The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Revolvin’ Jones

The song of the day for Thursday, May 7, 2026, is “Revolvin’ Jones.”

About This Song

“Revolvin’ Jones” was written in 1940 by Willard Robison. Other Robison songs include “Don’t Smoke In Bed” and “A Cottage for Sale.” Alec Wilder wrote this about Willard Robison in American Popular Song:

Everybody loved him and many tried to help him, among them John Mercer. Mildred Bailey revered him and sang every song of his she could lay her hands on. I became aware of him in the late twenties when he recorded for Perfect Records. He did manage, during his almost euphoric life, to write a few successful songs … but generally his songs were known only to a few singers and lovers of the off-beat and the non-urban song. He had a special flair for gentleness and childhood, the lost and the religious. I suppose it’s not part of the growth of popular music, nor perhaps were any of Robison’s songs. But if they could so much bolster John Mercer’s conviction that there was more to write lyrics about than city life, that the world of memory, of remembered sayings and scenes, was as evocative as the whispered words of lovers, then he did make a contribution.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Revolvin’ Jones” on March 16 1962, for On The Glory Road, featuring an arrangement by Ralph Sharon. Just days before the album was to be released, Columbia pulled the album. The 2011 Complete Collection box set included the album, which is now available from most streaming services.

“Revolvin’ Jones,” as well as On the Glory Road, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: A Cottage For Sale

The song of the day for Monday, July 28, 2025, is “A Cottage For Sale.”

About This Song

“A Cottage For Sale” was written by Willard Robison and Larry Conley in the 1920s. This song is a rather sweet and sad ballad about the lovely cottage for sale after the relationship breaks up. This song was first recorded by the composer Robison with his orchestra, The Deep River Orchestra. Other early recordings include those by The Revelers and Bernie Cummins with the New Yorker Orchestra. In later years, the recordings by Frank Sinatra and Billy Eckstine were very popular.

Other well-known songs written by Willard Robison include “Don’t Smoke in Bed” and “Old Folks.” In his book American Popular Song, Alec Wilder wrote:

Everybody loved him, and many tried to help him, among them John Mercer. Mildred Bailey revered him and sang every song of his she could lay her hands on. I became aware of him in the late twenties when he recorded for Perfect Records. He did manage, during his almost euphoric life, to write a few successful songs … but generally his songs were known only to a few singers and lovers of the off-beat and the non-urban song. He had a special flair for gentleness and childhood, the lost and the religious. I suppose it’s not part of the growth of popular music, nor perhaps were any of Robison’s songs. But if they could so much bolster John Mercer’s conviction that there was more to write lyrics about than city life, that the world of memory, of remembered sayings and scenes, was as evocative as the whispered words of lovers, then he did make a contribution.

Jazz guitarist Matt Munisteri has recorded several Willard Robison songs on his album Still Runnin’ Round in the Wilderness, available on Spotify.

Willard Robison worked with Jack Teagarden, who released an album with many Robinson songs in 1962: Think Well Of Me.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “A Cottage For Sale” on April 9, 1958, for 4th album, Long Ago and Far Away, released 67 years ago on July 28, 1958. Frank DeVol wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

Bennett recorded another Willard Robison song, “Revolvin’ Jones,” for the album On The Glory Road, which was not released but was included in the 2011 Complete Collection box set. Click on the song title to hear that recording.

“A Cottage For Sale,” as well as Long Ago and Far Away, is available on Apple Music.

I like Diana Krall’s recording of “Don’t Sleep In Bed.”

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Song of the Day: Revolvin’ Jones

The song of the day for Monday, February 24, 2025, is “Revolvin’ Jones.”

About This Song

“Revolvin’ Jones” was written by Willard Robison in 1940. Other well-known Robison songs include “A Cottage For Sale” and “Don’t Smoke in Bed.” Alec Wilder wrote about Robison in American Popular Song:

Everybody loved him and many tried to help him, among them John Mercer. Mildred Bailey revered him and sang every song of his she could lay her hands on. I became aware of him in the late twenties when he recorded for Perfect Records. He did manage, during his almost euphoric life, to write a few successful songs, but generally, his songs were known only to a few singers and lovers of the off-beat and the non-urban song. He had a special flair for gentleness and childhood, the lost and the religious. I suppose it’s not part of the growth of popular music, nor perhaps were any of Robison’s songs. But if they could so much bolster John Mercer’s conviction that there was more to write lyrics about than city life, that the world of memory, of remembered sayings and scenes, was as evocative as the whispered words of lovers, then he did make a contribution.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Revolvin’ Jones” on March 16, 1962, for On The Glory Road. Just days before it was to be released, Columbia Records canceled the album. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

Thankfully, Bennett’s 2011 Complete Collection box set included a CD of On The Glory Road.

“Revolvin’ Jones,” as well as On The Glory Road, is available on Apple Music.

Jazz guitarist Matt Munisteri is a strong supporter of the music of Willard Robison. He released an album of Robison’s music in 2012 called Still Runnin’ Round In The Wilderness. Here is his recording of “Revolvin’ Jones” from that album.

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Song of the Day: Revolvin’ Jones

The song of the day for Friday, February 9, 2024, is “Revolvin’ Jones.”

About This Song

“Revolvin’ Jones” was written in 1940 by Willard Robison, who also wrote “A Cottage For Sale” and “Don’t Smoke in Bed.” In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder wrote

Everybody loved him and many tried to help him, among them John Mercer. Mildred Bailey revered him and sang every song of his she could lay her hands on. I became aware of him in the late twenties when he recorded for Perfect Records. He did manage, during his almost euphoric life, to write a few successful songs but generally his songs were known only to a few singers and lovers of the off-beat and the non-urban song.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Revolvin’ Jones” on March 16, 1962, for the album On The Glory Road, which was to be released in 1962, but was canceled at the last minute by Columbia Records; thankfully, it was included in the 2011 Complete Collection box set. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“Revolvin’ Jones,” as well as On The Glory Road, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Revolving’ Jones

The song of the day for Thursday, March 30, 2023, is “Revolving’ Jones.”

About This Song

“Revolvin’ Jones” was written in 1940 by Willard Robinson. Other well-known Robison songs include “A Cottage For Sale” and “Don’t Smoke in Bed.” In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder wrote:

Everybody loved him and many tried to help him, among them John Mercer. Mildred Bailey revered him and sang every song of his she could lay her hands on. I became aware of him in the late twenties when he recorded for Perfect Records. … He did manage, during his almost euphoric life, to write a few successful songs … but generally his songs were known only to a few singers and lovers of the off-beat and the non-urban song. He had a special flair for gentleness and childhood, the lost and the religious. I suppose it’s not part of the growth of popular music, nor perhaps were any of Robison’s songs. But if they could so much bolster John Mercer’s conviction that there was more to write lyrics about than city life, that the world of memory, of remembered sayings and scenes, was as evocative as the whispered words of lovers, then he did make a contribution.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Revolvin’ Jones” on March 9, 1962, for <em>On The Glory Road, featuring an arrangement by Ralph Sharon. The album was due to be released in 1962, but Columbia canceled the release at the minute. While many of the songs recorded for the album were released on other albums, this song was not. Fortunately, the album was included in the 2011 Complete Collection box set and is now available on most streaming platforms.

“Revolving’ Jones,” as well as On The Glory Road is available on Apple Music.