The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Taking a Chance on Love

The song of the day for Friday, September 11, 2026, is “Taking a Chance on Love.”

About This Song

“Taking a Chance on Love” was composed by Vernon Duke, with lyrics by John LaTouche and Ted Fetter, for the 1940 Broadway musical Cabin in the Sky, where it was introduced by Ethel Waters.

About This Version

Tony Bennett made his first recording of “Taking a Chance on Love” 70 years ago on September 11, 1956, for his 1957 album Tony. Ray Conniff wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“Taking a Chance on Love,” as well as Tony, is available on Apple Music.

We have an excellent recording of Ethel Waters singing “Taking a Chance on Love” from the 1943 Cabin In The Sky soundtrack.

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Song of the Day: Without a Song

The song of the day for Saturday, July 25, 2026, is “Without a Song.”

About This Song

“Without a Song” was written in 1929 for the musical Great Day by Vincent Youmans, with lyrics by Billy Rose and Edward Eliscu. It’s proven to be a popular song for singers including Perry Como, Nelson Eddy, Frank Sinatra and even opera singers such as Jan Peerce and Mario Lanza. It has also proven to be a favorite of jazz instrumentalists: Bill Evans recorded it for his album You Must Believe in Spring and other jazz recordings include those by Oscar Peterson, Louis Armstrong, Art Tatum and Art Blakey.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Without a Song” on September 12, 1956, for his 2nd album, Tony. Ray Conniff wrote the arrangement.

“Without a Song,” as well as Tony, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Top Hat, White Tie and Tails

The song of the day for Tuesday, July 7, 2026, is “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails.”

About Today

My brother Tom was born on July 7, 1953, and should have been 73 years old today (f*$# cancer). He loved his wife and daughter, Volkswagen Beetles, The Grateful Dead, and Fred Astaire movies. Today’s song is for Tom.

About This Song

Irving Berlin wrote “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails” for the 1935 film Top Hat, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The song was introduced by Mr. Astaire. The film is widely considered to be one of the best of the RKO Astaire and Rogers films; the American Film Institute ranked it 15th on its list of best musicals.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails” in July 1993 for his album Steppin’ Out, consisting of songs associated with Fred Astaire. Mr. Bennett and Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

Steppin’ Out won the 35th Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“Top Hat, White Tie and Tails,” as well as Steppin’ Out is available on Apple Music.

And of course, we have Mr. Astaire introducing today’s song in the 1935 film Top Hat:

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Song of the Day: You Can Depend on Me

The song of the day for Friday. November 21, 2025, is “You Can Depend on Me.”

About This Song

“You Can Depend on Me” was written in 1931 by Charles Carpenter, Louis Dunlap, and Earl “Fatha” Hines. The first recording was by Louis Armstrong in 1931. Other recordings include those by Nat “King” Cole and Brenda Lee.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “You Can Depend on Me” on September 11, 1956, for his second album, Tony, released in 1957.

There was some controversy regarding credits for the arrangements on Tony. Bennett wrote in his autobiography The Good Life:

All the guys—Marion [Evans], Gil [Evans], Neal [Hefti], Don [Costa]—did a tremendous job on the orchestrations for Tony, but you’d never know it from reading the front or back cover of that album. At that time Columbia was heavily pushing Ray Conniff. He was going to be the new Percy Faith, their next big name in instrumental pop music. Ray conducted the sessions, and he did a good job, but it burned me up that none of the others received any credit on the cover. Over the next few months I was embarrassed when I ran into them. They’d always ask me why they didn’t get credit. I felt terrible about it.

“You Can Depend on Me,” as well as Tony, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the 1931 recording of “You Can Depend on Me” by Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra.

Armstrong recorded “You Can Depend on Me” again in 1951, live at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, released on Satchmo At Pasadena, which has Armstrong singing vocals.

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Song of the Day: Lost in the Stars

The song of the day for Wednesday, October 30. 2024, is “Lost in the Stars.”

About This Song

“Lost in the Stars” was written by Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson for the 1949 musical of the same name, based on the 1948 novel by Alan Paton, Cry, the Beloved Country. Set in South Africa in an era when apartheid seemed as if it would never end, the plot concerns a black priest whose son kills, in a robbery attempt, a white man who is a friend of his father. The priest sings this song at the end of the first act, in a complete crisis of faith.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Lost in the Stars” on June 6, 1956, for his second album, Tony, released in 1957. Percy Faith wrote the arrangement.

“Lost in the Stars,” as well as Tony, is available on Apple Music.