The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: The Rules of the Road

The song of the day for Friday, June 21, 2013 is “The Rules of the Road.”

About This Song

I guess it goes without saying that this wonderful song by the great songwriting pair of Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh is one of my most favorite songs in the world. I can’t get enough of it and can’t go for more than a few months without naming it the song of the day.

So these are the ropes
The tricks of the trade
The rules of the road
I’m just one of the dopes
For whom they were made
I’m a fool of the road

You follow that kiss
And recklessly miss
A bend of the road
Then suddenly this
The end of the road

So love is a hoax
A glittering string
Of little white lies
But these are the jokes
That’s why they bring
The tears to your eyes

Well, love often shows a funny return.
The brighter it glows,
The longer you burn.
And lord only knows
Love has little concern for the fools of the road.

But that’s how it goes,
You live and you learn,
The rules of the road.

About This Version

Well, we’ve established that this is a favorite song of mine. But which version? The great, brassy big band version from I Left My Heart in San Francisco?  The more uptempo live performance from Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall?  I love both those versions dearly.

No, today is the quiet, more introspective with the Ralph Sharon Trio on When Lights Are Low.  So introspective, in fact, that “You’re just one of the dopes” is changed to “I’m just one of those dopes.”  This version is more like an intimate conversation. It’s a lovely arrangement and  touches the heart, with more than a tinge of regret.

The Rules Of The Road

Listen to The Rules Of The Road on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1964

“The Rules of the Road,” as well as the entire When Lights Are Low album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Ain’t Misbehavin’

The song of the day for Saturday, June 8, 2013 is “Ain’t Misbehaving.” (And I ain’t either.)

About This Song

“Ain’t Misbehavin'” was written in 1929 by Fats Waller and Harry Brooks, with lyrics by Andy Razaf. Louis Armstrong recorded it the year it was written, as did Waller. The highly successful 1978 musical Ain’t Misbehavin’ helped to reintroduce Waller’s music to the American public.

In the documentary film The Zen of Bennett, Tony Bennett relates the story that Waller was paid two bottles of gin for writing this song. Unfortunately, this kind of thing happened to many jazz musicians and composers in the early part of the 20th century. Today, composers rights are represented by The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), who work to ensure they are treated fairly for their creative works.

About This Version

Today’s version of “Ain’t Misbehavin'” is from Tony Bennett’s 1964 album with the Ralph Sharon Trio, When Lights Are Low.

http://open.spotify.com/track/39twrUHk5VAIIaaHFYnSP4
“Ain’t Misbehavin’,” as well as the remastered When Light Are Low album, is available from iTunes.

As today is Saturday and with hopes that you may have a little extra time to listen to some music, we present Fats Waller and “Ain’t Misbehavin’.”

Ain"t Misbehavin"

Fats Waller · Forever Fats Waller Vol. 01 · Song · 2013

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Song of the Day: Nobody Else But Me

The song of the day for Monday, March 20, 2013 is Nobody Else But Me.

About This Song

Nobody Else But Me was written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II for the 1946 revival of Show Boat; it did not appear in the original 1927 production.

The song quickly became a jazz standard; the recording by Joe Pass on guitar was one of the early significant early recordings.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded Nobody Else But Me for his 1964 album with the Ralph Sharon Trio, When Lights Are Low. This is one of favorite of Bennett’s albums from the 1960s; Bennett singing with just the Trio (Ralph Sharon, Hal Gaylord and Billy Exiner) was, and is, a real treat for this author.

Nobody Else But Me

Listen to Nobody Else But Me on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1964

Nobody Else But Me, as well as the remastered When Lights Are Low album, is available from iTunes.

Just to compare, here’s the same song from the 1988 studio recording of Show Boat:
http://open.spotify.com/track/5gyPWLQy5YEQAnkLmDEVo8

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Song of the Day: I’ve Got Just About Everything

The song of the day for Tuesday, April 9, 2013 is I’ve Got Just About Everything.

About This Song

This song was written by Bob Dorough, a bebop and cool jazz pianist and composer. Born in 1923, Dorough served in a Special Services Army Band Unit. After the war, he attended the University of North Texas and then headed for New York. Dorough is probably best known for his work on the 1970s series Schoolhouse Rock. He also co-wrote one of my favorite Dave Frishberg songs, I’m Hip. Dorough still performs regularly near his home in Pennsylvania and he maintains an active website as well.

About This Version

I’ve been listening to a lot of Tony Bennett’s music from the first half of the 1960s the past few weeks, especially his album with just him and Ralph Sharon, Tony Sings For Two, and his 1964 album with the Ralph Sharon Trio (Sharon, Billy Exiner, and Hal Gaylord), When Lights Are Low. I really enjoy hearing Bennett sing with a small combo and When Lights Are Low is a real treat. I’ve Got Just About Everything is from this album. Longer than the average song length at just over six minutes, it contains some nice instrumental work by Sharon, Exiner and Gaylord.

http://open.spotify.com/track/32ne5iCh5B7geOvcX8PQsu
I’ve Got Just About Everything, as well as the full When Lights Are Low album, is available from iTunes.

And, if you’re in the mood, here’s Dave Frishberg and Bob Dorough singing I’m Hip. (Even though this is on YouTube, there isn’t any video, just the audio.)