The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Nobody’s Heart Belongs To Me

The song of the day for Monday, May 24, 2021, is “Nobody’s Heart Belongs To Me.”

About This Song

“Nobody’s Heart Belongs To Me” was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the musical By Jupiter in 1942. Directed by Joshua Logan, it starred Ray Bolger, Vera-Ellen, and Constance Moore. It was their last full-length work. In American Popular Music, Alec Wilder called this song “one of the loveliest songs Rodgers or any other theater writer has ever written. In the area of this form of music, it is a masterpiece.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Nobody’s Heart Belongs To Me” on October 28, 1959, at the CBS 30th Street Studio with just Ralph Sharon for the album Tony Sings For Two, released in 1961.

It was a remarkable session, as Bennett relates in his autobiography, The Good Life:

We booked time in the studio and pored through music books, trying one tune after another. The arrangements were spontaneous, and we finished each song in one or two takes. In one afternoon we laid down sixteen tunes–which must be some kind of record–twelve of which made it onto the album, which became 1961’s Tony Sings For Two. Mitch Miller showed up at the start of these sessions, furious that I was really going through with it. When he saw there no dissuading me, he turned to Frank Laico and said, “I’m leaving. I can’t support this.” Tony Sings For Two turned out to be one of my finest records ever.

Nobody"s Heart Belongs To Me

Listen to Nobody"s Heart Belongs To Me on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1961

“Nobody’s Heart Belongs To Me,” as well as Tony Sings For Two, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: A Shine On Your Shoes

The song of the day for Sunday, Mary 23, 2021, is “A Shine On Your Shoes.”

About This Song

“A Shine On Your Shoes” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1932 Broadway musical Flying Colors. The same song was used for the 1953 movie The Band Wagon, which starred Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “A Shine On Your Shoes” in 1993 for his album of songs made famous by his good friend Fred Astaire: Steppin’ Out. Bennett and Ralph Sharon arranged the entire. Playing with Sharon on piano are Doug Richeson on bass and Clayton Cameron on drums.

Shine On Your Shoes

Listen to Shine On Your Shoes on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1993

“A Shine On Your Shoes,” as well as Steppin’ Out, is available from Apple Music.

Here’s Astaire in his performance of today’s song from the movie The Band Wagon. Astaire insisted on using a real shoeshine man for the number, not an actor. He hit the jackpot with Leroy Daniels who at 23 was an accomplished hoofer. You can read about Mr. Daniels here.

Here are Astaire and Daniels:

Shine On Your Shoes

Fred Astaire and Leroy Daniels. "For the "Shine on My Shoes" number, Fred Astaire wanted to dance with the bootblack. They found the real thing in Leroy Daniels, a dancing shoeshine man working in downtown Los Angeles." - from tcm.com

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Song of the Day: When Lights Are Low

The song of the day for Sunday, Mary 18, 2021, is “When Lights Are Low.”

About This Song

“When Lights Are Low” was written in 1936 by Benny Carter and Spencer Williams, while both were living and working in Europe. Carter was the staff arranger for the BBC during that time.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “When Lights Are Low” in 1964 with The Ralph Sharon Trio for the album When Lights Are Low. The trio consisted of Sharon on piano, Hal Gaylord on bass, and Billy Exiner on drums. Gaylord does some very nice work on today’s song.

When Lights Are Low

Listen to When Lights Are Low on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1964

“When Lights Are Low,” as well as the album When Lights Are Low, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Revolvin’ Jones

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. Song · Tony Bennett · 1962

“Revolvin’ Jones,” as well as on The Glory Road, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Last Night When We Were Young

The song of the day for Wednesday, May 5, 2021, is “Last Night When We Were Young.”

Yesterday I was listening to an interview on the radio and the interviewer asked the guest (sorry, forgot who) if they could only listen to one song for the rest of their life, what would that song be? I pondered this question while trying to get to sleep last night and decided that song would be “Last Night When We Were Young.” Harold Arlen-check. Yip Harburg-check. Lyrics like “Life was so new, so real, so right; ages ago last night.” Checkmate.

About This Song

“Last Night When We Were Young” was written in 1935 by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. Arlen considered “Last Night When We Were Young” to be one of his favorite songs. In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder calls it a “most remarkable and beautiful song … (that) goes far beyond the boundaries of popular music.” Yip Harburg has said that he doesn’t know exactly where the title came from but that “the juxtaposition of those two phrases is almost a whole world of philosophy.” All in all, it’s a very beautiful and introspective song that is much beloved by singers. Frank Sinatra included on his wonderful album In The Wee Small Hours. It has also been recorded by Judy Garland, Mel Tormé, Carmen McRae, and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “Last Night When We Were Young” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the very fine arrangement.

Last Night When We Were Young

Listen to Last Night When We Were Young on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1992

“Last Night When We Were Young,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from Apple Music.