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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

July 4, 2017 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Don’t Cry Baby

The song of the day for Tuesday, July 4, 2017 is “Don’t Cry Baby.”

About This Song

“Don’t Cry Baby” was written in 1929 by James P. Johnson, Saul Bernie and Stella Unger. Jimmy Johnson was a composer and pianist who, along with Jelly Roll Morton, came into prominence in the era between ragtime and the stride piano techniques in early jazz. Saul Bernie and Stella Unger were both composers who were active in the 1920s. It was first sung by Bessie Smith in 1929. Erskine Hawkins recorded it in 1943; this version reached #1 on the Harlem Hit Parade in 1943 and #15 on the popular charts. Etta James recorded it in 1961 as well.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Don’t Cry Baby” on October 1, 1950. This time, his arranger was Norman Leyden; the recording was produced by Mitch Miller. This early recording has always fascinated me. It’s a great song and you can feel the young Bennett stretching out just a bit for this blues song.

Don"t Cry Baby

Listen to Don"t Cry Baby on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2011.


“Don’t Cry Baby,” as well as all the singles collected on The Columbia Singles, Vol. 1, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: James P. Johnson, Mitch Miller, Norman Leyden, Saul Bernie, Stella Unger, Tony Bennett

December 18, 2014 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Don’t Cry Baby

The song of the day for Thursday, December 18, 2014 is “Don’t Cry Baby.”

About This Song

“Don’t Cry Baby” was written by James P. Johnson, Saul Bernie and Stella Unger in 1929. Johnson was a composer and pianist who, along with Jelly Roll Morton, came into prominence in the era between ragtime and the stride piano in early jazz. Saul Bernie and Stella Unger were both composers who were active in the 1920s. It was first sung by Bessie Smith in 1929. Erskine Hawkins recorded it in 1943; this version reached #1 on the Harlem Hit Parade in 1943 and #15 on the popular charts. Etta James recorded it in 1961 as well.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Don’t Cry Baby” in October, 1950, just six months after he signed with Columbia. It was arranged by Norman Leyden. This song is rather a departure from much of his early work and is one of my favorites from that first year at Columbia. He recorded the song again in 2001 for Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues.

Don"t Cry Baby

Listen to Don"t Cry Baby on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2011.


“Don’t Cry Baby,” as well as the other songs collected on The Columbia Singles, Volume 1, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: James P. Johnson, Saul Bernie, Stella Unger

January 31, 2013 By Suzanne 2 Comments

Song of the Day: Don’t Cry Baby

The song of the day for Thursday, January 31, 2013 is Don’t Cry Baby.

About Don’t Cry Baby

Don’t Cry Baby was written by Saul Bernie, James P. (Jimmy) Johnson and Stella Unger. Jimmy Johnson was a composer and pianist who, along with Jelly Roll Morton, came into prominence in the era between ragtime and the stride piano techniques in early jazz. Saul Bernie and Stella Unger were both composers who were active in the 1920s.

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It was first sung by Bessie Smith in 1929. Erskine Hawkins recorded it in 1943; this version reached #1 on the Harlem Hit Parade in 1943 and #15 on the popular charts. Etta James recorded it in 1961 as well.

About This Version

This blues song is from Tony Bennett’s 2001 album Playin’ With My Friends. Although the album has a good number of duets (Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt, k.d. lang, and Ray Charles among others), this song is one of the solos.

This album features the Ralph Sharon Quartet, with Sharon on piano, Paul and Langosch on bass, Clayton Cameron on drums and Gray Sargent on guitar. Don’t Cry Baby also used Harry Allen on sax and Mike Melvoin on the Hammond B3 organ. There’s nothing like the sound of the Hammond B3 on a blues album.

Don"t Cry Baby

Listen to Don"t Cry Baby on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2001.

Don’t Cry Baby, as well as the full Playin’ With My Friends album, is available from iTunes.

 

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Bessie Smith, Hammond B3, James P. Johnson, Ralph Sharon Quartet, Saul Bernie, Stella Unger

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