The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: (It’s Only) A Paper Moon

The song of the day for is “(It’s Only) A Paper Moon.”

About This Song

“(It’s Only) A Paper Moon” was written in 1933 by Harold Arlen, with lyrics by Yip Harburg and Billy Rose. Originally written for an unsuccessful play called The Great Magoo, this song was used in the 1933 movie Take a Chance. Paul Whiteman recorded it that year. There were two very fine recordings in the 1940s by Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole, which sealed the popularity of the song. Since that time, it has been a popular and jazz favorite that has been widely recorded.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “(It’s Only) A Paper Moon” in The Playground, an album for children. The Ralph Sharon Quartet accompanied Bennett, with Sharon on piano, Gray Sargent on guitar, Paul Langosch on bass, and Clayton Cameron on drums.

“(It’s Only) A Paper Moon,” as well as The Playground, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Swinging on a Star

The song of the day for Friday, March 14, 2025, is “Swinging on a Star.”

About This Song

“Swinging on a Star” was written in 1944 by the songwriting team of Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke. It was written for the movie Going My Way, starring Bing Crosby, and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for that year. Crosby recorded a very successful version of the song in 1944. Other recordings include those by Rosemary Clooney, Burl Ives, and Ruby Braff, among many others. The song was a favorite of your author when she was a small child. I actually remember singing it loudly at the breakfast table one morning.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Swinging on a Star” in June 1998 for his children’s album, The Playground. Bennett was accompanied by the Ralph Sharon Quartet, featuring Sharon on piano, Gray Sargent on guitar, Paul Langosh on bass, and Clayton Cameron on drums.

“Swinging on a Star,” as well as The Playground, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: It’s Only a Paper Moon

The song of the day for Thursday, January 34, 2025, is “It’s Only a Paper Moon.”

About This Song

“It’s Only a Paper Moon” was composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics by Yip Harburg and Billy Rose. The song was originally written for an unsuccessful play called The Great Magoo, it song was used in the 1933 movie Take a Chance. Paul Whiteman recorded it that year. There were two very fine recordings in the 1940s by Ella Fitzgerald and Nat “King” Cole, which sealed the popularity of the song. Since that time, it has been a popular jazz favorite that has been widely recorded.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “It’s Only a Paper Moon” in June 1998 for his album for children, The Playground. He was accompanied by the Ralph Sharon Quartet, featuring Sharon on piano, Gray Sargent on guitar, Paul Langosch on bass, and Clayton Cameron on drums.

“It’s Only a Paper Moon,” as well as The Playground, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: It’s Only A Paper Moon

The song of the day for Wednesday, October 9, 2024, is “It’s Only A Paper Moon.”

About This Song

“It’s Only A Paper Moon” was written in 1933 by Harold Arlen, with lyrics by Yip Harburg and Billy Rose. Originally written for an unsuccessful play called The Great Magoo, this song was used in the 1933 movie Take a Chance. Paul Whiteman recorded it that year. There were two very fine recordings in the 1940s by Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole, which sealed the popularity of the song. Since that time, it has been a popular and jazz favorite that has been widely recorded.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “It’s Only A Paper Moon” in June 1998 for his album for children, The Playground.

“It’s Only A Paper Moon,” as well as The Playground, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Little Things

The song of the day for Saturday, August 31, 2024, is “Little Things.”

About This Song

“Little Things” was written in 1972 by Joe Raposo for the television program Sesame Street. Raposo, originally from Boston, came to New York and was working as an accompanist and musical director for various Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. He first worked with Jim Henson in 1969 for a television special Hey Cinderella! Henson then asked Raposo to join him to work on Sesame Street. Although he left the show in 1974, he remained close to The Muppets and worked on several of their films.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Elmo recorded “Little Things” in June 1998 for Tony’s album for children: The Playground.

“Little Things,” as well as The Playgound, is available on Apple Music.