The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I Left My Heart in San Francisco

The song of the day for Saturday, August 3, 2019, 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 Douglas 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 (a performance that an underage high school kid name Bill Clinton listened to through a window in the hall), 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 two Grammy Awards: one for Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male and the other for Record of the Year. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” on January 23, 1962; it was released as a single on February 2, 1962. Marty Manning wrote the arrangement. It was also the title song for the album I Left My Heart in San Francisco, released in 1962.

We are of course celebrating Tony Bennett’s 93rd birthday! I’ve always found it interesting that the composer of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” George Cory, also was born on August 3.

The Year of Tony Bennett wishes Tony Bennett the happiest of birthdays.

(I Left My Heart) In San Francisco

Listen to (I Left My Heart) In San Francisco on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1962

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as well as I Left My Heart in San Francisco, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: I’m Through With Love

The song of the day for Tuesday, July 30, 2019, is “I’m Through With Love.”

About This Song

“I’m Through With Love” was written in 1931 by Fud Livingston, Matty Melneck, and Gus Kahn. The song has been popular since it was written, with recordings by Nat Cole, Chet Baker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Sarah Vaughan, among many recordings. Marilyn Monroe sang the song in the 1959 film Some Like It Hot.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon recorded “I’m Through With Love” in 1959 for their album Tony Sings For Two, which was recorded with just Bennett and Sharon on piano. In spite of opposition from Mitch Miller, which likely resulted in the album not being released until 1961, Tony Sings For Two was a triumph.

I"m Thru With Love

Listen to I"m Thru With Love on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1961

“I’m Through With Love,” as well as Tony Sings For Two, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: I Thought About You

The song of the day for Thursday, July 18, 2019, is “I Thought About You.”

About This Song

“I Thought About You” was written in 1939 by Jimmy McHugh and Johnny Mercer. In the biography Portrait of Johnny: The Life of John Herndon Mercer, author Gene Lees quotes Mercer about this song:

I can remember the afternoon that we wrote it. He [Van Heusen] played me the melody. I didn’t have any idea, but I had to go to Chicago that night. I think I was on the Benny Goodman program. And I got to thinking about it on the train. I was awake, I couldn’t sleep. The tune was running through my mind, and that’s when I wrote the song. On the train, really going to Chicago.

“I Thought About You” proved quite popular and has been recorded many times by jazz performers including Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Hartman, Shirley Horn, Dinah Washington, and Mel Tormé.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Thought About You” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon did the arrangement.

I Thought About You

I Thought About You, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“I Thought About You,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: The Boulevard of Broken Dreams

The song of the day for Wednesday, July 17, 2019, is “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”

About This Song

Harry Warren and Al Dubin wrote “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” in 1933 for the movie Moulin Rouge, where it was sung by Constance Bennett. Although numerous artists have recorded “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (including Bing Crosby in 1944), this song is very strongly identified with Tony Bennett. In fact, his demo record of “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” was heard by Mitch Miller and got Bennett his first recording contract with Columbia Records.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” for his 1990 album Astoria: Portrait of the Artist. Bennett is accompanied by The Ralph Sharon Trio, with Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums.

The Boulevard of Broken Dreams

The Boulevard of Broken Dreams, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“The Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” as well as Astoria: Portrait of the Artist, is available from iTunes.

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

The song of the day for Thursday, July 11, 2019, is “I’ve Got Just About Everything.”

About This Song

Written by the marvelous jazz pianist and composer Bob Dorough, this song is a true joy to listen to. In his liner notes for Forty/Fifty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett, Bennett says that “this one explains how a singer feels when he sings a song everyone likes.”

Bob Dorough recently passed away. In the early days of this blog, I wrote to Bob about how much I liked this song and enjoyed featuring in here. He wrote back. thanking me for writing. He was a lovely man and a fine composer and performer.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’ve Got Just About Everything” in 1964 with The Ralph Sharon Trio for his album When Lights Are Low. This recording clearly demonstrates the excellence of the trio. Listening to Sharon on piano, Billy Exiner on drums, and Hal Gaylord on bass, I can’t imagine a better recording.

I’ve Got Just About Everything – 2011 Remaster

I’ve Got Just About Everything – 2011 Remaster, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

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