Yesterdays

220px-Roberta_1935_movie_poster
PROFILE
Composer Jerome Kern
Lyricist Otto Harbach
Year Written 1933
About Yesterdays
“Yesterdays” was written for the 1933 Broadway musical Roberta , where it was introduced by Irene Dunne. Roberta was made into a film in 1935. The Kern-Harbach score for Roberta also included “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” and “Let’s Begin,” which Tony Bennett recorded in 1957 for his third album, The Beat of My Heart.

Lyrics

Yesterdays
Yesterdays
Days I knew as happy sweet
Sequestered days
Olden days
Golden days
Days of mad romance and love

Then gay youth was mine
Truth was mine
Joyous free in flame and life
Then sooth was mine
Sad am I
Glad am I
For today I’m dreamin’ of
Yesterdays

Session / Album Information

1964

“Yesterdays” was recorded on February 26, 1964; it was released in 1966 on the album A Time For Love. The song was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

Yesterdays

Tony Bennett · A Time For Love · Song · 1966

This recording released on:

  • 1966: CBS LP 12″: SBPG 62800 — A Time For Love [UK]
  • 1966: Columbia LP 12″: CL 2560 — A Time For Love
  • 1966: Columbia LP 12″: CS 9360 — A Time For Love
  • 1973: Columbia LP 12″: C 32239 — Sunrise, Sunset
  • 1990: CBS/Sony CD: CSCS-5243 — A Time For Love [Japan]
  • 2011: Disc #33 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK32) A Time For Love
  • 2011: Disc #48 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK47) Sunrise, Sunset

Stormy Weather

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PROFILE
Composer Harold Arlen
Lyricist Ted Koehler
Year Written 1933
About Stormy Weather
Written during Arlen’s association with Cotton Club, “Stormy Weather” was first sung by Ethel Waters at the Cotton Club in 1933. Lena Horne, who sang with Tony Bennett in the 1970s, recorded this song in 1941 and remains strongly associated with it. It has also been recorded by Kay Starr, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.

Lyrics

Don’t know why there’s no sun up in the sky
Stormy weather
Since my man and I ain’t together
Keeps rainin’ all the time

Life is bare, gloom and mis’ry everywhere
Stormy weather
Just can’t get my poor self together
I’m weary all the time, the time
So weary all the time

When he went away
The blues walked in and met me
If he stays away, old rockin’ chair will get me
All I do is pray, the Lord above will let me
Walk in the sun once more

Can’t go on, ev’rything I had is gone
Stormy weather
Since my man and I ain’t together
Keeps rainin’ all the time
Keeps rainin’ all the time

When he went away
The blues walked in and met me
If he stays away, old rockin’ chair will get me
All I do is pray, the Lord above will let me
Walk in the sun once more

Can’t go on, ev’rything I had is gone
Stormy weather
Since my man and I ain’t together
Keeps rainin’ all the time
Keeps rainin’ all the time

Session / Album Information

2001

“Stormy Weather,” a duet with Natalie Cole, was recorded in June 2001 and released that same year on Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues. The vocals were arranged by Rob Mathes.

Stormy Weather

Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole · Playin" With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues · Song · 2001

This recording released on:

  • 2001: Columbia CD: CK 85833 — Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues
  • 2011: Disc #67 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK65) Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues

Penthouse Serenade

Penthouse Serenade
PROFILE
Composer Will Jason, Val Burton
Lyricist Will Jason, Val Burton
Year Written 1931
About Penthouse Serenade
“Penthouse Serenade” is one the classic Depression-era songs with the yearning for the glamorous Manhattan apartment by the poor, yet romantic, couple. The first known use of “Penthouse Serenade” was for the 1933 animated short Betty Boop’s Penthouse, where it was sung by Mae Questel. On a more serious note, “Penthouse Serenade” has had exceptional recordings: Nat King Cole recorded it in 1952 as a piano solo for an album of the same name and Tony Bennett’s recording for his 1959 album Hometown, My Town is really wonderful with a brilliant arrangement by Ralph Burns.

Lyrics

Here in this big city
Many people come and go
But my love, we two are a permanent thing
Like a bird on the wing
For the coming of spring

Just picture a penthouse
Way up in the sky
With hinges on chimneys
For stars to go by
A sweet slice of Heaven
For just you and I
When we’re alone

From all of society
We’ll stay aloof
And live in propriety
There on the roof
To Heaven, we hermits
We will be in truth
When we’re alone

We’ll see life’s mad pattern
As we view Manhattan
Then we can thank our lucky stars
That we’re living as we are

In our little penthouse
We’ll always contrive
To keep love and romance
Forever alive
In view of the Hudson
Just over the drive
When we’re alone

Sunsets in the village
Paintings left unfinished
Twinkling lights in Central Park
Love is waiting for the dark

In our little penthouse
On top of the town
Each evening we’ll stargaze
We’ll never look down
The Heavens are our rooftop
A shimmering crown
When we’re alone

Just you
Just me
We’ll live in harmony
Enjoying each moment
The rest of our lives
When we’re alone

Session / Album Information

1958

Penthouse Serenade was recorded on November 6, 1958 and was released in 1959 on the album Hometown, My Town. It was arranged by Ralph Burns.

This recording was released on:

  • 1959: Columbia CL 1301 (Mono) Hometown, My Town
  • 1969: Columbia LP 12″: CS 9891 — Love Story: 20 All-Time Great Recordings
  • 1971: CBS LP 12″: 66297 — Love Songs (UK)
  • 1991: Columbia CD: CSK 4083 — Forty Years: The Artistry Of Tony Bennett (Promo)
  • 1991: Columbia CD: C4K 46843 — Forty Years – The Artistry Of Tony Bennett
  • 1993: CBS/Sony CD: SRCS-6641 — Forty Years: The Artistry Of Tony Bennett
  • 2004: Columbia/Legacy CD: C5K 92784 — Fifty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett
  • 2008: Columbia/RPM/Legacy CD: 731397 — The Essential Tony Bennett [Limited Edition 3.0]
  • 2011: Disc #15 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874603-JK15) Hometown, My Town

Moonglow

tony-kd
PROFILE
Composers Will Hudson, Irving Mills
Lyricist Eddie DeLange
Year Written 1933
About Moonglow
“Moonglow” has been a popular song since it was written. The first recordings were by Joe Venuti and His Orchesta, Ethel Waters, and The Benny Goodman Orchestra. Later recordings include those by Billie Holiday and Artie Shaw.

Lyrics

It must have been moonglow
Way up in the blue
It must have been moonglow
That led me straight to you

I still hear you saying
“Dear one, hold me fast”
And I started praying
“Oh, Lord, please make this last”

We seemed to float
Right through the air
Heavenly songs
Seemed to come from every where

And now when there’s moonglow
Way up in the blue
I always remember
That moonglow gave me you

We seemed to float
Right through the air
All those Heavenly songs
Seemed to come from every where

And now when there’s moonglow
Way up in the blue
I’ll always remember
That moonglow gave me you
That moonglow gave me you
That moonglow gave me you

Session / Album Information

1994

“Moonglow” was recorded and televised live on April 12, 1994 on MTV. The song was a duet with k.d. lang and marks the first time that Tony Bennett and k.d. lang performed together. The MTV Unplugged album was released in June of that year. The songs from the televised concert were arranged by Tony Bennett and the Ralph Sharon Trio.

Moonglow - Live

Listen to Moonglow - Live on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1994

This recording released on:

  • 1993: Columbia CD: CK 66214 — MTV Unplugged
  • 2011: Discs #60/61 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK59) MTV Unplugged

Love Is The Thing

Ned Washington

Ned Washington

PROFILE
Composer Victor Young
Lyricist Ned Washington
Year Written 1933
About Love Is The Thing
Like many songs written during the Great Depression, “Love Is The Thing” reminds us that life isn’t about fame, power and fame–instead love is the thing. Ethel Waters made one of the earliest recordings of the song; Nat King Cole used as the title song an album in 1957.

Lyrics

My darling, all around us people clamor
They’re striving for the things they’ll never own
The only thing that hasn’t lost its glamour
Is love and love alone

What does it matter if we’re rich or we’re poor?
Fortune and fame, they never endure
Oh, love is the thing
Love is the thing

What good is money is your heart isn’t light?
Here in your arms I’m wealthy tonight
When youth has its fling
Love is the thing

While others fight for power
We can walk among the flowers
Knowing that the best things in life
Is a thing that’s free

Love for you and me
And even though our castles crumble and fall
We have the right to laugh at them all
For love is the thing
Love is still king

Session / Album Information

1972

“Love is the Thing” was recorded in December, 1972 and released the following year on the album Listen Easy. It was arranged by Don Costa.

This recording released on:

  • 1973: Verve LP 12″: V6 5094 — Listen Easy
  • 1973: Philips LP 12″: 6308 157 — Listen Easy
  • 2011: Disc #46 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK45) Listen Easy

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