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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

August 21, 2014 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Taking A Chance On Love

The song of the day for Thursday, August 21, 2014 is “Taking A Chance On Love.”

About This Song

“Taking a Chance on Love” was written for the 1940 musical Cabin in the Sky by Vernon Duke (music) and John Latouche and Ted Fetter (lyrics), where it was introduced by the great Ethel Waters and Dooley Wilson. The song works well for both jazz singers and instrumentalists, with significant recordings by Dave Brubeck, Tony Bennett, Judy Garland and Dizzy Gillespie.

And, even though we have featured two songs in row with lyrics by John Latouche, it is not John Latouche Week, though that’s a great idea.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded today’s song in December, 1958 with Count Basie and His Orchestra for the 1959 album In Person! with Count Basie and His Orchestra. In his autobiography, The Good Life, Bennett tells this story:

Although I’d talked with him on the telephone I didn’t meet Count Basie until our rehearsals began. It was an amazing experience, the fulfillment of a dream, and I’ll never forget it. We hit it off right away, as though we always knew and understood each other. At one point, Basie turned to his band, pointed his finger at me, and said, ‘Anything this man wants, he gets!’ I was floored.

About Today

William James “Count” Basie was born on August 21, 1904 in Red Bank, New Jersey and would have been 110 years old today. He learned to play piano from his mother as a child and by the time he was a teenager, he was performing. He had dropped out of school and ran lights for a vaudeville house while he learned to accompany silent movies. By the age of 16, he was performing professionally. Though from the East Coast, he really got his start in jazz in Kansas City, playing with Bennie Moten’s Band from 1929 until 1935, when Moten died. He then started his own band, which lasted for nearly fifty years. Some of the great talent that came through Basie’s band include Lester Young, Freddy Green, Buck Clayton, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Jimmy Rushing and Joe Williams. Billie Holiday toured with Basie after the band moved to New York in 1938.

Basie’s was one of the very bands that managed to stay together after the Swing era ebbed out in the early 1940s; even Benny Goodman dismantled his band. Basie and Ellington found ways to last, even though it meant prodigious touring to make the payroll.

Younger fans may remember Count Basie and His Orchestra playing in the desert at the end of Mel Brook’s Blazing Saddles.

And Tony Bennett fans remember that his current drummer, Harold Jones, played with Basie.

Taking A Chance On Love

Taking A Chance On Love, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Cabin in the Sky, Count Basie, Happy Birthday Count Basie, In Person! with Count Basie and His Orchestra, John Latouche, Ted Fetter, Vernon Duke

January 11, 2014 By Suzanne 1 Comment

Song of the Day: Taking a Chance on Love

The song of the day for Saturday, January 11, 2014 is “Taking a Chance on Love.”

About This Song

“Taking a Chance on Love” was written for the 1940 musical Cabin in the Sky by Vernon Duke, with lyrics by John La Touche and Ted Fetter. The song was introduced by the great Ethel Waters and Dooley Wilson. The song works well for both jazz singers and instrumentalists, with significant recordings by Dave Brubeck, Tony Bennett, Judy Garland and Dizzy Gillespie.

About This Version

Tony Bennett first recorded this song for his second album, Tony, released in 1957. However, I prefer this version from 1958 In Person! with Count Basie and His Orchestra. This version was also used on the 1962 album I Left My Heart in San Francisco.


“Taking a Chance on Love,” as well as the album In Person! with Count Basie and His Orchestra, is available from iTunes.

And as it’s YouTube Saturday, I have two videos for you.

The first is Tony Bennett singing today’s song:

And here is Miss Ethel Waters from Cabin in the Sky:

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Cabin in the Sky, Ethel Waters, In Person! with Count Basie and His Orchestra, John La Touche, Ted Fetter, Vernon Duke

April 23, 2013 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Taking A Chance On Love

The song of the day for Tuesday, April 23, 2013 is Taking A Chance On Love.

About This Song

Today we feature another song from Cabin In The Sky, Taking A Chance On Love. This song was written for the original 1940 Broadway production by Vernon Duke, with lyrics by John LaTouche and Ted Fetter.  Taking A Chance on Love has been a favorite of jazz and popular performers since it was written, including recordings by Dizzy Gillespie, Judy Garland, Peggy Lee, Gerry Mulligan, Zoot Sims, Jane Monheit and even Rod Stewart.

About This Version

I can’t get Cabin In The Sky out my mind and have found myself humming this song a lot since I watched the movie on Saturday. I felt like a Count Basie song for today and so here’s Taking A Chance on Love from In Person! Bennett and Basie really swing this version.


Taking A Chance On Love, as well the full In Person! album, is available from iTunes.

And again the amazing Ethel Waters, singing our song of the day, with dancing by the amazing Bill Bailey. And you thought Michael Jackson invented the Moonwalk.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Bill Bailey, Cabin in the Sky, Ethel Waters, John Latouche, Ted Fetter, Vernon Duke

March 13, 2013 By Suzanne 2 Comments

Song of the Day: Taking a Chance on Love

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 13, 2013 is Taking a Chance on Love.

About This Song

Taking a Chance on Love was written by Vernon Duke, with lyrics by John LaTouche and Ted Fetter. It was introduced in the 1940 Broadway show Cabin in the Sky and was sung by Ethel Waters and Dooley Wilson. The song was recorded by Benny Goodman with vocals by Helen Forrest and reached #1 on the charts in 1943. The song has remained popular and has been performed by many jazz and popular singers, ranging from Ruby Braff to Dave Brubeck to Nat King Cole and many, many more singers and instrumentalists.

About This Version

Today’s version comes from Tony Bennett’s second album, Tony, released in 1957. This version was arranged and conducted by Ray Conniff. I’ve been listening to Tony Bennett’s albums recorded in the 1950s this week. There are some wonderful recordings there and this number is definitely one of my favorites.


Taking a Chance on Love, as well as the full Tony album, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Cabin in the Sky, John Latouche, Ted Fetter, Vernon Duke

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