The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Playlist of the Week: Tony Loves a Harold Arlen Song

The playlist of the week of June 23 is Tony Loves a Harold Arlen Song.

Harold Arlen is widely considered to be one of America’s finest songwriters. Bennett’s recordings of his work are all wonderful.

Tony Loves a Harold Arlen Song

Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, from The Playground

A Sleepin’ Bee, with lyrics by Truman Capote, from Tony Sings For Two

Blues in the Night, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, from Playin’ With My Friends

Don’t Like Goodbyes, with lyrics by Truman Capote, from The Art of Romance

Ill Wind (You’re Blowin’ Me No Good), with lyrics by Ted Koehler, from Tony Bennett On Holiday

Last Night When We Were Young, with lyrics by Yip Harburg, from Perfectly Frank

One for My Baby (And One More for the Road), with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, on Perfectly Frank

So Long, Big Time, with lyrics by Dory Langon Previn, on The Many Moods of Tony

That Old Black Magic, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, from Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962

The Man That Got Away, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, from Tony Sings For Two

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Song of the Day: So Long, Big Time

The song of the day for Tuesday, July 17, 2018 is “So Long, Big Time.”

About This Song

“So Long, Big Time” was written in 1963 by Harold Arlen and Dory Langdon Previn. One of Arlen’s later songs, “So Long, Big Time” is about the “player” who’s run out of luck and is giving up the fast life and knows when it’s time to walk away. The Bill Evans Trio and Monica Zetterlund recorded this song in 1964 for the album Waltz For Debby.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “So Long, Big Time” in 1963 for the album The Many Moods of Tony.

So Long, Big Time!

Listen to So Long, Big Time! on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1964.


“So Long, Big Time,” as well as The Many Moods of Tony, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Limehouse Blues

The song of the day for Tuesday, May 8, 2018 is “Limehouse Blues.”

About This Song

“Limehouse Blues” was written in 1922 by Philip Braham and Douglas Furber for the London review Andre Charlot’s Revue of 1924, which was imported to New York and introduced Gertrude Lawrence to America.The song concerns life in London’s Chinatown. The song has a standard place in the jazz repertory, with recordings by Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Django Reinhardt, Sidney Bechet and the Dave Brubeck Quartet in addition to this recording by Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Limehouse Blues” in 1963 for the 1964 album The Many Moods of Tony. Dick Hyman played the organ for this recording, joining the Ralph Sharon Trio, with Sharon on piano, Hal Gaylord on bass and Billy Exiner on drums.

Limehouse Blues

Listen to Limehouse Blues on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1964.


“Limehouse Blues,” as well as The Many Moods of Tony, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: So Long, Big Time!

The song of the day for Sunday, October 29, 2017 is “So Long, Big Time!”

About This Song

“So Long, Big Time!” was written by Harold Arlen, with lyrics by Dory Langdon Previn, in 1963. One of Arlen’s later songs, “So Long, Big Time!” is about the “player” who’s run out of luck and is giving up the fast life and knows when it’s time to walk away. The Bill Evans Trio and Monica Zetterlund recorded this song in 1964 for the album Waltz For Debby.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “So Long, Big Time!” in 1963 for his 1974 album The Many Moods of Tony. Marty Manning did the arrangement.

So Long, Big Time!

Listen to So Long, Big Time! on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1964.


“So Long, Big Time!,” as well as The Many Moods of Tony, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Don’t Wait Too Long

The song of the day for Thursday, August 18, 2016 is “Don’t Wait Too Long.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “Don’t Wait Too Long,” was written by Sunny Skylar. It concerns a relationship between a younger and older person (“you are the summer and I am the autumn”) and the realization that the time together may not be as long as they’d wish. Other recordings of this song are by Frank Sinatra (1965, September of My Years) and Blossom Dearie (1964, May I Come In).

About These Version

Tony Bennett has recorded this song twice. The first was in 1963 for the album The Many Moods of Tony. The second was recorded some 50 years later, in 2014 for Cheek To Cheek. I think it’s worth listening to both versions. After 50 years, some are the same and some others are quite different. Both are wonderful.

Don"t Wait Too Long

Listen to Don"t Wait Too Long on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1964.


“Don’t Wait Too Long,” as well as The Many Moods of Tony, is available from iTunes.

Don"t Wait Too Long

Listen to Don"t Wait Too Long on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2014.


“Don’t Wait Too Long,” as well as Cheek To Cheek, is available from iTunes.

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