The song of the day for Tuesday, October 2, 2019, is “How Do You Keep the Music Playing.”

About This Song

“How Do You Keep the Music Playing” was written by Michel Legrand, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman,for the 1982 movie Best Friends, which starred Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn. The initial recording was a duet by Patti Austin and James Ingram, which became a hit single in 1983. It was one of three songs with lyrics by then Bergmans that were nominated that year for an Academy Award for Best Song (though the award went to “Up Where We Belong” from the movie An Officer and a Gentleman). The song has become a popular standard and has had many fine recordings, including those by Frank Sinatra (who encouraged Bennett to sing this song), Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis, Tony Bennett and George Michael and, most recently, Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “How Do You Keep the Music Playing” in 1986 for his album The Art of Excellence, featuring an arrangement by Jorge Calandrelli.

The Art of Excellence was Bennett’s first album after his return to Columbia Records in the 1980s. He describes this album in his biography The Good Life:

I decided to make a record featuring state-of-the-art technology with the best digital equipment that was then available. In addition to making a great recording, it also brought the project to the attention of the high-tech enthusiasts.

My new record would the called The Art of Excellence, referring not only to the songs, but also to my demand for quality. From that day forward people would expect nothing less from Tony Bennett.

“How Do You Keep the Music Playing,” as well as The Art of Excellence, is available from iTunes.