The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Until I Met You

The song of the day for Sunday, August 31, 2025, is “Until I Met You.”

About This Song

“Until I Met You” was written in 1956 by Freddie Green and Don Wolf; the tune, without the lyric, is known as “Corner Pocket.” Freddie Green played rhythm guitar for the Count Basie Orchestra for fifty years. Count Basie did the first recording of “Corner Pocket” in 1956 for his album April In Paris. Basie recorded “Until I Met You” with Sarah Vaughan in 1961 on Count Basie & Sarah Vaughan.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Until I Met You” on March 16, 1962, for the album On The Glory Road, which was pulled from release at the last minute. The album was included in the 2011 Complete Collection box set and is now available on music streaming services. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“Until I Met You,” as well as On The Glory Road, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Basie’s 1956 recording of “Corner Pocket” from April In Paris:

And here are Basie and Sarah Vaughan from Count Basie & Sarah Vaughan:

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Song of the Day: Poor Butterfly

The song of the day for Wednesday, May 8, 2013 is Poor Butterfly.

About This Song

This beautiful song was written in 1916 by Raymond Hubble, with lyrics by John Golden, for the Broadway musical The Big Show. The song was, of course, inspired by the Giacomo Puccini opera Madame Butterfly. It’s been a popular song since 1917 and for good reason; it’s a beautiful song. It’s been recorded by Julie Andrews (in Thoroughly Modern Millie), Deanna Durbin, Errol Garner, Benny Goodman, Al Hirt, Susannah McCorkle, Frank Sinatra with Duke Ellington, and Sarah Vaughan.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded Poor Butterfly for his 1995 Grammy Award winning album, Here’s To The Ladies. In this album, he picked songs strongly associated the great female jazz singers; this song is for Sarah Vaughan.

In his liner notes for Here’s To The Ladies, Tony Bennett wrote:

I first heard Sarah sing at the Waldorf Astoria. Being one of Sarah’s biggest fans, I was transported right up to heaven whenever I heard her perform this song.

I know the feeling; I was transported the moment I heard this song this evening. I had picked another song from the album as song for the day. My habit is to listen to the rest of the album while I write the topic for the song each day. A few seconds into Poor Butterfly I started thinking that I couldn’t remember when I’d heard a more beautiful song. And so here is Poor Butterfly.

Poor Butterfly

Listen to Poor Butterfly on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1995

Poor Butterfly, as well as the full Here’s To The Ladies, is available from iTunes.