The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Ain’t Misbehaving

The song of the day for Saturday, April 16, 2022, is “Ain’t Misbehaving.”

About This Song

“Ain’t Misbehaving” was written in 1929 by Fats Waller, with lyrics by Andy Razaf. Waller introduced “Ain’t Misbehaving” in the 1929 musical revue Hot Chocolates, staged at Connie’s Inn in Harlem. Andy Razaf, the lyricist, says that Waller wrote the entire song in just 45 minutes. It has become one of Waller’s most well-known songs, perhaps due to the wildly successful Broadway musical revue Ain’t Misbehaving, which opened in 1978.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Ain’t Misbehaving” in 1964 for his album with The Ralph Sharon Trio, When Lights Are Low. Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“Ain’t Misbehaving,” as well as When Lights Are Low is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: I’ve Got Just About Everything

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 29, 2022, is “I’ve Got Just About Everything.”

About This Song

“I’ve Got Just About Everything” was written by the marvelous jazz pianist and composer Bob Dorough, this song is a true joy to listen to. In his liner notes for Fifty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett, Bennett says that “this one explains how a singer feels when he sings a song everyone likes.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’ve Got Just About Everything” in 1964 with The Ralph Sharon Trio for the album When Lights Are Low. The arrangement by Ralph Sharon lets the other members of the trio, Billy Exiner on drums and Hal Gaylord on bass, really shine. This recording is pure joy to listen to.

“I’ve Got Just About Everything,” as well as When Lights Are Low is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: The Way You Look Tonight

The song of the day for Friday, January 21, 2022, is “The Way You Look Tonight.”

About This Song

“The Way You Look Tonight” was written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields for the 1936 movie Swing Times, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the year. Dorothy Fields remarked:

The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.

Dorothy Fields was the first woman to win an Oscar for songwriting. It’s a magnificent love song that has found a strong position as a jazz standard, with recordings by Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Mel Tormé, and Frank Sinatra.

About This Version

Tony Bennett, with the Ralph Sharon Trio, recorded “The Way You Look Tonight” for the 1997 movie My Best Friend’s Wedding. The recording was collected on Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 2.

“The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as other recordings collected on Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 2 is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: The Rules of the Road

The song of the day for Wednesday, December 29, 2021, is “The Rules of the Road.”

About This Song

“The Rules of the Road” was written in 1961 by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh. In addition to several recordings by Tony Bennett, the song has also been recorded by Lena Horne, Shirley Horne, Nat King Cole, and Rosemary Clooney.

About This Version

Today we’re featuring Bennett’s second studio recording of “The Rules of the Road,” recorded in 1964 with The Ralph Sharon Trio for the album When Lights Are Low. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“The Rules of the Road,” as well as When Lights Are Low is available on Apple Music.https://music.apple.com/us/album/when-lights-are-low-remastered/576713269

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Song of the Day: Old Devil Moon

The song of the day for Sunday, November 14, 2021, is “Old Devil Moon.”

About This Song

“Old Devil Moon” was written by Burton Lane and Yip Harburg for the 1947 musical Finian’s Rainbow, which also gave us “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?” While Alec Wilder was no fan of “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?”, in America Popular Song, he praises “Old Devil Moon” as “a well-written, wholly convincing song. It drives, and its initial intensity is sustained throughout.”

About This Version

“Old Devil Moon” was the first song Tony Bennett performed for his now-legendary live performance on MTV Unplugged on April 12, 1994. Singing with The Ralph Sharon Trio (Sharon on piano, Doug Richeson on bass, and Clayton Cameron on drums), Tony Bennett was ecstatically received. The resulting album, MTV Unplugged, won the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance and Album of the Year.

The performance on television and the resulting album was key to introducing Tony Bennett to a completely new audience.

“Old Devil Moon,” as well as MTV Unplugged is available on Apple Music.

We are delighted to include a video of “Old Devil Moon” from the performance.

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