The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Pick Yourself Up

The song of the day for Saturday, January 30, 2021, is “Pick Yourself Up.”

About This Song

“Pick Yourself Up” was written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields for the film Swing Time, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It was used in the early part of the film where Astaire pretends to not be able to dance and asks for Ginger Rogers as his dance instructor just so he could dance with her. This song has been widely recorded, including those by Nat King Cole, Anita O’Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Diana Krall.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Pick Yourself Up” with The Bill Charlap Trio for the 2015 album The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern. It swings quite nicely.

“Pick Yourself Up,” as well as The Silver Lining, is available from Apple Music.

We’ve got some great videos today:

Here’s Astaire and Rogers from Swing Time

Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers - Pick Yourself Up [High Quality]

An iconic dance scene from the 1936 movie "Swing Time".This movie was selected in 2004 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Li...

Last June, singer Tony DeSare created this fabulous All-Star Jazz Collab for the Actors Fund version of “Pick Yourself Up.” It was a fundraiser for the Actors Fund and much needed as actors have not been able to work since the pandemic began. I find myself returning to this video often, as it always makes me feel happy!

Pick Yourself Up - All-Star Jazz Collab for the Actors Fund

Go here to donate to Actors Fund: http://actorsfund.org/jazzPick Yourself Up - By Jerome Kern and Dorothy FieldsFeaturing:Piano: Tedd Firth Bass: Billy Thorn...

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The song of the day for Saturday, May 20, 2017 is “The Way You Look Tonight.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “The Way You Look Tonight,” was written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields in 1936 for the movie Swing Time. The song was introduced by Fred Astaire and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the year.

Dorothy Fields remarked “The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.” Dorothy Fields was the first woman to win an Oscar for songwriting. It’s a magnificent love song that has found a strong position as a jazz standard, with recordings by Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Mel Tormé and Frank Sinatra.

About This Version

Tony Bennett has recorded today’s song several times. Today I’ve chosen his first recording from 1958 for the album Long Ago and Far Away. The arrangement is by Frank DeVol.

The Way You Look Tonight

Listen to The Way You Look Tonight on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1958.


“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as Long Ago and Far Away, is available from iTunes.

About Today

While our version of “The Way You Look Tonight” was Bennett’s first recording of the song, our video is his most recent. Here are Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap performing “The Way You Look Tonight” from their 2015 album The Silver Lining: The Music of Jerome Kern.

By 4 Comments

Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The song of the day for Thursday, October 27, 2016 is “The Way You Look Tonight.”

About This Song

“The Way You Look Tonight” was written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields in 1936. It was introduced by Fred Astaire in the film Swing Time; the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the year. Dorothy Fields remarked “The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.” Dorothy Fields was the first woman to win an Oscar for songwriting. It’s a magnificent love song that has found a strong position as a jazz standard, with recordings by Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Mel Tormé and Frank Sinatra.

About This Version

Tony Bennet has recorded this beautiful song several times. Today I feature his most recent recording from last year’s The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, with Bill Charlap on piano.

The Way You Look Tonight

Listen to The Way You Look Tonight on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2015.


“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Tonight, my friend Lesley and I had the great honor to see Tony Bennett in concert here in Portland. We had a wonderful time, for the most part, save a few drunks seated in front of and behind us. One drank from a flask throughout, getting drunker and talking louder the entire time. The one behind us was yelling and shouting like he was at football game. He also sang along to many of the songs, especially this one. So tonight when Tony sings “The Way You Look Tonight,” I mostly heard the idiot drunk behind me. I dedicate this recording to me and to Lesley, so that we can hear it sung by the master himself.

But who needs an excuse to listen to this song? It’s one of Kern’s best and Tony’s recording is better than great.

By 2 Comments

Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The song of the day for Saturday, June 4, 2016 is “The Way You Look Tonight.”

About This Song

Written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields, “The Way You Look Tonight” was introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1936 film Swing Time; the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the year. Dorothy Fields remarked “The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.” Dorothy Fields was the first woman to win an Oscar for songwriting. It’s a magnificent love song that has found a strong position as a jazz standard, with recordings by Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Mel Tormé and Frank Sinatra.

About This Version

Tony Bennett has recorded this song several times, but my favorite of them all is from last year’s Grammy-winning album The Silver Lining: The Music of Jerome Kern, featuring the great Bill Charlap on piano. The recording is flawless, as is the song itself.

The Way You Look Tonight

Listen to The Way You Look Tonight on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2015.


“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as , is available from iTunes.

About Today

We have this wonderful video of Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap performing this song from their wonderful album, The Silver Lining: The Music of Jerome Kern.

About June

As some of you know, I was laid off from my job in April. Luckily, I found a new job which I started two weeks ago and am enjoying very much.

What I am not enjoying is being told a few days before I started my new job that I have to move, as the owner of house I’ve been leasing for years needs to sell the house. I am now in the throes of (1) going through my stuff and sloughing off things I no longer need or no longer fit in, (2) packing up the rest, (3) setting up change of addresses and (4) actually moving in a few weeks. With all that in mind, I may be taking some chunks of time off to pay attention to these mundane details. But never fear … it will only be temporary.

Meanwhile, wish us luck here in Portland. We’re looking at triple-digit temperatures this weekend. Ugh!

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The song of the day for Saturday, April 23, 2016 is “The Way You Look Tonight.”

About This Song

“The Way You Look Tonight,” written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields, was introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1936 film Swing Time; the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the year. Dorothy Fields remarked “The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.” Dorothy Fields was the first woman to win an Oscar for songwriting. It’s a magnificent love song that has found a strong position as a jazz standard, with recordings by Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Mel Tormé and Frank Sinatra.

About This Version

Today’s version of “The Way You Look Tonight” is from the soundtrack of My Best Friend’s Wedding and was recorded ~1997 with the Ralph Sharon Trio. Thankfully, this beautiful recording was included on Volume 2 of Rarities, Outtakes and Other Delights in the 2011 Complete Collection box set, which is now also available from iTunes.

I have to say that I cannot get enough of hearing Tony Bennett sing this song. I’ve heard him sing it concert several times and I am always moved to tears. Bennett “gets” this song.

The Way You Look Tonight

Listen to The Way You Look Tonight on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2012.


“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as Rarities, Outtakes and Other Delights, Vol. 2, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Saturday is here again and that means a video. Today we have Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap performing “The Way You Look Tonight” from an Elvis Costello special from New Year’s Eve 2008.

Subscribe to The Year of Tony Bennett

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Current Reader Favorites