The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Oh! You Crazy Moon

The song of the day for Wednesday, May 13, 2020, is “Oh! You Crazy Moon.”

About This Song

“Oh! You Crazy Moon” was written in 1939 by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke. It was the first song that Van Heusen and Burke wrote together in what would be a long and successful partnership. The bouncy, uptempo song gained immediate popularity and was widely recorded.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Oh! You Crazy Moon” in 1964 for his album When Lights Are Low, recorded with the Ralph Sharon Trio, which featured Sharon on piano, Hal Gaylord on bass, and Billy Exiner on drums.

“Oh! You Crazy Moon,” as well as When Lights Are Low, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Last Night When We Were Young

The song of the day for Tuesday, May 12, 2020, is “Last Night When We Were Young.”

About This Song

“Last Night When We Were Young” was written in 1935 by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg.

Harold 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, and Carmen McRae.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Last Night When We Were Young” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank, where he sings songs associated with his friend Frank Sinatra. Ralph Sharon did the arrangement.

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

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Song of the Day: Lost in the Stars

The song of the day for Monday, March 30, 2020, is “Lost in the Stars.”

About This Song

“Lost in the Stars” was written by Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson for the 1949 musical of the same name, based on the 1948 novel by Alan Paton, Cry, the Beloved Country. It was set in South Africa in an era when apartheid seemed as if it would never end.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Lost in the Stars” in 1958 with Count Basie and His Orchestra for the 1958 album, In Person!. Ralph Sharon wrote the very effective arrangement.

“Lost in the Stars,” as well as In Person!, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: It’s Only a Paper Moon

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 10, 2020, is “It’s Only a Paper Moon.”

About This Song

“It’s Only a Paper Moon” was written in 1933 by Harold Arlen, with lyrics by Yip Harburg and Billy Rose. Originally written for an unsuccessful play called The Great Magoo, this song was used in the 1933 movie Take a Chance. Paul Whiteman recorded it that year. There were two very fine recordings in the 1940s by Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole, which sealed the popularity of the song. Since that time, it has been a popular and jazz favorite that has been widely recorded.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “It’s Only a Paper Moon” in 1998 for his album for children, The Playground. Bennett is accompanied by The Ralph Sharon Quartet, featuring Sharon on piano, Paul Langosh on bass, Clayton Cameron on drums, and Gray Sargent on guitar. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first album that guitarist Gray Sargent recorded for. Gray is in Bennett’s current quartet and this writer continues to be impressed with his very fine work.

“It’s Only a Paper Moon,” as well as The Playground, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: I Concentrate on You

The song of the day for Friday, March 6, 2020, is “I Concentrate on You.”

About This Song

Cole Porter wrote “I Concentrate On You” for the film Broadway Melody of 1940. It’s one of Porter’s better songs, with recordings by Fred Astaire, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Dinah Washington, and Judy Garland among others.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Concentrate on You” in 1993 for the album Steppin’ Out. Bennett and Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“I Concentrate on You,” as well as Steppon’ Out, is available from iTunes.