The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: You Took Advantage Of Me

The song of the day for Tuesday, January 24, 2017 is “You Took Advantage Of Me.”

About This Song

Today we feature great Rodgers and Hart song from 1928, “You Took Advantage Of Me.” The song was written for the musical Present Arms. The song quickly found itself a popular standard and has been recorded many times, including those by Bing Crosby with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, Anita O’Day, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “You Took Advantage Of Me” in 1973 for his second album of Rodgers and Hart songs, Tony Bennett Sings More Great Rodgers and Hart, released on Bennett’s own Improv label. His two Rodgers and Hart albums featured an unusual but incredibly effective quartet of musicians: George Barnes and Wayne Wright on guitar, Ruby Braff on cornet and John Guiffrida on bass. No piano and no drums, but the recordings are really sublime.

You Took Advantage Of Me

Listen to You Took Advantage Of Me on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2004


“You Took Advantage Of Me,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings, is available from iTunes.

About The Secret Theme

Well, we’ve reached the end of the “secret theme” for January and no one guessed (or, more likely, guessed but decided not to mention it). The so-called secret was playing songs in alphabetical order by title, one song for each letter of the alphabet, though we did have to skip X and Z. Next month will feature the first entry for our theme of the year, Tony Bennett’s great collaborators. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun!

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Song of the Day: There’ll Be Some Changes Made

The song of the day for Tuesday, June 2, 2015 is “There’ll Be Some Changes Made.”

About This Song

“There’ll Be Some Changes Made” was written in 1921, with music by Benton Overstreet and lyrics by Billy Higgins, two African-American vaudeville performers. Ethel Waters had a hit recording of this song in late 1921; other early recordings include those by Marion Harris, Josie Miles, Fats Waller, and the Chicago Rhythm Kings. Later recordings include those by Billy Holiday, Peggy Lee and Tony Bennett. Even western singers have been drawn to the song, with recordings by artists including Chet Atkins, Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys and Pee Wee Russell’s Rhythmakers.

About This Version

When you listen to this song, it’s hard to believe that it was written in 1921; it sounds as current as if it were written today. The excellent arrangement is by Torrie Zito. Tony Bennett recorded it for his first album on his new label, Improv: Tony Bennett Sings Life Is Beautiful. What with leaving Columbia and starting his own label, I’d say that the choice of this song is perfect.

About Today

Just a few little changes in store prompted this song. I have some movers come over tomorrow to help me set up my home office, which entails taking my desk apart and removing all the doors between where the desk is now to its new home.

There"ll Be Some Changes Made

Listen to There"ll Be Some Changes Made on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2004


“There’ll Be Some Changes Made,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: There’ll Be Some Changes Made

The song of the day for Tuesday, May 13, 2014 is “There’ll Be Some Changes Made.”

About This Song

“There’ll Be Some Changes Made” was written in 1921, with music by Benton Overstreet and lyrics by Billy Higgins, two African-American vaudeville performers. Ethel Waters had a hit recording of this song in late 1921; other early recordings include those by Marion Harris, Josie Miles, Fats Waller, and the Chicago Rhythm Kings. Later recordings include those by Billy Holiday, Peggy Lee and Tony Bennett. Even western singers have been drawn to the song by artists including Chet Atkins, Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys and Pee Wee Russell’s Rhythmakers.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “There’ll Be Some Changes Made” in 1975 for his album Tony Bennett Sings Life Is Beautiful. The really great arrangement is by Torrie Zito; Chuck Hughes on drums and John Guiffrida on bass rounded out the trio with Zito on piano.

http://open.spotify.com/track/10d0wvVE4nBjltj0K26gni
“There’ll Be Some Changes Made,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: There’ll Be Some Changes Made

The song of the day for Friday, January 24, 2014 is “There’ll Be Some Changes Made.”

About This Song

“There’ll Be Some Changes Made” was written in 1921, with music by Benton Overstreet and lyrics by Billy Higgins, two African-American vaudeville performers. Ethel Waters had a hit recording of this song in late 1921; other early recordings include those by Marion Harris, Josie Miles, Fats Waller, and the Chicago Rhythm Kings. Later recordings include those by Billy Holiday, Peggy Lee and Tony Bennett. Even western singers have been drawn to the song by artists including Chet Atkins, Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys and Pee Wee Russell’s Rhythmakers.

About This Album

Tony Bennett recorded this song in 1975 album Tony Bennett Sings Life Is Beautiful, recorded on his own Improv label. Bennett was accompanied by the Torrie Zito Trio, with Zito on piano, John Guiffrida on bass and Chuck Hughes on drums. All songs on the album were arranged and conducted by Mr. Zito. Tony Bennett Sings Life Is Beautiful, as well as of the other Improv recordings are collected on The Complete Improv Recordings, a 4-CD set.

http://open.spotify.com/track/10d0wvVE4nBjltj0K26gni
“There’ll Be Some Changes Made,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings, is available from iTunes and Amazon as a 4-CD box set, which includes an excellent booklet.

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Song of the Day: As Time Goes By

The song of the day for Sunday, January 12, 2014 is “As Time Goes By.”

About This Song

“As Time Goes By” was written for the 1931 Broadway musical Everybody’s Welcome by Herman Hupfeld. It was a modest hit, with recordings by Rudy Vallee and Binnie Hale. All that changed in 1942, when it was sung by Dooley Wilson in the film Casablanca. Not only was “As Time Goes By” sung; it was a major point plot, as Rick (Humphrey Bogart) had told his pianist Sam (Dooley Wilson) to never ever play that song. Until Rick’s long-lost love, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) comes to Casablanca and Rick’s American Bar and asks Sam to play the song. The song provides one of the most misquoted lines in all of film. Bogart never says “play it again, Sam.” He says “if she can stand it, so can I. Play it Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By.’” The American Film Institute named “As Time Goes By” the second most important song in film, second only to “Over The Rainbow.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “As Time Goes By” from his 1975 album Life Is Beautiful. Note that Tony Bennett sings the verse for this song, which has seldom been heard, especially since the release of the film Casablanca. The lovely arrangement is by Torrie Zito and Bennett accompanied by the Torrie Zito Trio, with Zito on piano, John Guiffrida on bass and Chuck Hughes on drums. The songs from this album, as well as Bennett’s two Rodgers and Hart albums, the two albums with Bill Evans (including many alternate takes) and a live performance with Jimmy and Marian McPartland are collected in The Complete Improv Recordings.

http://open.spotify.com/track/7J8cyzumDB2CJpfAFsO1hp
“As Time Goes By,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings,” is available from iTunes.