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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

April 30, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Nobody’s Heart Belongs to Me

The song of the day for Sunday, May 1, 2022, is “Nobody’s Heart Belongs to Me.”

About This Song

“Nobody’s Heart Belongs To Me” was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the musical By Jupiter in 1942. Directed by Joshua Logan, it starred Ray Bolger, Vera-Ellen, and Constance Moore. It was their last full-length work. In American Popular Music, Alec Wilder called this song “one of the loveliest songs Rodgers or any other theater writer has ever written. In the area of this form of music, it is a masterpiece.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Nobody’s Heart Belongs to Me” in 1959 with just Bennett and Ralph Sharon. The intended album, Tony Sings For Two, was released in 1961.

“Nobody’s Heart Belongs to Me,” as well as Tony Sings For Two is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Lorenz Hart, Ralph Sharon, Richard Rodgers, Tony Bennett, Tony Sings for Two

February 20, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Street of Dreams

The song of the day for Monday, February 21, 2022, is “Street of Dreams.”

About This Song

“Street of Dreams” was written in 1932 by Victor Young and Sam M. Lewis. It has a classic depression-era sense, where love is one of the few things that may be impossible for those with money, but “no one is poor as long as love is sure.” Bing Crosby was the first singer to record “Street of Dreams”, though the Russ Columbo recording was also popular.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon recorded “Street of Dreams” for their 1961 album Tony Sings For Two, our album of the week.

“Street of Dreams,” as well as Tony Sings For Two is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Ralph Sharon, Sam M. Lewis, Tony Bennett, Tony Sings for Two, Victor Young

February 17, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe

The song of the day for Friday, February 18, 2022, is “Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe.”

About This Song

“Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe” was written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg for the 1940 Broadway musical Cabin in the Sky, starring Ethel Waters and Dooley Wilson. The song was introduced by Ethel Waters, sung to her husband Joe, played by Dooley Wilson. The 1943 film version of Cabin in the Sky also featured Miss Waters with the role of Joe played by Eddie Anderson.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe” with Ralph Sharon for their album Tony Sings For Two.

“Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe,” as well as Tony Sings For Two is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Cabin in the Sky, Harold Arlen, Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett, Tony Sings for Two, Yip Harburg

February 11, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: The Man That Got Away

The song of the day for Saturday, February 12, 2022, is “The Man That Got Away.”

About This Song

“The Man That Got Away” was written by Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin for Judy Garland in the 1954 version of A Star Is Born, with James Mason. Her performance of the song is legendary in film history, with 27 takes in three days, three separate sessions, and two different directors. The filmed scene is brilliant and made the song a huge hit for Garland, who sang it in most of her concerts.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “The Man That Got Away” on October 28, 1959, for the album Tony Sings For Two, which was released in 1961. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

“The Man That Got Away,” as well as Tony Sings For Two is available on Apple Music.

And I hope you enjoy this scene from A Star Is Born.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: A Star Is Born, Harold Arlen, Ira Gershwin, Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett, Tony Sings for Two

February 10, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Bewitched

The song of the day for Friday, February 11, 2022, is “Bewitched.”

About This Song

“Bewitched,” written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, was one of the hit songs from the 1940 musical Pal Joey, where it was introduced by Vivienne Segal. Notable recordings are by Benny Goodman, Mel Tormé, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra. Alec Wilder admired the lyric and the verse, but found the song “notey.” In spite of being notey, it’s a cornerstone of the American Songbook.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Bewitched” on October 28, 1959, with an arrangement by Ralph Sharon. It was released in 1961 on the album Tony Sings For Two.

Tony Sings For Two is a remarkable album for Bennett, who tells the story in his autobiography, The Good Life:

I always wanted to be unpredictable, and so for my next project, I decided to go in the opposite direction from the big orchestral albums I’d been doing lately and cut an intimate piano-vocal album with Ralph Sharon. We booked time in the studio and pored through music books, trying one tune after another. The arrangements were spontaneous, and we finished each song in one or two takes. In one afternoon we laid down sixteen tunes—which must be some kind of record—twelve of which made it onto the album, which became 1961’s Tony Sings for Two, Mitch Miller showed up at the start of these sessions, furious that I was really going through with it. When he saw that there was no dissuading me, he turned to Frank Laico and said, “I’m leaving. I can’t support this.” Tony Sings for Two turned out to be one of my finest records ever.

“Bewitched,” as well as Tony Sings For Two is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Larry Hart, Pal Joey, Ralph Sharon, Richard Rodgers, Tony Bennett, Tony Sings for Two

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