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 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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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:Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive

The song of the day for Friday, March 292, 2019, is “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive.”

About This Song

“Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive” was written in 1944 by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. This charming song was written in the style of sermon with the message of being positive is the key to happiness. Mercer is said to have heard a sermon by Father Divine, who said “you got to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.” And thus this memorable song was born. The song was first used in the 1944 movie Here Comes the Waves, starring Bing Crosby and Betty Hutton. Significant recordings include those by Bing Crosby, Kay Kyser, Artie Shaw, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dinah Washington.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive” in 1998 for his delightful album for children: The Playground. He is accompanied by the Ralph Sharon Quartet, featuring Sharon on piano, Clayton Cameron on drums, Paul Langosch on bass, and Gray Sargent on guitar.

Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive

Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive,” as well as The Playground, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Dat Dere

The song of the day for Father’s Day, June 17, 2018 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 June 1998 for his album for children: The Playground.

Dat Dere

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


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

Today’s song is for all the great fathers out there. Happy Father’s Day, one and all.

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