The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Swinging on a Star

The song of the day for Monday, July 27, 2021, 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.

This was my favorite song when I was 5 years old. I have a distinct memory of singing it, loudly, in the kitchen while my Mom was making dinner. I don’t remember how my performance was received, though I suspect I was lucky to not have been told to shut up.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Swinging on a Star” in 1998 for his album of music for children The Playground. There’s some nice work from bassist Paul Langosch on this recording.

Swinging On A Star

Listen to Swinging On A Star on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1998.

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

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Song of the Day: When You Wish Upon A Star

The song of the day for Sunday, July 4, 2021, is “When You Wish Upon A Star.”

About This Song

“When You Wish Upon a Star” was written by Leigh Harline, with lyrics by Ned Washington, for the 1940 Walt Disney adaption of Pinocchio. It was sung by Cliff Edwards as Jiminy Cricket. “When You Wish Upon A Star” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and was the first Disney song to win this award. The American Film Institute rated it seventh in its 100 Greatest Songs in Film History. The song has also been recognized by the Library of Congress, which preserved the song in the National Recording Registry in 2009.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “When You Wish Upon A Star” in 1998 for his album for children, The Playground with the Ralph Sharon Quartet, featuring Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, Gray Sargent on guitar, and Clayton Cameron on drums. Up to this album, Bennett worked with the Ralph Sharon Trio; starting with this album, the guitar was added, played by Gray Sargent. Sargent has played with Bennett in studio recordings and live performances ever since. His work on this song is quite lovely.

When You Wish Upon A Star

Listen to When You Wish Upon A Star on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1998.

“When You Wish Upon A Star,” as well as The Playground is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Dat Dere

The song of the day for Thursday, February 4, 2021, is “Dat Dere.”

About This Song

The jazz instrumental “Dat Dere” was written in 1960 by Bobby Timmons; it was first played by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in 1960, with Timmons on piano. Oscar Brown, Jr. wrote lyrics for the tune in 1961 for his album Sin & Soul … and Then Some. The song has been recorded by jazz and popular singers including Mel Tormé and Rickie Lee Jones.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Dat Dere” in 1998 for his album for children named The Playground, with the Ralph Sharon Trio. Bobby Tucker, the pianist for jazz greats including Billie Holiday, was the musical consultant for the album.

Dat Dere

Listen to Dat Dere on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1998.

“Dat Dere,” as well as The Playground, is available from Apple Music.

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

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 10, 2020, 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 1998 for his album for children, The Playground. Bennett is accompanied by The Ralph Sharon Quartet, featuring Sharon on piano, Paul Langosh on bass, Clayton Cameron on drums, and Gray Sargent on guitar. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first album that guitarist Gray Sargent recorded for. Gray is in Bennett’s current quartet and this writer continues to be impressed with his very fine work.

“It’s Only a Paper Moon,” as well as The Playground, is available from iTunes.

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Playlist of the Week: Tony Likes a Jimmy Van Heusen Song

The playlist for the week of October 6, 2019, is Tony Likes a Jimmy Van Heusen Song.

Jimmy Van Heusen was one of the great songwriters in mid-20th-century popular film music. He wrote many songs that are well-known and popular to this day. He is also the person who wrote the song that was my absolute favorite song when I was five years old: “Swinging on a Star.” I was told, as an adult, that I drove my parents crazy by constantly singing, loudly, phrases from this song. “Or would you rather be a pig?” Or a mule or a fish. Well, you get the idea.

Swinging on a Star. Lyrics by Johnny Burke. From The Playground.
Darn That Dream. Lyrics by Eddie DeLange. From Cloud 7.
The Second Time Around. Lyrics by Sammy Cahn. From The Movie Song Album.
Call Me Irresponsible. Lyrics by Sammy Cahn. From Perfectly Frank.
Here’s That Rainy Day. Lyrics by Johnny Burke. From Perfectly Frank.
Nancy. Lyrics by Phil Silvers. From Perfectly Frank.
But Beautiful. Lyrics by Johnny Burke. From The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album.
What Makes It Happen. Lyrics by Sammy Cahn. From Tony Makes It Happen!
All My Tomorrows. Lyrics by Johnny Burke. From Perfectly Frank.
I Thought About You. Lyrics by Johnny Mercer. From Perfectly Frank.
It Could Happen To You. Lyrics by Johnny Burke. From When Lights Are Low.
Oh! You Crazy Moon. Lyrics by Johnny Burke. From When Lights Are Low.

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