The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: On the Sunny Side of the Street

The song of the day for Thursday, June 25, 2020, is “On the Sunny Side of the Street.”

About This Song

“On the Sunny Side of the Street” was written in 1930 by Jimmy McHugh, with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. The song was introduced in Lew Leslie’s International Revue. It was one of the first in a series of cheerful songs to try to cheer people up over the Great Depression. It has proven popular with singers, who love the wonderful Fields lyrics, and jazz players, who love McHugh’s swingy tune.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “On the Sunny Side of the Street” for his 1967 album Tony Makes It Happen! Friend of this site Marion Evans arranged and conducted this song, as well as the entire album.

“On the Sunny Side of the Street,” as well as Tony Makes It Happen!, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Blue Velvet

The song of the day for Tuesday, June 24, 2020, is “Blue Velvet.”

About Today

Last weekend I had the very great pleasure to watch actress Holland Taylor’s one-woman show (for which she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by A Leading Actress in a Play) about Ann Richards, the late former governor of Texas. Appropriately, it’s named ANN. One of the unexpected and pleasant surprises was when she recalls that she and her husband’s favorite song was Tony Bennett’s “Blue Velvet.” ANN is currently showing in the U.S. on the PBS program Great Performances. I heartily recommend it. It’s very funny–I laughed out loud a lot.

Ann and Holland: This one’s for you.

About This Song

“Blue Velvet” was written in 1950 by Bernie Wayne and Lee Morris. While Bennett’s recording is most well-known, it’s also been recorded by Bobby Vinton and, more recently, by Tony Bennett and k.d. lang and Lana Del Rey.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Blue Velvet” on July 17, 1951; it was released as a single that year and features an arrangement by Percy Faith. It was one of the top 20 songs on Billboard. “Blue Velvet” is one of Bennett’s early recordings that are compiled on The Columbia Singles, Vol. 1 CD, available in his 2011 Complete Collection.

“Blue Velvet,” as well as all the singles collected on The Columbia Singles, Vol. 1, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: I Thought About You

The song of the day for Tuesday, June 23, 2020, is “I Thought About You.”

About This Song

“I Thought About You” was written in 1939 by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Mercer. In the biography Portrait of Johnny: The Life of John Herndon Mercer, author Gene Lees quotes Mercer about this song: “I can remember the afternoon that we wrote it. He [Van Heusen] played me the melody. I didn’t have any idea, but I had to go to Chicago that night. I think I was on the Benny Goodman program. And I got to thinking about it on the train. I was awake, I couldn’t sleep. The tune was running through my mind, and that’s when I wrote the song. On the train, really going to Chicago.” “I Thought About You” proved quite popular and has been recorded many times by jazz performers including Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Hartman, Shirley Horn, Dinah Washington, Frank Sinatra, and Mel Tormé.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Thought About You” in 1992 for his album of songs popularized by Frank Sinatra: Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“I Thought About You,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: It Was Me

The song of the day for Monday, June 22, 2020, is “It Was Me.”

About Today

It’s summer and there’s no better summer song than this one.

About This Song

“It Was Me” was written in 1960 by Gilbert Bécaud as “C’etait Moi,” with English lyrics by Norman Gimbel. It’s a beautiful love song that brings memories of summers past and, maybe, to come. In 2009, Tony Bennett named this as his favorite summer song in an NPR interview.

Tony Bennett"s Summer Song: "It Was Me"

For Bennett, the French song "It Was Me" is the essence of what happens when people fall in love.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “It Was Me” in 1962 for the album I Wanna Be Around. Marty Manning wrote the arrangement.

“It Was Me,” as well as I Wanna Be Around, is available from Apple Music.

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Tony Live! Country Girl

The song of the day for Sunday, June 21, 2020, is “Country Girl.”

About This Song

“Country Girl” was written in 1966 by the Canadian-born composer, conductor, arranger and trumpet player Robert Farnon. Farnon composed both light classical and popular music, as well as film and television scores. He worked with Tony Bennett on several albums, including the wonderful 1968 Snowfall.

About This Version

When Tony Bennett was preparing for his 1971 concert in London, he reached out to Robert Farnon, whom he had worked with on Snowfall, to conduct. Bennett had recorded “Country Girl” for his 1967 album Tony Makes It Happen! and was sure to include it in the concert, as captured on the album Get Happy. The Marion Evans arrangement, also used in 1967, beautifully captured the English countryside.

“Country Girl,” as well as Get Happy, is available from Apple Music.