The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Just Friends

The song of the day for Thursday, June 12, 2014 is “Just Friends.”

About This Song

“Just Friends” was written in 1931 by John Klenner (music) and Sam M. Lewis (lyrics). The first recording was in 1931 by Red McKenzie, but the song became popular in 1932 when Russ Columbo recorded it. Notable recordings throughout the years include those by Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Chet Baker and Charlie Parker. It ranks #85 on jazzstandards.org.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this song, as well as several others, in 1964 with an extraordinary group of jazz musicians: Herbie Hancock (piano), Elvin Jones (drums), Ron Carter (bass) and Stan Getz (tenor saxophone). The results were fantastic.

http://open.spotify.com/track/0FKdZzcnDnHfHg0FyNkGCA
“Just Friends,” as well as all of the songs collected on Rarities, Outtakes and Other Delights, Vol. 1, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Just Friends

The song of the day for Wednesday, September 18, 2013 is “Just Friends.”

About This Song

“Just Friends” was written in 1931 by John Klenner, with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis. The song was first recorded by Red MacKenzie and his Orchestra, but became popular when recorded by the singer Russ Columbo. It has become a jazz standard with recordings by Chet Baker, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker and Frank Sinatra.

About This Version

In 1964, Tony Bennett did a series of sessions with Herbie Hancock (piano), Stan Getz (tenor sax), Ron Carter (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums). Today’s version of “Just Friends” is from one of these sessions.

http://open.spotify.com/track/0FKdZzcnDnHfHg0FyNkGCA
“Just Friends,” as well all of the songs on Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 1, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Street of Dreams

The song of the day for Saturday, September 7, 2013 is “Street of Dreams.”

About This Song

“Street of Dreams” was written in 1932, with music by Victor Young and lyrics by Sam M. Lewis. This song has a classic depression-era sensibility, where love is one of the few things that may be impossible for those with money, but “no one is poor as long as love is sure.” Bing Crosby was the first singer to record “Street of Dreams”, though the Russ Columbo recording was also popular.

About This Version

Today’s song is from one of this author’s favorite of Bennett’s albums: Tony Sings For Two. Tony and Ralph Sharon, with no other musicians, went into the studio and recorded sixteen songs in one day. Bennett tells this story in his autobiography The Good Life:

We booked time in the studio and pored over music books, trying one tune after another. The arrangements were spontaneous, and 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 into 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 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 albums ever.

It’s a remarkable album and each and every song is excellent. Next to Bennett’s quite extraordinary “The Man That Got Away,” “Street of Dreams” is my favorite on the album. Your opinionated author hopes you like it as well.

http://open.spotify.com/track/70Aa21zmJ1J2q7qaMh5RDY
“Street of Dreams,” as well as the album Tony Sings For Two,” is available from iTunes and Amazon.com.

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Song of the Day: Just Friends

The song of the day for Friday, May 24, 2013 is Just Friends.

About This Song

Just Friends was written in 1931 by John Klenner with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis. It’s been a popular jazz standard , including vocal versions by Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Charlie Parker and Chet Baker.  The song, both the music as well as the lyrics, seem more modern that most songs written in the early 1930s and for that reason has received interesting jazz treatments  and found itself quite at home with bebop stylings.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recording this song for his album with Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett Sings For Two, released in 1961 (even though it was recorded in 1959).  With just Bennett accompanied only by Ralph Sharon, it was an unusual album for that time. This outing gave Bennett and Sharon an opportunity to do a very intimate album. In what must have been a remarkable recording session, Bennett and Sharon recorded sixteen songs in one day and  twelve of those songs are on the album. It is one of my favorites of Tony Bennett’s early albums: two great jazz musicians singing some of the best songs ever written.
http://open.spotify.com/track/5fLeV8El2vqaZs7hYwHwCO
Just Friends, as well as Tony Bennett Sings For Two, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Just Friends

The Year of Tony Bennett wishes to acknowledge the birthday of the late Stan Getz, who was born on February 2, 1927 in Philadelphia. We celebrate his career today with our song of the day for February 2, 2013: Just Friends.

About Just Friends

Just Friends dates from 1931 and was written by John Klenner and Sam M. Lewis. It was introduced in 1931 by Red McKenzie and His Orchestra, but became a hit song in 1932 with the Russ Columbo recording. It’s become a solid jazz standard, with recordings by Chet Baker, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker and Sonny Stitt, among others.

About This Version

In 1964, Tony Bennett got together with a notable quartet of jazz musicians: Stan Getz (tenor sax), Ron Carter (bass), Herbie Hancock (piano) and Elvin Jones (bass) for two sessions: one in May and another in October. The result was a handful of impeccable jazz recordings. Originally, there was to be a release called Tony Bennett, Stan Getz and Friends. This recording was never released, but thankfully the recordings were subsequently released.

 

The compilation album Jazz, released in 1987, contained all the songs they recorded: Danny Boy, Day Dream, Out Of This World, Have You Met Miss Jones and today’s song, Just Friends. All of these songs were on the first volume of Rarities in the 2011 Complete Collection.

Just Friends

Tony Bennett · Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 1 · Song · 2012

Just Friends, as well as the full Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Volume 1, is available from iTunes. Jazz is available from retailers including Barnes and Noble.