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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

August 25, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I’m Just a Lucky So and So

The song of the day for Friday, August 26, 2022, is “I’m Just a Lucky So and So.”

About This Song

“I’m Just a Lucky So and So” was written in 1945 by Duke Ellington and Mack David. A favorite song of Tony Bennett, today’s song has also been recorded by Billy Eckstine, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’m Just a Lucky So and So” live at his famed Carnegie Hall concert on June 9, 1962, released on Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall. The original release consisted of 4 LPs, but even then some songs weren’t included on that release; the 1997 CD release had all of the songs Bennett sang that night.

“I’m Just a Lucky So and So,” as well as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Duke Ellington, Mack David, Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall 1962

May 14, 2019 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: The Best Is Yet To Come

The song of the day for Wednesday, May 15, 2019, is “The Best Is Yet To Come.”

About This Song

“The Best Is Yet To Come” was written in 1959 by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh. Some say that the song was written for Tony Bennett. In any case, it is strongly identified with him and he sings it at many of his concerts. Other recordings include those by Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald.

About This Version

Today’s version is not the original recording from 1960, but from Bennett’s live performance at Carnegie Hall in 1962.

The Best Is Yet To Come – Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY – June 1962

The Best Is Yet To Come – Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY – June 1962, a song by Tony Bennett, Ralph Sharon & His Orchestra on Spotify

“The Best Is Yet To Come,” as well as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Carolyn Leigh, Cy Coleman, Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall 1962

September 10, 2017 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Just in Time

The song of the day for Monday, September 11, 2017 is “Just in Time.”

About This Song

“Just in Time” is one of the great songs from the 1956 musical Bells Are Ringing: featuring music by Jule Style and lyrics from Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The song was introduced by Judy Holliday and Sidney Chaplin. Holliday and Dean Martin sang it in the 1960 film version of Bells Are Ringing.

About This Version

Today’s version of “Just in Time” is from Bennett’s 1962 concert at Carnegie Hall, which was beautifully recorded and released as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall. Ralph Sharon arranged all of the songs for the concert and conducted the orchestra.

Just In Time (From "Bells Are Ringing") - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962

Listen to Just In Time (From "Bells Are Ringing") - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962 on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1962.


“Just In Time,” as well as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall–The Complete Concert, is available from iTunes.

About The Concert

Tony Bennett’s June 9, 1962 concert at Carnegie Hall is truly legendary and the resulting album is rightly regarded as one of the greatest recordings of a live concert ever made (thank you Frank Laico).

The concert came on the heels of the great success of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” which had been released to great acclaim just a few months earlier.

Though some so-called critics felt that it was too soon in Bennett’s career to play Carnegie Hall, Bennett knew it was exactly the right time. And, in fact, the concert was completely sold out in less than two weeks.

Bennett relates in his autobiography The Good Life:

When “San Francisco” was peaking in early 1962, I was invited to appear at Carnegie Hall for the first time. Carnegie Hall had never featured a “pop” singer like myself as a solo performer. It was unprecedented. To my surprise, Columbia backed me completely. Goddard said, “You’ve got to play Carnegie Hall, and we’d love to make a record out of the concert.”

…

I put everything I’d been studying for the last twenty years into practice for that show. During the fifties I’d opened with swingin’ numbers like “Sing You Sinners” or “Taking a Chance on Love,” and sometimes I didn’t grab the crowd right away like I wanted to. One night when I was hanging with Count Basie I was talking to him about this, and he said, “Why open with a closer? Start with a medium-tempo number like ‘Just In Time,’ and give the audience a chance to settle in.”

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Adolph Green, Bells Are Ringing, Betty Comden, Jule Styne, Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall 1962

May 25, 2016 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Always

The song of the day for Thursday, May 26, 2016 is “Always.”

About This Song

Irving Berlin wrote “Always” in 1925 as a wedding gift to his second wife, Ellin Mackay, including all royalties (his first wife, Dorothy, died of typhoid fever in 1912, which she caught on their honeymoon). The song was to have been used in the Marx Brothers Broadway musical The Cocoanuts, but Berlin cut the song before the show opened. It is a very charming song and has been featured in numerous films over the years.

About This Version

While “Always” is typically sung as a ballad, our recording today has Mr. Bennett singing it as an up-tempo jazz number and it really works great. This recording is from Bennett’s legendary 1962 Carnegie Hall concert, captured on Tony Bennett At Carnegie Hall. The arrangement is by his pianist and musical director Ralph Sharon.

Always (with Ralph Sharon & his Orchestra) - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962

Listen to Always (with Ralph Sharon & his Orchestra) - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962 on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1962.


“Always,” as well as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Irving Berlin, Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall 1962

January 4, 2016 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: All The Things You Are

The song of the day for Monday, January 4, 2016 is “All The Things You Are.”

About This Song

“All The Things You Are” was written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein for the 1939 musical Very Warm For May. In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder considers it to be one of Kern’s finest songs and with good reason. It’s a beautiful tune and Hammerstein’s lyrics are excellent. It is a worthy song for our celebration of Jerome Kern this month.

About This Version

Tony Bennett has recorded “All The Things You Are Twice”: first in 1962 at his concert and Carnegie Hall and again in 2016 for his album with Bill Charlap, The Silver Lining. Both versions are lovely, but I fell in love hard with the 1962 version the first time I heard it and so am featuring it today. The 1962 version was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

All The Things You Are (From "Very Warm For May") - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962

Listen to All The Things You Are (From "Very Warm For May") - Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - June 1962 on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1962.


“All The Things You Are,” as well as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein, Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall 1962, Very Warm For May

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