The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Get Happy

The song of the day for Tuesday, November 22, 2016 is “Get Happy.”

About This Song

“Get Happy” was written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler for the 1930 The Nine-Fifteen Revue, where it was introduced by Ruth Etting. Most people today are more familiar with Judy Garland’s wonderful song and dance performance in the 1950 movie Summer Stock.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Get Happy” in 1968 for his album Yesterday I Heard The Rain. The great arrangement is by Torrie Zito.

Get Happy

Tony Bennett · Yesterday I Heard The Rain · Song · 1968


“Get Happy,” as well as Yesterday I Heard The Rain, is available from iTunes.

Because I didn’t post a video last Saturday as is the custom, I offer up Judy Garland performing “Get Happy” from the 1950 film Summer Stock. Definitely try to catch this movie if you can. If this number doesn’t do it for you, there’s a shot of Judy in her farm overalls driving a tractor on her farm. I kid you not.

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Song of the Day: Hi-Ho

The song of the day for Friday, September 2, 2016 is “Hi-Ho.”

About This Song

“Hi-Ho” has been called ‘Gershwin’s least known great song’ by blogger Walter Rimler. It was one of the first songs the Gershwin brothers wrote when they first came to Hollywood in 1936; it was slated for the movie Shall We Dance featuring Fred Astaire dancing in the streets of Paris. The song was cut due to concerns over the costs for filming the sequence. The song faded from then and was only published in 1967. Tony Bennett’s was the first recording of this song.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Hi-Ho” in 1968 for his album Yesterday I Heard The Rain. The arrangement is by Torrie Zito.

Hi-Ho

Tony Bennett · Yesterday I Heard The Rain · Song · 1968


“Hi-Ho,” as well as Yesterday I Heard The Rain, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Get Happy

The song of the day for Monday, February 1, 2016 is “Get Happy.”

About This Song

We start our February 2016 celebration of Harold Arlen as Songwriter of the Month with one of his earliest hits.

“Get Happy” was written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler for the 1930 The Nine-Fifteen Revue, where it was introduced by Ruth Eating. Most people today are more familiar with Judy Garland’s wonderful song and dance performance in the 1950 movie Summer Stock.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Get Happy” in 1968 for his album Yesterday I Heard The Rain. The arrangement is by Torrie Zito and the recording swings like crazy!

Get Happy

Tony Bennett · Yesterday I Heard The Rain · Song · 1968


“Get Happy,” as well as Yesterday I Heard The Rain, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Yesterday I Heard The Rain

The song of the day for Tuesday, May 5, 2015 is “Yesterday I Heard The Rain.”

About This Song

Entitled “Esta Tarde Vi Llover” in the original Spanish, “Yesterday I Heard The Rain” is one of Armando Manzanero’s most highly regarded songs, written in 1968. Born in 1935, Manzanero studied music in Mexico City and composed his first song at the age of fifteen. At the age of sixteen, he became a professional pianist. His songs, like “Yesterday I Heard The Rain” are beautiful and romantic songs. He is considered to be one of the most successful composers from Latin America. Gene Lees wrote the lyrics.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this lovely song in 1968 for his album of the same name. There are some wonderful songs on this album, including a rare Gershwin song, “Hi-Ho,”There Will Never Be Another You” and “Sweet Georgie Fame.” Torrie Zito wrote and arranged the songs on the album; Tony Tamburello was the musical coordinator. It was produced by Howard A. Roberts.

About Today

¡Hola! ¡It’s Cinco de Mayo! Watch out for the tequila — it can sneak up on you.

Yesterday I Heard The Rain (Esta Tarde Vi Llover)

Listen to Yesterday I Heard The Rain (Esta Tarde Vi Llover) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1968


“Yesterday I Heard The Rain,” as well as the album of the same name, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Get Happy

The song of the day for Sunday, December 1, 2013 is “Get Happy.”

About This Song

“Get Happy” was written by Harold Arlen, with lyrics by Ted Koehler, in 1930 for The Nine-Fifteen Revue, where it was introduced by Ruth Etting. It was the first song that Arlen and Koehler wrote together. Even though written in 1930, “Get Happy” may be best known by its performance by Judy Garland in the 1950 musical film Summer Stock. In addition to several recordings by Judy Garland, other recordings of this song include those by Frank Sinatra, Johnny Dankworth, Ella Fitzgerald, June Christy and Rufus Wainwright.

About This Version

Tony Bennett first recorded this song for his 1968 album Yesterday I Heard the Rain; it was arranged and conducted by Torrie Zito. The Torrie Zito arrangement was used for Bennett’s 1971 concert album Get Happy with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Robert Farnon.

http://open.spotify.com/track/4ft0sAHcZ1Znf00yiTbFk8
“Get Happy,” as well as the album Yesterday I Heard The Rain, is available from iTunes.

And here’s Miss Judy Garland, performing “Get Happy” from Summer Stock: