The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I’ve Got Just About Everything

The song of the day for Thursday, September 10, 2020, is “I’ve Got Just About Everything.”

About This Song

“I’ve Got Just About Everything” was written by the great Bob Dorough. In addition to being a composer, he was a noted pianist and musical director, including his work with Blossom Dearie and Miles Davis. He is best known outside the jazz world for his work on Schoolhouse Rock.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’ve Got Just About Everything” in 1964 with The Ralph Sharon Trio for the album When Lights Are Low. Sharon shines on piano in this recording.

“I’ve Got Just About Everything,” as well as When Lights Are Low, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

The song of the day for Monday, September 7, 2020, is “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.”

About This Song

“Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” written by Richard Rodgers and Larry (Lorenz) Hart, was one of the hit songs from the 1940 musical Pal Joey, where it was introduced by Vivienne Segal. Notable recordings are by Benny Goodman, Mel Tormé, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra. Alec Wilder admired the lyric and the verse, but found the song “notey.” In spite of being notey, it’s a cornerstone of the American Songbook.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” in 1959 with Ralph Sharon in a remarkable recording session: just Bennett and Sharon with a briefcase full of sheet music. They would pull out a song and record in one or two takes. They recorded 16 songs that day, 12 of which were released on Tony Sings For Two. The album was released in 1961.

“Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” as well as Tony Sings For Two, is available from Apple Music.

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Tony Live!: I Left My Heart in San Francisco

The song of the day for Saturday, September 5, 2020, is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

About This Song

“I Left My Heart In San Francisco” was written in 1953 by George Cory and Douglass Cross. This song is, of course, Tony Bennett’s signature song. It actually became that quite by accident. As Bennett’s musical director, songwriters were constantly giving Ralph Sharon copies of their songs. Cross and Cory had done that and Sharon had stuck the song in a drawer and forgotten all about it. In 1961, he and Bennett were heading out on tour, which included a stop in San Francisco at The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Sharon came across the music and thought it might be a nice local number for the San Francisco audience. After a performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas, they found a piano and started to work on the song a bit. An early fan was the bartender, who said that he’d buy the first copy if they ever decided to record it. Of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was a huge hit at the performance, and in January 1962, Bennett recorded it and released it on a 45 RPM record on the B-side to “Once Upon a Time.” But gradually, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” started getting all the airplay and it became a major hit for Bennett, winning him his first Grammy Award. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans.

About This Version

Tony Bennett performed “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” at his 1994 live performance on MTV Unplugged.

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: They Can’t Take That Away From Me

The song of the day for Friday, September 4, 2020, is “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.”

About This Song

This song was written by George and Ira Gershwin for the 1937 Fred Astaire – Ginger Rodgers movie Shall We Dance. Unlike most songs that Astaire introduced in his films, there was no dance number associated with “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.” It is one of the Gershwin’s finest love songs. George Gershwin died just two months after this film was released.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” in 1993 for his album Steppin’ Out. Bennett and Ralph Sharon did the arrangement.

“They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” as well as Steppin’ Out, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: So Beats My Heart For You

The song of the day for Wednesday, August 26, 2020, is “So Beats My Heart For You.”

About This Song

“So Beats My Heart For You” was written in 1930 by Fat Ballard, Charles Henderson, and Tom Waring. As one of the songwriters, Tom Waring, was the brother of Fred Waring, “So Beats My Heart For You,” was recorded by Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “So Beats My Heart For You” in 1957 for his second jazz album, The Beat of My Heart. For this album, Bennett featured noted percussionists; this song featured Chico Hamilton. This was his first album that featured pianist Ralph Sharon. The entire album was conceived and arranged by Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon.

“So Beats My Heart For You,” as well as The Beat of My Heart, is available from Apple Music.