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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

July 15, 2025 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The song of the day for Tuesday, July 15, 2025, is “The Way You Look Tonight.”

About Today

We are very happy to celebrate the great Dorothy Fields on the anniversary of her birth on July 15, 1904. She was born into a prominent show business family. Her father, Lew Fields, was a successful theatrical producer. Her brother Joseph was a writer and producer; her other brother, Herbert, was a writer who collaborated with Dorothy.

She had a remarkable career as librettist and lyricist, starting in 1928, writing with Jimmy McHugh on Blackbirds on Broadway; the pair continued to work on several Cotton Club shows. In the 1930s, she began working on films, especially Jerome Kern. She returned to Broadway shows, writing librettos for Stars in Your Eyes and A Tree Grows In Brooklyn with Arthur Schwartz. Dorothy, with her brother Herbert, wrote the book for Irving Berlin‘s Annie Get Your Gun. In the 1960s, she wrote lyrics for Sweet Charity and Seesaw with Cy Coleman.

Her career lasted for 48 years and in that time she won Tony, Oscar, and Grammy Awards. She was the first woman to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

About This Song

“The Way You Look Tonight” was written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields for the 1936 film Swing Time, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song; she was the first woman to win an Oscar for songwriting.

Dorothy Fields wrote 32 songs with Jerome Kern between 1935 and 1952. She wrote this about “The Way You Look Tonight.”

The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “The Way You Look Tonight” with The Ralph Sharon Trio for the 1977 movie My Best Friend’s Wedding.

“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 2, is available on Apple Music.

Tony Bennett recorded “The Way You Look Tonight” with Bill Charlap for their 2015 album The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Dorothy Fields, Happy Birthday Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern, Rarities Outtakes & Other Delights, The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, Tony Bennett

February 1, 2023 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Day Dream

The song of the day for Thursday, February 2, 2023, is “Day Dream.”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett is celebrating the anniversary of the birth of tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, who was born on February 2, 1927.

About This Song

“Day Dream” was written in 1941 by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, with lyrics by John LaTouche. Acknowledged to have been written solely by Strayhorn, “Day Dream” is a lovely song with a strong Strayhorn touch, enhanced by the thoughtful lyrics by John LaTouche. The first recording was in 1941 and featured Johnny Hodges on saxophone and Billy Strayhorn on piano. Other notable recordings include this one by Tony Bennett, Betty Carter, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan.

About This Version

In 1964, Tony Bennett got together with a remarkable group of jazz musicians to record a series of songs, including today’s song, “Day Dream.” Playing with Bennett were Herbie Hancock (piano), Stan Getz (tenor saxophone), Ron Carter (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums).

They recorded “Day Dream” on May 25, 1964, which also featured an unnamed trombone player. These recordings weren’t released until 2011 in the Complete Collection box set, on Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 1.

“Day Dream,” as well as Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 1 is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, Elvin Jones, Herbie Hancock, John Latouche, Rarities Outtakes & Other Delights, Stan Getz, Tony Bennett

March 3, 2020 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 4, 2020, is “The Way You Look Tonight.”

About This Song

“The Way You Look Tonight” was written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields for the 1936 film Swing Time; the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the year. Dorothy Fields remarked “The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.” Dorothy Fields was the first woman to win an Oscar for songwriting. It’s a magnificent love song that has found a strong position as a jazz standard, with recordings by Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Mel Tormé, and Frank Sinatra.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this song (in only one take, it’s said) for the 1997 movie My Best Friend’s Wedding. This recording is included in Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 2, which was included in the 2011 Complete Collection box set.

Last night I was looking for something to watch on TV that had nothing to do with the coronavirus or the election. I found, free on Amazon Prime, the biographical movie about Jerome Kern: Till The Clouds Roll By, released in 1946. The movie is rather cheesy, but the music was wonderful. Great orchestrations and fantastic singers including Judy Garland, Kathryn Grayson, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, June Allyson, Lena Horne, and many more. So, I’ve been in a Jerome Kern mood all day and that always means “The Way You Look Tonight.”

“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 2, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern, My Best Friend's Wedding, Rarities Outtakes & Other Delights, Till The Clouds Roll By, Tony Bennett

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