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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

July 14, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: When Lights Are Low

The song of the day for Thursday, July 15, 2021, is “When Lights Are Low.”

About This Song

“When Lights Are Low” was written in 1936 by musicians Benny Carter and Spencer Williams, while both were living and working in Europe. Carter was the staff arranger for the BBC during that period.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “When Lights Are Low” in 1964 with the Ralph Sharon Trio, which featured Sharon on piano, Hal Gaylord on bass, and Billy Exiner on drums. It was released in 1964 on the album When Lights Are Low.

When Lights Are Low

Listen to When Lights Are Low on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1964.

“When Lights Are Low,” as well as the album When Lights Are Low is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Benny Carter, Billy Exiner, Hal Gaylord, Ralph Sharon, Spencer Williams

May 15, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: When Lights Are Low

The song of the day for Sunday, Mary 18, 2021, is “When Lights Are Low.”

About This Song

“When Lights Are Low” was written in 1936 by Benny Carter and Spencer Williams, while both were living and working in Europe. Carter was the staff arranger for the BBC during that time.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “When Lights Are Low” in 1964 with The Ralph Sharon Trio for the album When Lights Are Low. The trio consisted of Sharon on piano, Hal Gaylord on bass, and Billy Exiner on drums. Gaylord does some very nice work on today’s song.

When Lights Are Low

Listen to When Lights Are Low on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1964.

“When Lights Are Low,” as well as the album When Lights Are Low, is available from Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Benny Carter, Billy Exiner, Hay Gaylord, Ralph Sharon, Spencer Williams, The Ralph Sharon Trio, When Lights Are Low

July 23, 2020 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: When Lights Are Low

The song of the day for Friday, July 24, 2020, is “When Lights Are Low.”

About This Song

“When Lights Are Low” was written in 1936 by Benny Carter and Spencer Williams; both Carter and Williams were living and working in Europe. Carter was the staff arranger for the BBC during that time.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “When Lights Are Low” in 1964 for his album When Lights Are Low. The recording features The Ralph Sharon Trio, with Billy Exiner on drums and Hal Gaylord on bass. In addition to playing piano, Sharon arranged the tune.

“When Lights Are Low,” as well as the album When Lights Are Low, is available from Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Benny Carter, Billy Exiner, Hal Gaylord, Spencer Williams, The Ralph Sharon Trio, Tony Bennett

March 11, 2014 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: When Lights Are Low

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 11, 2014 is “When Lights Are Low.”

About This Song

“When Lights Are Low” was written in 1936 by Benny Carter, the noted bandleader and musician, with lyrics by Spencer Williams. Carter and Williams were both living in Europe at the time; Carter was the staff arranger for the BBC dance arrangements as well.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “When Lights Are Low” in 1964 for the album of the same name. The album is Bennett singing with just the Ralph Sharon Trio, with Hal Gaylord on bass and Billy Exiner on drums. It’s one of Bennett’s great jazz albums and is definitely worth a listen.

http://open.spotify.com/track/68QorBXufCVCBxzgpAd2Uc
“When Lights Are Low,” as well as the album of the same name, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Benny Carter, Ralph Sharon Trio, Spencer Williams, When Lights Are Low

February 28, 2013 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: When Lights Are Low

The song of the day for Thursday, February 28, 2013 is When Lights Are Low.

About This Song

When Lights Are Low is true jazz standard. It was written in 1936 by the great trumpet player and band leader Benny Carter along with Spencer Williams. Miles Davis recorded it in 1956 and it has been recorded by noted jazz artists including Herbie Mann, Kenny Burrell, Lionel Hampton, Chet Baker, and, of course, Benny Carter.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded When Lights Are Low in 1964 for his album of the same name. I’m very fond of this album: it contains a number of very fine jazz songs, such as On Green Dolphin Street, and one of my favorite Tony Bennett songs: The Rules of the Road. Also, in an era of recording where too many good singers were, in my opinion, singing arrangements that suffered from what I call the Melanchrino Strings effect, When Lights Are Low uses just the very fine Ralph Sharon Trio, with Hal Gaylord on bass and Billy Exiner on drums. The album was produced by Ernie Altschuler, who produced albums for Bennett in the 1960s.

But I also picked this song for another reason: I love hearing Tony Bennett laugh. And this recording catches him chuckling a few times–at 0:36 and again at 3:24. I love that we get to hear him enjoying singing this song so much.

This song, as well as the entire album, is a joy.

http://open.spotify.com/track/68QorBXufCVCBxzgpAd2Uc
When Lights Are Low, as well as the album When Lights Are Low, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Benny Carter, Billy Exiner, Ernie Altschuler, Hal Gaylord, Ralph Sharon, Ralph Sharon Trio, Spencer Williams

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