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 Sunday, January 21, 2018 is “This Can’t Be Love.”

About This Song

Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart wrote this song 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 recorded “This Can’t Be Love” 1973 for Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs from his own label: Improv. This album, as well as the follow-on album Tony Bennett Sings More Great Rodgers and Hart, was recorded with The Ruby Braff-George Barnes Quartet, which features Braff on cornet, Barnes and Wayne Wright on guitar, and John Guiffrida on bass. This quartet–with neither piano nor drums–was perfect for these songs.

This Can"t Be Love

Listen to This Can"t Be Love on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2004


“This Can’t Be Love,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: There’s A Small Hotel

The song of the day for Thursday, May 25, 2017 is “There’s A Small Hotel.”

About This Song

Originally written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart in 1935 for the musical Jumbo, “There’s A Small Hotel” was used the next year in On Your Toes, where it was introduced by Ray Bolger and Doris Carson. The song has been recorded by artists including Chet Baker, Josephine Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Della Reese, in addition to Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “There’s A Small Hotel” in 1973 and was released on the 1977 album Tony Bennett Sings More Great Rodgers & Hart.

Bennett recorded his two Rodgers and Hart albums with the George Barnes – Ruby Braff Quartet, which featured Braff on cornet, Barnes and Wayne Wright on guitar, and John Guiffrida on bass.
This somewhat unusual quartet, with no piano or drums, is a wonderful sound for these Rodgers and Hart songs–they give a nice period feel to the songs at’s a really lovely set of recordings.

There"s A Small Hotel

Listen to There"s A Small Hotel on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2004


“There’s A Small Hotel,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Spring Is Here

The song of the day for Friday, April 20, 2017 is “Spring Is Here.”

About This Song

“Spring Is Here” was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the 1938 film I Married An Angel, where it was introduced by Dennis King and Vivienne Segal. It’s one of Hart’s saddest lyrics, where the coming of Spring has no meaning, as his love is gone. But rather than a sad, depressing song, with the lovely melody by Rodgers, the song has sweet poignancy.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Spring Is Here” for his own Improv label in 1973. It was released in 1976 for Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs. For this album, Bennett worked with Ruby Braff – George Barnes Quartet, which featured Braff on cornet, Barnes and Wayne Wright on guitar, and John Guiffrida on bass. The quartet is a lovely sound for these Rodgers and Hart songs and one doesn’t miss the piano and drums at all.

Spring Is Here

Listen to Spring Is Here on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2004


“Spring Is Here,” as well as all of the Improv label recordings, collected on The Complete Improv Recordings, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Thou Swell

The song of the day for Wednesday, February 8, 2017 is “Thou Swell.”

About This Song

“Thou Swell” was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the 1927 musical A Connecticut Yankee, based on the Mark Twain novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. “Thou Swell” is one of more charming songs from the musical, as the lyrics feature a combination of modern and medieval language: “thine eyes are cute too” and “I’d feel so rich in a hut for two.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Thou Swell” in 1973 for his album Tony Bennett Sings More Great Rodgers & Hart, released in 1977. He is accompanied by the fantastic Ruby Braff-George Barnes Quartet, featuring Braff on cornet, Barnes and Wayne Wright on guitar, and John Guiffrida on bass. The combination of Tony Bennett and this quartet is really remarkable.

Thou Swell

Listen to Thou Swell on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2004


“Thou Swell,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: You Took Advantage Of Me

The song of the day for Tuesday, January 24, 2017 is “You Took Advantage Of Me.”

About This Song

Today we feature great Rodgers and Hart song from 1928, “You Took Advantage Of Me.” The song was written for the musical Present Arms. The song quickly found itself a popular standard and has been recorded many times, including those by Bing Crosby with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, Anita O’Day, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “You Took Advantage Of Me” in 1973 for his second album of Rodgers and Hart songs, Tony Bennett Sings More Great Rodgers and Hart, released on Bennett’s own Improv label. His two Rodgers and Hart albums featured an unusual but incredibly effective quartet of musicians: George Barnes and Wayne Wright on guitar, Ruby Braff on cornet and John Guiffrida on bass. No piano and no drums, but the recordings are really sublime.

You Took Advantage Of Me

Listen to You Took Advantage Of Me on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2004


“You Took Advantage Of Me,” as well as The Complete Improv Recordings, is available from iTunes.

About The Secret Theme

Well, we’ve reached the end of the “secret theme” for January and no one guessed (or, more likely, guessed but decided not to mention it). The so-called secret was playing songs in alphabetical order by title, one song for each letter of the alphabet, though we did have to skip X and Z. Next month will feature the first entry for our theme of the year, Tony Bennett’s great collaborators. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun!

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