The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: There’s A Small Hotel

The song of the day for Friday, June 28, 2024, is “There’s A Small Hotel.”

About Today

We are remembering Richard Rodgers on the anniversary of his birth on June 28, 1902. Having written the scores to 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs, Rodgers is one of the most prolific and important American 20th-century composers.

About This Song

“There’s A Small Hotel” was written by Richard Rodgers and Larry Hart for the 1935 Broadway musical Jumbo and was also used the next year in On Your Toes, where it was introduced by Ray Bolger and Doris Carson. The song has been recorded by artists including Chet Baker, Josephine Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Della Reese.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “There’s A Small Hotel” in July 1973 for Tony Bennett Sings More Great Rodgers & Hart.

“There’s A Small Hotel,” as well as Tony Bennett Sings the Rodgers & Hart Sondbook, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: My Funny Valentine

The song of the day for Sunday, June 223, 2024, is “My Funny Valentine.”

About This Song

“My Funny Valentine” was written by Richard Rodgers and Larry Hart for the 1937 Broadway musical Babes in Arms, where it was introduced by Mitzi Green. This ballad is one of the most-loved songs in the American songbook and has been sung by most jazz and cabaret artists. In addition to Tony Bennett’s excellent recordings of this song, others include those by Chet Baker, Frank Sinatra, and Miles Davis.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “My Funny Valentine” on October 28, 1959, for the album Tony Sings For Two, released in 1961.

Bennett shared his thoughts about Tony Sings For Two, from his autobiography The Good Life:

I always wanted to be unpredictable, and so for my next project, I decided to go in the opposite direction from the big orchestral albums I’d been doing lately and cut an intimate piano-vocal album with Ralph Sharon. We booked time at 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 that there was 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.

“My Funny Valentine,” as well as Tony Sings For Two, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Mountain Greenery

The song of the day for Friday, June 7, 2024, is “Mountain Greenery.”

About This Song

Richard Rodgers and Larry Hart wrote “Mountain Greenery” in 1926 for one of their earliest musicals, The Garrick Gaieties, where it was introduced by Sterling Holloway. It had two recordings in 1926: one by Roger Wolfe Kahn and the other by Frank Crumit. In later years, this song was recorded by Bing Crosby, Mel Tormé, Ella Fitzgerald, and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Mountain Greenery” in July 1973 for the album Tony Bennett Sings More Great Rodgers & Hart.

“Mountain Greenery,” as well as Tony Bennett Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: I Could Write a Book

The song of the day for Thursday, May 2, 2024, is “I Could Write a Book.”

About Today

Today we are celebrating Lorenz Milton Hart, who was born 129 years ago on May 2, 1895. Larry Hart, the lyricist for today’s song, worked with Richard Rodgers starting in 1919, a partnership that continued until Hart’s death on November 22, 1942, from alcoholism. Their last new show was Jupiter, which opened in mid-1942. In 1943, they had guided a revival of A Connecticut Yankee, which opened in November 1943. Hart did not show up on opening night. He was found ill in his hotel room and died a few days later.

About This Song

“I Could Write a Book” was written by Richard Rodgers and Larry Hart for the Broadway musical Pal Joey, where it was introduced by Gene Kelly and Leila Ernst. This has always been an interesting song. Today it’s considered a lovely romantic number, but in the context of the musical, it’s sung as a phony love song in order to woo the innocent ingenue. It’s been widely recorded by artists including Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Betty Carter, Anita O’Day. and Ella Fitzgerald.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Could Write a Book” in July 1973 with The Ruby Braff/George Barnes Quartet for the album Tony Bennett sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs.

“I Could Write a Book,” as well as Tony Bennett Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Two By Two

The song of the day for Friday, March 22, 2024, is “Two By Two.”

About Today

We honor the late Stephen Sondheim, who co-wrote today’s song with Richard Rodgers. Sondheim was born on March 22, 1930, and died on November 26, 2021. My very first Broadway show was the original production of Company. He was one of the greatest composers who ever wrote for the musical theatre.

About This Song

Richard Rodgers and Stephen Sondheim wrote “Two By Two” in 1965 for the musical Do I Hear a Waltz?, though it was cut before the production opened. Sondheim was mentored by Oscar Hammerstein, and recommended to both Rodgers and Sondheim that they should work together after Hammerstein died in 1960. Do I Hear a Waltz? was based on Arthur Luarents’ book The Time of the Cuckoo and wrote the book for the musical. Laurents and Mary Rodgers (daughter of Richard Rodbgers and a close friend of Sondheim) asked Sondheim to write lyrics. Laurents had previously worked with Sondheim on West Side Story, for which he also wrote the book.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Two By Two” on February 19, 1965, for If I Ruled the World: Songs For the Jet Set. Don Costa wrote the arrangement.

“Two By Two,” as well as If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set/em>, is available on Apple Music.