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From the Vault...
08/12/2007
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Tony Bennett
"Forty Years: The Artistry Of Tony Bennett"
© Columbia/Legacy Records
Year of Release: 1991
Rating:
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track listing
Disc One:
The Boulevard Of
Broken Dreams
Because Of You
Cold Cold Heart
Blue Velvet
Rags To Riches
Stranger In Paradise
While The Music
Plays On
May I Never Love Again
Sing You Sinners
Just In Time
Lazy Afternoon
Ca C'est L'Amour
I Get A Kick Out Of You
It Amazes Me
Penthouse Serenade
(When We're Alone)
Lost In The Stars
Lullaby Of Broadway
Firefly
A Sleepin' Bee
The Man That Got Away
Skylark
September Song
Till
Disc Two:
Begin The Beguine
Put On A Happy Face
The Best Is Yet To Come
This Time The
Dream's On Me
Close Your Eyes
Toot Toot Tootsie
(Good-Bye)
Dancing In The Dark
Stella By Starlight
Tender Is The Night
Once Upon A Time
I Left My Heart
In San Francisco
Until I Met You
If I Love Again
I Wanna Be Around
The Good Life
It Was Me
Sprimg In Manhattan
The Moment Of Truth
This Is All I Ask
A Taste Of Honey
When Joanna Loved Me
I'll Be Around
Disc Three:
Nobody Else But Me
It Had To Be You
I've Got Just About
Everything
Who Can I Turn To
(When Nobody
Needs Me)
Waltz For Debbie
I Walk A Little Faster
Wrap Your Blues
In Dreams
And Dream Your
Troubles Awa
If I Ruled The World
Fly Me To The Moon
(In Other Words)
Love Scene
Sweet Lorrainne
The Shadow Of
Your Smile
I'll Only Miss Her
When I Think Of Her
Baby Dream Your Dream
Smile
Song From The Oscar
(Maybe September)
Emily
The Very Thought Of You
A Time For Love
Country Girl
Disc Four:
Days Of Love
Keep Smiling At Trouble
(Trouble's A Bubble)
For Once In My Life
Who Cares
(So Long As
You Care For Me)
Hi-Ho
Baby Don't You Quit Now
Something
I Do Not Know A Day
I Did Not Love You
Old Devil Moon
Remind Me
Maybe This Time
Some Other Time
My Foolish Heart
But Beautiful
How Do You Keep
The Music Playing
What Are You Afraid Of
Why Do People
Fall In Love/People
I Got Lost In Her Arms
When I Lost You
Shakin' The Blues Away
Antonia
When Do The Bells
Ring For Me
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Tony Bennett
"Forty Years: The Artistry Of Tony Bennett"
It's amazing to see that Tony Bennett's box set, Forty Years: The
Artistry Of Tony Bennet captures 40 years of music throughout his career,
and more amazing is that he is still performing and recording. His most recent
release is a duets cd, featuring himself and duets with well-known other singers.
Listening to this box set, it is just superbly excellent. All his main hits are
here, as he only acheived 3 #1 songs: "Because Of You," "Cold Cold Heart,"
and "Rags To Riches." His signature song, "I Left My Heart In San
Francisco" SHOULD have reached #1, this song is probably best remembered.
Listening to his music span throughout the 4 decades, towards the end, it's
easily heard that his voice is aging, buy yet the music and his style continues
to shine.
4 discs shine brightly from this box set, as the first disc covers his
career from 1950 to 1959. His voice sounds so young on the first song from
1950, "The Boulevard Of Broken Dreams"; a new star was on the rise at
the time. The next two tracks were his first two #1s (1951): "Because Of
You," and "Cold Cold Heart." "Blue Velvet" (1951) is next,
as it was more popular by Bobby Vinton, yet Bennett's version has a more Italian
feel. His last #1 (kinda hard saying that, as he is still alive...), "Rags
To Riches" is the next song, from 1953. Another favorite was his 1953 hit,
"Stranger In Paradise," as Tony showcases his Adult Contemporary
romantic style.
Now comes the treat in listening to the "not so well remembered" songs of
Tony Bennett. I'm sure for some, they may have remembered these songs, and
most likely they are some of their favorites too: The year is 1954, and Bennett
displays a truly good singing jazz style on "While The Music Plays On."
He continues his great style with the 1955 song, "May I Never Love Again."
1955's "Sing You Sinners" has am upbeat jazz'd style, 1956's "Just In
Time" has a Frank Sinatra style.
1957 has 3 songs: A bit moody, yet a true Bennett singing style is heard
on "Lazy Afternoon," likewise his his singing style is exceptional on
"Ca C'est L'Amour." An upbeat Sinatra styled "I Get A Kick Out Of
You" is from this year, as most may remember this song by Sinatra himself.
1958: Great orchestration makes the amazing factor high on "It Amazes
Me," likewise Bennett's vocals are extremely well. The romantics in all
of us will enjoy many songs from this box set: "Penthouse Serenade (When
We're Alone)," "Lost In The Stars." "Lullaby Of Broadway" has the
upbeat jazz'd style, likewise "Firefly."
The romantic style returns wit the year 1959 and "A Sleepin' Bee."
Another song from that year is a song that most may remember recorded by
Sinatra, "The Man That Got Away," as Bennett keeps the romanitc jazz
alive. Other romantic tunes are "Skylark," and "September Song,"
where this song I remember well by Willie Nelson. Bennett shines once again
on "Till," ending the first disc.
Disc two starts with 1960, and another classic, "Begin The Beguine,"
as many artists recorded this song before, during and after the heydays of Rock
n Roll. "Put On A Happy Face" is another classic, and another song most
will remember by Sinatra, "The Best Is Yet To Come." I don't remember
"This Time The Dream's On Me," yet it is another good song.
Many songs I don't recall, yet they are all enjoyable: (1961) : "Close
Your Eyes" has the Sinatra style, likewise "Stella By Starlight."
The romantic style is heard on "Tender Is The Night," "Once Upon A Time."
Two songs that I do remember from 1961, is "Toot Toot Tootsie (Good-Bye),"
the Al Jolson classic, and a song that was an instrumental for Artie Shaw,
"Dancing In The Dark." 1962 begins with his signature song, "I Left
My Heart In San Francisco."
1962 continues with "Until I Met You," as I may not remember this
song well, it does have a Sinatra / Harry Connick Jr. style. Another
not-so-well-remembered somg is "If I Love Again," another romantic number.
"I Wanna Be Around" should be a song everyone should remember, it's
another Bennett classic. Likewise, a personal favorite of mine, "The Good
Life."
The remaining tracks on disc two is from the year 1963. Most have the
romantic style: "It Was Me," "Spring In Manhattan," "This Is All I Ask,"
"When Joanna Loved Me," and "I'll Be Around." Even the classic
"A Taste Of Honey" is well-done by Bennett, and "The Moment Of
Truth" has an upbeat, snappy jazz sound.
Disc three has some snappy jazz and upbeat tunes from 1964 and 1965:
"Nobody Else But Me," and "I've Got Just About Everything,"
"Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away)," "Love Scene,"
"Sweet Lorraine," and "Baby Dream Your Dream." "It Had To Be
You" may best be remembered by Sinatra, and more specifically Harry Connick
Jr., from the movie When Harry Met Sally. However, Bennett's version of
this song is much slower and more romantic. Speaking of romantic, the romantic
style stands out for Bennett on many songs, from 1964 and 1965: "Who Can I
Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)," "Waltz For Debbie," "If I Ruled The World,"
"I Walk A Little Faster," "I'll Only Miss Her When I Think Of Her," "Smile,"
"Song From [The Oscar] (Maybe September)," "Emily," "The Very Thought of You,"
"A Time For Love" and "Country Girl." There are some classic Tony
Bennett songs on this disc as well: "Fly Me To The Moon," (where most
remember this song by Sinatra), "The Shadow Of Your Smile" I'm sure was
covered by many; Bennett's style is just one word: CLASSIC.
The last disc tells how as the decades came upon us, some of the songs
he has on this last disc does show some signs of aging, but that doesn't dampen
the quality of his music. Starting with songs from 1967 to 1968, his voice
is just as good as he started. "Days Of Love" has the romance style,
upbeat jazz is heard on the songs "Keep Smiling At Trouble (Trouble's A
Bubble)" and "Who Cares (So Long As You Care For Me)." Classic
Tony Bennett songs from 1967 includes Stevie Wonder's "For Once In My
Life" (which Bennett's most recent Duets CD includes a duet with Stevie,
as they appeared in the audience of the 2007 Grammy Awards). Two songs from
1968 are the Sinatra-tinged "Hi-Ho," and the upbeat jazz number,
"Baby Don't You Quit Now."
Only one song from 1969 is the George Harrison classic "Something,"
yet Bennett's version may not be as good as others who had recorded this
particular song. On that note, Bennett's voice does sound like it's aging,
but that doesn't spoil the output of each song as much, with 1970's "I Do
Not Know A Day I Did Not Love You." 1971 sees a live recording of "Old
Devil Moon," an upbeat number. "Remind Me" is a nice, pleasant
recording.
Nice with age are 1972's "Maybe This Time," and moving to 1975 with
"Some Other Time," "My Foolish Heart" and "But Beautiful." The
rest of the tracks on disc four are equally nice: "How Do You Keep The
Music Playing" (1986), "What Are You Afraid Of" (1986), Why Do
People Fall In Love/People" (1986), "I Got Lost In Your Arms"
(1986), the mostly accapella "When I Lost You" (1987), the scat-type jazz
"Shakin' The Blues Away" (1987), "Antonia" (1989), and lastly,
"When Do The Bells Ring For Me" (1989).
Forty years is quite a lot, and this box set is extremely a great chronicle
of music of the life of Tony Bennett. Of course, after 1989, Bennett still is
performing and recording, so age never slows him down. Tony Bennett proved
that he is a legend, before during and after the peak of Rock n Roll, and will
always be loved by young and older generations.
© WSVNRadio.net. All rights reserved.
Review or any portion may not be reproduced
without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
Columbia/Legacy Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
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