The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)

The song of the day for Tuesday, February 15, 2022, is “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road).”

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett celebrates the birth of America’s greatest songwriter, Harold Arlen. Arlen was born on February 15, 1905.

About This Song

“One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)” was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1943 film The Sky’s The Limit, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire. Harold Arlen called this song one of his “tapeworms” as at 48 bars, it was longer than the standard 32 bar popular song. Alec Wilder, in American Popular Song, says that “the honors must go the lyric. … Just imagine having the acuity and courage to start a song, as Mercer does, with “It’s a quarter to three”!

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)” in 1992 for the album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“One For My Baby (And One More For The Road),” as well as Oerfectly Frank is available on Apple Music.

We’ve got a special video today: Fred Astaire singing today’s song from the 1943 file The Sky’s The Limit.

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Song of the Day: One For My Baby

The song of the day for Wednesday, September 1, 2021, is “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road).”

About This Song

“One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)” was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1943 film The Sky’s The Limit, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire. Harold Arlen called this song one of his “tapeworms” as at 48 bars, it was longer than the standard 32 bar popular song. Alec Wilder, in American Popular Song, says that “the honors must go the lyric. Just imagine having the acuity and courage to start a song, as Mercer does, with “It’s a quarter to three”!

About This Version

“One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)” was the penultimate song in Tony Bennett’s set at the 1962 White House Sessions, held on the National Mall by the Washington Monument and captured on Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962.

One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962

Listen to One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2013

“One For My Baby (And One More For The Road),” as well as Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962 is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)

The song of the day for Wednesday, October 26, 2016 is “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road).”

About This Song

“One For The Road” was written for the 1943 film The Sky’s The Limit, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire. Harold Arlen called this song one of his “tapeworms” as at 48 bars, it was longer than the standard 32 bar popular song. Alec Wilder, in American Popular Song, says that “the honors must go the lyric. … Just imagine having the acuity and courage to start a song, as Mercer does, with “It’s a quarter to three”!

About This Version

Tony Bennett has recorded this song several times. Today I chose his live version from his famous 1962 concert at Carnegie Hall. It’s the best of the best!

One For My Baby (And One More for the Road) (FROM "The Sky"s the Limit") - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962

Listen to One For My Baby (And One More for the Road) (FROM "The Sky"s the Limit") - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1962


“One For My Baby (And One More For The Road),” as well as Tony Bennett At Carnegie Hall, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Tonight I’ll be seeing Tony Bennett in concert here in Portland, Oregon. It’s been two years since I’ve seen him in concert and I’m really looking forward to the concert!

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Song of the Day: One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)

The song of the day for Friday, February 12, 2016 is “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road).”

About This Song

“One For The Road” was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1943 film The Sky’s The Limit, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire. Harold Arlen called this song one of his “tapeworms” as at 48 bars, it was longer than the standard 32 bar popular song. Alec Wilder, in American Popular Song, says that “the honors must go the lyric. … Just imagine having the acuity and courage to start a song, as Mercer does, with “It’s a quarter to three”!

About This Version

Mr. Bennett has recorded this song several times–and they are all great–but today I choose his live recording from his 1962 Carnegie Hall concert. Because as great as Tony Bennett records are, and they are great, there’s nothing like Tony Bennett when he’s singing live.

One For My Baby (And One More for the Road) (FROM "The Sky"s the Limit") - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962

Listen to One For My Baby (And One More for the Road) (FROM "The Sky"s the Limit") - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1962


“One For My Baby (And One More For The Road),” as well as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: One For My Baby

We continue our exploration of Tony Bennett’s great live performances  with “One For My Baby” as the song of the day for Thursday, June 13, 2013.

About This Song

We are always happy at The Year of Tony Bennett to showcase any song by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. This Arlen/Mercer masterpiece was written in 1943 for the movie The Sky’s The Limit, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire.

This song has been sung by many of the great popular singers, including Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday.

About This Version

Today’s live version of “One For My Baby” is from the recently released Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions Live 1962. It’s a great rendition of one of Tony Bennett’s most popular songs.

http://open.spotify.com/track/4OEbmpeKICcKyNapON0vas
“One For My Baby,” as well as the newly released Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions Live 1962, is available from iTunes.