• Home
  • About
    • About This Blog
    • About the Authors
  • Song of the Day
  • Album of the Week
  • Music and Art
    • Tony Live!
    • Music
      • Viva Duets
      • Songs
      • Albums
    • Art
  • And More
    • Collaborator of the Month
    • Songwriter of the Month – 2016
    • News
      • Cheek To Cheek
      • Bennett & Brubeck -The White House Sessions Live 1962
      • Life is a Gift
      • Viva Duets
      • Zen of Bennett
      • Other News
    • About His Collaborators
    • Musings
    • Extras
      • Books
      • Interviews
      • Media
  • The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography

The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

March 13, 2023 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Are You Havin’ Any Fun?

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 13, 2023, is “Are You Havin’ Any Fun?”.

About This Song

“Are You Havin’ Any Fun?” was written by Jack Yellen and Sammy Fain in 1939 for George White’s Scandals. George White produced these Broadway revues from 1919 to 1939. Stars introduced in his Scandals include Bert Lahr, Ethel Merman, Ray Bolger, and The Three Stooges.

About This Version

Tony Bennett, with The Count Basie Orchestra, recorded “Are You Havin’ Any Fun?” on January 5, 1959, and was released in 1959 on Basie Swings/Bennett Sings. The song was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

“Are You Havin’ Any Fun?,” as well as Basie Swings/Bennett Sings is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Basie Swings / Bennett Sings, Count Basie, Jack Yellen, Ralph Sharon, Sammy Fain, The Count Basie Orchestra, Tony Bennett

March 18, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Are You Having Any Fun

The song of the day for Saturday, March 19, 2022, is “Are You Having Any Fun.”

About This Song

“Are You Having Any Fun” was written by. Jack Yellen and Sammy Fain for the 1939 George White’s Scandals. George White produced these Broadway revues from 1919 to 1939. Stars introduced in his Scandals include Bert Lahr, Ethel Merman, Ray Bolger, and The Three Stooges.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and The Count Basie Orchestra recorded “Are You Having Any Fun” in 1959 for their first album: Basie/Bennett. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“Are You Having Any Fun,” as well as Basie/Bennett is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Basie/Bennett, Jack Yellen, Ralph Sharon, Sammy Fain, The Count Basie Orchestra, Tony Bennett

March 15, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Poor Little Rich Girl

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 16, 2022, is “Poor Little Rich Girl.”

About This Song

“Poor Little Rich Girl” was written by Noël Coward for the 1925 revue On With the Dance. It is one of his most popular songs.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Poor Little Rich Girl” with The Count Basie Orchestra in 1959 for his first album with Count Basie: Basie/Bennett. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement

“Poor Little Rich Girl,” as well as Basie/Bennett is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Basie/Bennett, Count Basie, Noel Coward, Ralph Sharon, The Count Basie Orchestra, Tony Bennett

February 25, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Growing Pains

The song of the day for Saturday, February 26, 2022, is “Growing Pains.”

About This Song

“Growing Pains” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Dorothy Fields for the 1951 Broadway musical A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, based on the 1943 novel of the same name by Betty Smith.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Growing Pains” in 1959 with The Count Basie Orchestra for the album Basie Swings/Bennett Sings, released on the Roulette label. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangment.

“Growing Pains,” as well as Basie Swings/Bennett Sings is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Arthur Schwartz, Basie Swings / Bennett Sings, Dorothy Fields, Ralph Sharon, The Count Basie Orchestra, Tony Bennett

April 25, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Solitude

As we continue with Duke Ellington Week, the song of the day for Monday, April 26, 2021, is “Solitude.”

About This Song

“Solitude” was written by Duke Ellington in 1934; the lyrics by Eddie DeLange and Irving Mills were added later. One of his masterpieces, Ellington is said to have written “Solitude” in twenty minutes at the recording session, as they were one number short. per Ted Gioia in Jazz Standards. It’s a very strong song for both vocalists and instrumentalists. Ellington made over a hundred recordings of this song. Other great recordings include those by Paul Robeson, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Billy Eckstine.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “Solitude,” his first, in 1958 for his second album with The Count Basie Orchestra, In Person! Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

Solitude

Listen to Solitude on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1959.

“Solitude,” as well as In Person!, is available from Apple Music.

Here’s Ellington’s 1934 recording of today’s song:

Solitude

Listen to Solitude on Spotify. Duke Ellington · Song · 2018.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Duke Ellington, Duke Ellington Week, Eddie DeLange, In Person!, Irving Mills, Ralph Sharon, The Count Basie Orchestra, Tony Bennett

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »

Subscribe to The Year of Tony Bennett

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Current Reader Favorites

  • Song of the Day: Shaking the Blues Away
  • Song of the Day: Yesterday I Heard The Rain
  • Song of the Day: Make Someone Happy
  • Song of the Day: The Summer Knows
  • Song of the Day: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
  • Song of the Day: Some Other Time
  • Home
  • About
  • Song of the Day
  • Album of the Week
  • Music and Art
  • And More
  • The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography

Copyright © 2023 The Year of Tony Bennett · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress