The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Let’s Begin

The song of the day for Friday, September 1, 2017 is “Let’s Begin.”

About This Song

“Let’s Begin” was written by Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach for the 1933 musical Roberta, which also included many other fine Kern songs, including “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” and “The Touch of Your Hand.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Let’s Begin” in 1957 for his second jazz album: The Beat of My Heart. This album featured percussionists from the world over, with Art Blakey on this recording.

The Beat of My Heart was the first album that Ralph Sharon worked on with Tony Bennett, who related this in The Good Life:

Ralph and I wanted to make a jazz statement in a big way, and I came up with the idea of recording an album of standards that put the spotlight on different kinds of rhythm by using all the great jazz drummers I could find. We talked the concept over during our first few months on the road, and gradually it all came together.

Let"s Begin

Tony Bennett · The Beat Of My Heart · Song · 1957


“Let’s Begin,” as well as The Beat of My Heart, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Just One Of Those Things

The song of the day for Thursday, November 3, 2016 is “Just One Of Those Things.”

About This Song

Cole Porter wrote “Just One of Those Things” for the 1935 musical Jubilee. It’s one of Porter’s most popular songs and has been recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra. Alec Wilder in American Popular Song spoke of the lyric as ‘a trip to the moon on gossamer wings’ and “that it seems impossible that it wasn’t sitting on his piano, waiting for Porter even before he wrote the lyric.” It has a certain literary fame as well: Holden Caulfield, in Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye likes the song and notes that even the “stinking band” in the hotel lounge “couldn’t ruin it entirely.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Just One Of Those Things” in 1957 for his album The Beat of My Heart, featuring an arrangement by Ralph Sharon.

For The Beat of My Heart, Bennett gathered the finest jazz percussionists and drummers to perform on the album. Art Blakey is the featured drummer on “Just One Of Those Things.”

Just One Of Those Things

Listen to Just One Of Those Things on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1957


“Just One Of Those Things,” as well as The Beat of My Heart, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Blues In The Night

The song of the day for Tuesday, October 11, 2016 is “Blues In The Night.”

About This Song

“Blues in the Night” was written in 1941 for the film of the same name by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. Arlen wrote the music first and wrote a true blues song. Johnny Mercer, who later wrote the lyrics, drew on his southern heritage to write the exceptional blues lyrics. in fact, Mercer had scrawled “my mama done told me” in the margins of his copy of the music. Arlen saw it and pronounced it “perfect.” And perfect the lyrics for “Blues In The Night” are.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Blues In The Night” in 1957 for his second jazz album: The Beat of My Heart. The album, conceived by Bennett, used percussionists to augment the Ralph Sharon arrangements. “Blues in the Night” featured Chico Hamilton.

Blues In The Night

Listen to Blues In The Night on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1957


“Blues In The Night,” as well as Blues in the Night, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: I Get A Kick Out Of You

The song of the day for Friday, June 17, 2016 is “I Get A Kick Out Of You.”

About This Song

“I Get a Kick Out of You” was written for Cole Porter’s 1934 musical Anything Goes, where it was introduced by Ethel Merman. It’s been popular since then and has been recorded by artists including Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Anita O’Day, Max Roach and many more. The original lyrics reference the use of cocaine (I get no kick from cocaine), and that particular line in the lyric is often rewritten, often to champagne.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Get a Kick Out of You” for his 1957 jazz album The Beat of My Heart. The cut was not on the original LP release, but was added to the first CD release in the early 1990s. The arrangement is by Ralph Sharon and features Art Blakey on drums.

I Get a Kick out of You

Listen to I Get a Kick out of You on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1957


“I Get A Kick Out Of You,” as well as The Beat of My Heart, is available from iTunes.

And because I love Ethel Merman, here’s one of her recordings of today’s song.

I Get A Kick Out Of You - From "Anything Goes"

Listen to I Get A Kick Out Of You - From "Anything Goes" on Spotify. Song · Ethel Merman · 2006

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Song of the Day: Just One Of Those Things

The song of the day for Wednesday, June 15, 2016 is “Just One Of Those Things.”

About This Song

Cole Porter wrote “Just One of Those Things” for the 1935 musical Jubilee. It’s one of Porter’s most popular songs and has been recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra.

Alec Wilder in “American Popular Song” spoke of the lyric as ‘a trip to the moon on gossamer wings’ and “that it seems impossible that it wasn’t sitting on his piano, waiting for Porter even before he wrote the lyric.” It has a certain literary fame as well: Holden Caulfield, in Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye” likes the song and notes that even the “stinking band” in the hotel lounge “couldn’t ruin it entirely.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Just One Of Those Things” in 1957 for this third album The Beat of My Heart. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

Just One Of Those Things

Listen to Just One Of Those Things on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1957


“Just One Of Those Things,” as well as The Beat of My Heart, is available from iTunes.

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