, for his album A Time For Love. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement and with the rest of his trio (Hal Gaylord on bass and Billy Exiner on drums) accompanied Bennett for this recording.

“My Funny Valentine,” as well as A Time For Love, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: With Plenty of Money and You

The song of the day for Sunday, February 25, 2024, is “With Plenty of Money and You.”

About This Song

“With Plenty of Money and You” was written by Harry Warren and Al Dubin for Gold Diggers of 1937, starring Dick Powell and Joan Blondell and choreographed by Busby Berkeley. Interestingly, the score for the film was to have been written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg, but Berkeley didn’t like what they had written and brought in Warren and Dubin for this song and several others. Some Arlen and Harburg songs were used in the film as well.

About This Version

Tony Bennett, with Count Basie and His Orchestra, recorded “With Plenty of Money and You” on January 5, 1959, for their first album Basie Swings/Bennett Sings. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“With Plenty of Money and You,” as well as Basie Swings/Bennett Sings, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: You Go To My Head

The song of the day for Friday, February 22, 2024, is “You Go To My Head.”

About This Song

“You Go To My Head” was written in 1938 by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie, the same songwriting team that gave us “Santa Claus is Coming To Town.” “You Go to My Head” is a well-respected popular song. In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder called it “a phenomenon” and “a minor masterpiece.” Al Gioia in The Jazz Standards notes that “this song comes closer than any tune I know to capturing in musical form the feeling of losing control.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “You Go To My Head” in June 1992, for his album Perfectly Frank, his album in tribute to Frank Sinatra. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

“You Go To My Head,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: The Man That Got Away

The song of the day for Saturday, February 17, 2024, is “The Man That Got Away.”

About This Song

“The Man That Got Away” was written by Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin for Judy Garland to sing in the 1954 film A Star Is Born, with James Mason. Her performance of the song is legendary in film history, with 27 takes in three days, three separate sessions, and two different directors. The filmed scene is brilliant and made the song a huge hit for Garland, who sang it in most of her concerts.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “The Man That Got Away” on October 28, 1959, for his album with Ralph Sharon, Tony Sings For Two, released in 1962.

“The Man That Got Away,” as well as Tony Sings For Two, is available on Apple Music.

And here’s Judy Garland from A Star Is Born:

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Song of the Day: It’s So Peaceful in the Country

The song of the day for Friday, February 16, 2024, is “It’s So Peaceful in the Country.”

About Today

We are remembering Alec Wilder on the anniversary of his birth on February 16, 1907. Wilder was a composer of both popular and classical music. He also wrote the definitive book on American popular music, American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900–1950, one of my primary resources for this website and the Interactive Tony Bennett Discography.

About This Song

Alec Wilder wrote “It’s So Peaceful in the Country” in 1941 for the singer Mildred Bailey. Wilder was a great friend to singers Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra and admired jazz musicians for their improvisational skills.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “It’s So Peaceful in the Country” on June 27, 1957, which featured Chico Hamilton on drums. It was recorded for The Beat of My Heart but wasn’t used in the original album release. It was added for the 1996 CD re-release.

“It’s So Peaceful in the Country,” as well as The Beat of My Heart, is available on Apple Music.