The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Falling In Love With Love

The song of the day for Friday, January 6, 2017 is “Falling In Love With Love.”

About This Song

“Falling In Love With Love,” from the 1938 Broadway musical The Boys of Syracuse, pairs a beautiful Richard Rodgers waltz melody with the adult and rather somber lyric by Lorenz Hart: in other words, a perfect Rodgers and Hart song.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Falling In Love With Love” in 1965 for the album If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set, but didn’t make the final LP release. It was added to the 1997 CD re-release. The arrangement is from Don Costa.

Falling In Love With Love

Tony Bennett · If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set · Song · 1965


“Falling In Love With Love” as well as If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye

The song of the day for Thursday, January 5, 2017 is “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye.”

About This Song

“Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” was written by Cole Porter for the 1944 Billy Rose musical revue Seven Lively Arts. The song is well-known for the phrase “change from major to minor” as the song itself changed from A-flat major to A-flat minor, matching the lyric perfectly. It has always been a strong jazz standard. Significant recordings include those by Tony Bennett, Mabel Mercer, Sonny Rollins, Chet Baker, Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” in 1958 for his album Long Ago and Far Away. This song, as well as the entire album, was arranged by Frank DeVol.

Ev"rytime We Say Goodbye

Listen to Ev"rytime We Say Goodbye on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1958


“Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” as well as Long Ago and Far Away, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Dancing In The Dark

The song of the day for Wednesday, January 4, 2017 is “Dancing in the Dark.”

About This Song

“Dancing in the Dark” was written by Arthur Schwarz and Howard Dietz the 1931 revue The Band Wagon and is widely considered to be the finest of the songs written by Schwartz and Dietz. Alec Wilder in American Popular Song describes it as “… a very strong song with a superb, poetic lyric.”

About This Version

Today’s song, “Dancing in the Dark,” was recorded in 1961 for the album My Heart Sings. The arrangement is by Ralph Burns.

Dancing in the Dark

Listen to Dancing in the Dark on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1961


“Dancing in the Dark,” as well as My Heart Sings, is available from iTunes.

This past New Year’s Eve, Turner Classic Movies had the great sense to air all three of the That’s Entertainment films. This dance with Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse dancing to today’s song never fails to thrill me.

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Song of the Day: Come Rain or Come Shine

The song of the day for Tuesday, January 3, 2017 is “Come Rain or Come Shine.”

About This Song

“Come Rain or Come Shine” was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer in 1946 for the musical St. Louis Woman. The song itself is rather unusual, in that the same note repeated 12 times in the first two measures. In spite of that repetition, or perhaps because of it, the song works very well for the singer. Al Gioia in Jazz Standards says that “this composition tends to resist grandstanding, and instead appeals to the more introspective improviser.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Come Rain or Come Shine” in 1960 for his album Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen. The arrangement is by Glenn Osser.

Come Rain Or Come Shine

Tony Bennett · Tony Bennett Sings A String Of Harold Arlen · Song · 1960


“Come Rain or Come Shine” as well as Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: But Beautiful

The song of the day for Monday, January 2, 2017 is “But Beautiful.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “But Beautiful,” was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke for Bing Crosby to sing in the 1947 movie The Road to Rio. The song has been widely recorded, including recordings by Bill Evans, Johnny Hartman, Billie Holiday, Gregory Porter, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “But Beautiful” with Bill Evans in 1975 for their first album, The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album.

But Beautiful

Bill Evans, Tony Bennett · The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album (Expanded Edition) · Song · 1975


“But Beautiful,” as well as The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album, is available from iTunes.

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