The song of the day for Wednesday, June 10, 2015 is “Manhattan.”

About This Song

Written for the Garrick Gaieties in 1925, “Manhattan” is an early Rodgers and Hart song. The song was introduced by the Sterling Holloway. The song made its first film appearance the following year in a short entitled Makers of Melody. The song has remained popular up to today and is frequently recorded by jazz and popular singers. In addition to Bennett’s recording, “Manhattan” has been recorded by Blossom Dearie, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé and Dinah Washington. It is often used in films, including Silent Movie, Mighty Aphrodite and The English Patient.

In 1924, the writing team of Rodgers and Hart seemed rather stalled. So much so that Rodgers felt compelled to look for a day job. A job selling baby’s underwear was offered for $50 a week; Rodgers asked for 24 hours to think it over. That evening during dinner with his parents (or so the story goes), he gets a call with an offer to write the music for the Garrick Gaieties revue. And so they wrote the song “Manhattan.”

About This Version

It’s only natural that Tony Bennett, the ultimate New Yorker, would sing this song by Rodgers and Hart. I really like this arrangement and the work from The Ruby Braff / George Barnes Quartet is perfect.

About Today

As you may know, Tony Bennett has the flu and had to cancel his 2nd concert in London. Please join The Year of Tony Bennett in wishing him a speedy recovery.

“Manhattan,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings, is available from iTunes.

The song of the day for Thursday, June 4, 2015 is “Blue Moon.”

About This Song

“Blue Moon” was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart sometime in 1932 or 1933. Its first title was “Prayer” and was written for Jean Harlow to sing for a film called Hollywood Revue of 1933, which was never produced. New lyrics were added and so the song became known as “The Bad In Every Man” and was sung by Shirley Ross in the 1934 film Manhattan Melodrama. Finally, in 1934 the lyrics were written once again, this time the ones we know so well, “Blue Moon.”

The song has been popular from then to now, though not so much to critic Alec Wilder, who wrote in his wonderful book American Popular Song that, “It certainly is one of the most performed of the Rodgers and Hart songs. I have never been attracted to it, though I recognize it to be competently written.”

Well, I think it’s a very nice song.

About This Version

Though some feel that the song is a bit too precious to take seriously, Tony Bennett sings it with great respect and charm. And, once again, he sings the verse!

“Blue Moon,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings, is available from iTunes.