The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye

The song of the day for Friday, April 5, 2024, is “Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye.”

About This Song

“Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye” was written in 1922 by Gus Kahn, Ernie Erdman, Ted Fiorito, and Dan Russo. This song is best known by it appearance in The Jazz Singer, the first “talking picture” that revolutionized Hollywood filmmaking overnight. “Toot, Toot Tootsie” was sung by Al Jolson, playing the role of a young jazz singer known as Jack Robin nee Jakie Rabinowitz.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye” 63 years ago today on April 5, 1961, for his album My Heart Sings. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangement and conducted the very fine band, which included Bernie Leighton, Milt Hinton, Zoot Sims, and Eddie Costa, among others.

“Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye,” as well as My Heart Sings, is available on Apple Music.

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Album of the Week: My Heart Sings

The album of the week starting on February 27, 2022, is My Heart Sings.

My Heart Sings

Tony Bennett remembers My Heart Sings in his autobiography, The Good Life:

Ralph Burns and I got together again to do some singles, including “Smile,” and for our next album we changed gears again. Instead of the lush, ballad-style arrangements we had used on Hometown, My Town, we switched to a cookin’ jazz sound. The album is called My Heart Sings, and I simply love Ralph’s writing on this one. It’s really beautiful music.

This album is a preview of 1962, which was an outstanding year for Tony Bennett, including his concert at Carnegie Hall and winning his first Grammy Award for “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.”

My Heart Sings was recorded in 3 sessions on 3 consecutive days: April 4, April 5, and April 6, 1961.

Album Facts

Release Date August 7, 1961
Label Columbia
Producer Ernie Altschuler
Vocals Tony Bennett
Arrangements, Conductor Ralph Burns
Piano Bernie Leighton
Bass Milt Hinton
Drums Herb Lovelle
Guitar Barry Galbraith, Chuck Wayne, Mundell Lowe
Saxophone Danny Bank, Al Klink, Toots Mondello, Romeo Penque, Jerry Sanfino
Trumpet Bernie Glow, Irving Markowitz, Jimmy Maxwell, Carl Sereinsen
Trombone Robert Alexander, Urbie Green, Dick Hixson, Frank Rehak
Vibes Eddie Costa

Songs on My Heart Sings

Song Composers
Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler
Dancing in the Dark Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz
I’m Comin’ Virginia Donald Heywood, Will Marion Cook
My Heart Sings Jean Blanvillain (Jamblin), Harold Rome, Henri Laurent Herpin
It Never Was You Kurt Weill, Maxwell Anderson
You Took Advantage of Me Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
Close Your Eyes Bernice Petkere
Stella By Starlight Victor Young, Ned Washington
More Than You Know Vincent Youmans, Billy Rose, Edward Eliscu
My Ship Kurt Weill, Ira Gershwin
Lover Man Jimmy Davis, Roger “Ram” Ramirez, James Sherman
Toot, Toot, Tootsie Gus Kahn, Ernie Erdman, Ted Fiorito, Dan Russo

Listen to My Heart Sings

You can also listen to My Heart Sings on

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Song of the Day: Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye

The song of the day for Wednesday, Ju e 16, 2021, is “Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye.”

About This Song

“Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye” was written in 1922 by Gus Kahn, Ernie Erdman, Ted Fiorito, and Dan Russo, The song is best known by its appearance in The Jazz Singer, the first “talking picture” that revolutionized Hollywood filmmaking overnight. “Toot, Toot Tootsie” was sung by Al Jolson, playing the role of a young jazz singer known as Jack Robin nee Jakie Rabinowitz.

About This Version

Tony Bennett first recorded “Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye” for his 1961 album My Heart Sings, featuring an arrangement by Ralph Burns. He sang it at his June 9, 1962 performance at Carnegie Hall, captured on Tony Bennett At Carnegie Hall.

Toot Toot Tootsie (Goodbye) (From "Bombo") - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962

No Description

“Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye,” as well as Tony Bennett At Carnegie Hall is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye

The song of the day for Friday, June 30, 2017 is “Toot Toot Tootsie Goodbye.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye,” was written in 1922 by Gus Kahn, Ernie Erdman, Ted Fiorito and Dan Russo. This song is best known by it appearance in The Jazz Singer, the first “talking picture” that revolutionized Hollywood filmmaking overnight. “Toot, Toot Tootsie” was sung by Al Jolson, playing the role of a young jazz singer known as Jack Robin née Jakie Rabinowitz.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye” in 1961 for his album My Heart Sings. Ralph Burns did the arrangement. Bennett sang it the following year at his concert at Carnegie Hall.

Toot, Toot, Tootsie (Goodbye)

Listen to Toot, Toot, Tootsie (Goodbye) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1961


“Toot Toot Tootsie Goodbye,” as well as My Heart Sings, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Today is the last day of June and the last day of our tribute to arranger Ralph Burns. I had always associated Burns with Hometown, My Town, and only learned this month of the full scope of his work for Bennett, including Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, released just a short time before Burns’ death. I admire and appreciate the fine work he did for Bennett over the years.

We’ll be honoring a new musical collaborator starting tomorrow. I think you’ll all be surprised with the pick!

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