Whilst Bennett’s family reveal his short and long term memories are quickly dissipating, his ability to sing has remained unscaled as he flawlessly bellows his iconic melancholy tone, reciting pieces that he hasn’t sung in years with ease. It is still uncertain to this day why victims of Alzheimer’s become so limited in speech and memory, but for Bennett: “at the sound of a musical cue, he can lift his voice with such beauty and expression.” He literally saved her life during the ARTPOP era and we should all be so grateful for him. If this video doesn’t tell you how much Tony Bennett means to Lady Gaga, then I’m not sure what will. The article recalls a moment where Bennett sings a solo passage of a love song, bringing Gaga to sob as she watched. What is most striking about Bennett is his superb voice remaining unscathed despite his condition. The Duke Ellington Orchestra recorded the song in 1932, which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008.The article discusses raw documented footage of the recording sessions, showing Bennett rarely speaking and Gaga engaging him with short and simple sentences “You sound so good, Tony” to which he responded “thanks.” “It Don’t Mean a Thing, If It Ain’t Got That Swing”ĭuke Ellington wrote the music and Irving Mills penned the lyrics to this great jazz classic that introduced the term “swing” to many ( It Don’t Mean a Thing, If It Ain’t Got That Swing). Tony Bennett first recorded it in 1975 for The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album with the late jazz pianist and composer Bill Evans (1929 – 1980).
Quite appropriately, the song was featured in a dance number with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.Ĭomposer Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke wrote this song in 1947 for the great Bing Crosby to sing in the movie The Road to Rio, starring Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour.
Irving Berlin composed this song in 1936 for the film Follow the Fleet. The song has since been recorded by many notable singers and musicians over the decades particularly famous are the versions by Nat King Cole, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. He completed it in the 1930s, but first performed it with singer Kay Davis with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1948. Lena Horne sang the song in the film Stormy Weather (1943), Marlene Dietrich sang it in Seven Sinners (1940).īilly Strayhorn (“Take the A Train”) poured over the music and lyrics to this song in his youth for years. It became the hit song of the Broadway revue Blackbirds of 1928. Like “I Won’t Dance,” this song is a collaborative effort by Jimmy McHugh (music) and Dorothy Fields (lyrics), written in 1928. Originally composed for the musical Three Sisters (1934) - which flopped - the song got new lyrics by Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh in 1935 for the film Roberta, starring Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, Irene Dunne and Randolph Scott. Tony Bennett first recorded it in 1958 and has kept it on his roster for many recordings, including on Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall (1962), and as a duet with Kermit the Frog on Tony Bennett’s album of duets, The Playground (1998).Ĭomposed by Jerome Kern lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and Otto Harbach The song was written in 1958 as an audition piece for the musical Gypsy. The version Nancy Sinatra released the same year received more recent exposure on the soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino’s film, Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003).Ĭomposed by Cy Coleman lyrics by Carolyn Leigh The song, written by Cher’s then-husband, is from the album The Sonny Side of Chér (1966). Tony Bennett has included this favorite song on four of his albums, including Cheek To Cheek. Patti Austin and James Ingram were the first to record “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” for the film Best Friends, and the song was nominated for an Academy Award. The lyrics advise, “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.”Ĭomposed by Michael Legrand lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Top Hat starred the dream dancing couple Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.įirst released by Nat King Cole in 1948, the song is like a fable and lacks the witticisms of many other works in the Great American Songbook. Written by Irving Berlin for Top Hat (1935) The song is the first single from Bennett and Lady Gaga’s Cheek To Cheek album and kicks off their concert broadcast on Great Performances. Tony Bennett first recorded the song in 1959 with Count Basie and his Orchestra for the album Basie Swings, Bennett Sings (also sold as Strike Up the Band). Written by Cole Porter Anything Goes (1934) Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga bring new life to jazz classics in Cheek to Cheek LIVE! – but do you know the stories behind the songs? Learn more about what made them icons. Behind the Songs: Tony Bennett and Lady Gagaīy CHRISTINA KNIGHT, Senior Web Producer, Great Performances