The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: This Can’t Be Love

The song of the day for Wednesday, May 27, 2026, is “This Can’t Be Love.”

About This Song

“This Can’t Be Love” was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the 1938 Broadway musical The Boys From Syracuse. It is one of their most joyous and least ironic love songs. Both Benny Goodman and Eddy Duchin recorded the song in the late 1930s. In addition to Tony Bennett’s fine recording here, “This Can’t Be Love” has also been recorded by Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, and Diana Krall.

About This Version

Tony Bennett, with The Ruby Braff/George Barnes Quartet, recorded “This Can’t Be Love” in July 1973. The recording was originally released in Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs; additional songs recorded at that session were released on Tony Bennett Sings More Great Rodgers and Hart. Songs from both albums, as well as some alternate takes were released on Tony Bennett Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook by Concord Records in 1986.

“This Can’t Be Love,” as well as Tony Bennett Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Manhattan

The song of the day for Tuesday, February 24, 2026, is “Manhattan.”

About This Song

“Manhattan” was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the 1925 Garrick Gaieties, where it was introduced by Sterling Hollywood. It was a huge hit that literally stopped the show. The song made its first film appearance the 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.

About This Version

Tony Bennett, with The Ruby Braff/George Barnes Quartet, recorded “Manhattan” in July 1973 for Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs.

“Manhattan,” as well as Tony Bennett Sings the Rodgers and Hart Songbook, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: The Most Beautiful Girl in the World

The song of the day for Monday, October 14, 2013 is “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World.”

About This Song

“The Most Beautiful Girl in the World” was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart in 1935 for the Broadway spectacular Jumbo. It’s one of the songwriting team’s most popular love songs, with recordings by Frank Sinatra and Perry Como, in addition to Bennett’s very fine recording.

About This Version

Today’s version is from Bennett’s 1976 album Tony Bennett Sings More Great Rodgers and Hart, also released with the songs on Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers and Hart Songs on Tony Bennett Sings the Rodgers and Hart Songbook.

Tony Bennett recorded these songs with the Ruby Braff / George Barnes Quartet, with Braff on cornet, Barnes and Wayne Wright on guitar and John Guiffrida on bass. No drums; no piano: just cornet, guitars and bass. The results were extraordinary. I find these recordings superb; it’s an intimate and focused treatment of these wonderful songs by Rodgers and Hart. And Bennett is in perfect voice for this song as well as all the songs on the album.

http://open.spotify.com/track/3XTwokibF9IHDzl7lumC2u
“The Most Beautiful Girl in the World,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings, is available from iTunes and Amazon.

Tony Bennett Sings the Rodgers and Hart Songbook is available from Amazon.

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Song of the Day: I Could Write a Book

The song of the day for Tuesday, August 27, 2013 is “I Could Write a Book.”

About This Song

Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart wrote “I Could Write a Book” for the 1940 Broadway musical Pal Joey. Based on the novel by John O’Hara, Pal Joey was one of the first musicals with an anti-hero. Joey is a charming, but is manipulative and ambitious.

About This Version

“I Could Write a Book” is from Tony Bennett’s sublime Improv recordings of the Rodgers and Hart songbook in 1973. Originally released on two separate albums, all 26 songs are available on a combined set: Tony Bennett Sings the Rodgers and Hart Songbook.

For all of these songs, Bennett sings with the Ruby Braff – George Barnes Quartet, with Barnes and Wayne Wright on guitar, Ruby Braff on cornet and John Guiffrida on bass. The quartet and Bennett’s voice are perfect. A brilliant collection of songs, Bennett in very fine voice and the unusual, but very effective quartet add up to a splendid set.

http://open.spotify.com/track/7MxaMByk7vzys1FjVGGSo7
“I Could Write a Book,” as well as the Tony Bennett Rodgers & Hart Songbook, is available from iTunes and Amazon.com.