Update: Giveaway: Tony Bennett Sings The Ultimate American Songbook Volume 1

Update: The winners are:

• Gianna, who said, "I am not a closet fan, I say it loud – I love Tony Bennett. I’m 25yrs oldand he is one of the best singers ever IMO. I love so many of hissongs, but my favorite is They can’t take that away from me."
• Rachel, who said, "Because of you has always been one of my favorite Tony Bennett songs,however I can’t think of one that I don’t like, so I guess I am acloset Tony Bennett fan!"

If you asked me if I was a Tony Bennett fan, I probably wouldn’t say yes, but deep inside I think I may be.  I’ve been listening to a few tracks off of his new Legacy Records presentsTony Bennett Sings The Ultimate American Songbook, Vol. 1 (which drops tomorrow) and I’m humming along and wanting more, especially when it comes to American standards like It Had To Be You (listen: .asx or .mov) and They Can’t Take That Away From Me (listen: .asx or .mov).

Are you a closeted Tony Bennett fan?  Two lucky Celebrity Baby Blog readers will get to win their own copy!  (The rest of you may want to consider buying it.) 

 To enter, tell us what your favorite American standard is (if you can’t think of any, click Continue Reading to see which songs are included on the album) or Tony Bennett song, and why. (Giveaway closes Thursday, September 27 at 8 am.)

Tony Bennett Sings The Ultimate American Songbook, Vol. 1 is a dream project forTony Bennett, who personally chose the 15-song program from his Columbiarepertoire.  Literally hundreds of singers have recorded versions of thesesongs over the years, but Tony Bennett is in the rare class of artists whoactually took part in many of the original presentations.  The songs on thisdefinitive collection of popular standards cover three distinct decades ofrecording by Tony Bennett on Columbia:            

• The 1950s: 1958’s “Ev’ry Time We Say Good­bye” originally fromthe 1944 Cole Porter Broadway musical, Seven Lively Arts; and 1959’s “TakingA Chance On Love” from the 1940 Vernon Duke Broadway musical, Cabin In TheSky.

• The 1960s: 1962’s Live At Carnegie Hall version of the 1934Cole Porter gem, “Anything Goes”; 1962’s “You’ll Never Get Away From Me”from Stephen Sond­heim’s 1959 Broadway musical, Gypsy; then a pair fromTony’s 1964 album When Lights Are Low – Fats Waller’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’”which dates to 1929, and the Gus Kahn/Isham Jones chestnut, “It Had To BeYou” from the 1932 RKO film, Show Business; the 1966 recording of RayNoble’s “The Very Thought Of You” from 1934; 1967’s “They Can’t Take ThatAway From Me” which dates back to the 1937 Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers RKOfilm, Shall We Dance; and an undated ’60s session with the Dave BrubeckQuartet on Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer’s “That Old Black Magic,” from the1942 Paramount film, Star Spangled Rhythm.

• The 1990s: Three tracks from 1992’s Sinatra tribute PerfectlyFrank, which brought Tony his first Grammy Award in 30 years, starting withthe Gershwins’ “A Foggy Day” from the 1937 RKO film, A Damsel In Distress,and 1938’s “I’ll Be Seeing You” and “You Go To My Head,” all three of whichare associated with the Columbia recordings of Billie Holiday, the primalvocal influence on Sinatra and Bennett; 1997’s “She’s Funny That Way” fromthe tribute album to Billie, Tony Bennett On Holiday; and from that sameyear, Tony’s contribution to the My Best Friend’s Wedding movie soundtrackalbum, Jerome Kern’s “The Way You Look Tonight,” yet another song associatedwith Billie; and from 1994’s RIAA platinum two-time Grammy Award-winning MTVUnplugged comes the duet with k.d. lang on “Moonglow,” the sixth song inthis series associated with Billie Holiday.

Comments

My favorite standard is “The Way You Look Tonight”. I like Tony’s rendition best but I will listen to it with whom ever is singing it.

- Rhiannon on September 24th, 2007

I guess I would say I am a closeted Tony Bennett fan. I did not realize I knew so many of his songs or the songs he covers on the new album. My personal favorite: It Had to be You. It is just such a classic record, how can you not like it.

- Ashley on September 24th, 2007

“The Very Thought Of You” is a great standard, no matter who is singing it. TB has been around for years so you have to give him props for continuing to please ppl

- KM on September 24th, 2007

My favourite would have to be “Anything Goes” by Cole Porter. The favourite rendition would be the one by Ella Fitzgerald but I do like Tony’s renditions too.

- Kathryn on September 24th, 2007

I would have to say the very thought of you, get standard and props tb for being around for so long!

- KM on September 24th, 2007

Tony Bennett is one of those rare performers whose charisma only grows as he ages. I used to think he was a singer for my parents’ age group, but now I realize his appeal is timeless. I love the way all of the standards sound sung in his smoky voice, but my favorie is “That Old Black Magic”…It gives me goosebumps!

- Kat on September 24th, 2007

I am not a closet fan, I say it loud I love tony bennett. I’m 25yrs old and he is one of the best singers ever IMO. I love so many of his songs, but my favorite is ” They can’t take that away from me”

- gianna on September 24th, 2007

I absolutely love the song “Taking a Chance on Love” – the arangement and the lyrics just work on every level. No matter where I am when I hear it, I just start humming along. I feel like the song sounds like the way love should feel – giddy and exciting!
Another standard is “Too Darn Hot” – by Mel Torme. I just discovered it a week ago and can’t stop listening to it!!

- Lauren on September 24th, 2007

“They Can’t Take That Away From Me” is definitely my favourite. I love it because it tells us that even though not all love and relationships last, we still have the memories of the good times, and that’s a beautiful thing. Oh, and the awesome melody makes it the best too!
Tony Bennett rocks! Love him.

- Ans on September 25th, 2007

My favorite Tony Bennett song is his signature song, ‘I Left My Heart In San Francisco’. Bennett’s voice is still great and I’m glad that he’s getting continued recognition for his wonderful contributions to music.

- Carol on September 25th, 2007

My favorite Tony Bennett song is his signature song, ‘I Left My Heart In San Francisco’. Bennett’s voice is still great and I’m glad that he’s getting continued recognition for his wonderful contributions to music.

- Carol on September 25th, 2007

Ooh, tough one. But the one that immediately pops to mind is “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road).” Both Sinatra’s and Tony Bennett’s versions are flawless. I could listen to this music ALL DAY!

- Marie on September 25th, 2007

Don Mclean’s American Pie is definately my American Standard!

- Kelsa on September 25th, 2007

I love standards! Standards are my favorite songs. Like the name of Tony’s cd says, standards are American’s songbook and are as American as apple pie. They are the true great songs. I love the “oldies” like Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and good ‘ole Tony as well as the newcomers like Michael Buble and Harry Connick, Jr. Standards never grow old, just better with time.

Because I love standards so much, it is hard to choose just one song as my favorite, but since I can only choose one, I choose, “It Had To Be You” which is such a fun, bouncy, love song. When people hear this song, they can’t help but get up and dance and sing along and that is what standards are all about – fun.

- Kami on September 25th, 2007

At my wedding in 2000 my soon to be husban….now X husband:} did an entire cd of classics as a wedding thank you…They included some of my favorites.Unforgettable by Nat King Cole..which is also my moms favorite, she says his voice was like silk over your ears!!! Also Sinatra, The Way You Look Tonight, Louie Armstrong…singing Georgia….I could go on….how timeless the songs are!! Thank god we have Michael Buble and Harry Connick jr to continue bringing us those classic sounds!!!

- lisa starr on September 25th, 2007

“Because of you” has always been one of my favorite Tony Bennett songs, however I can’t think of one that I don’t like, so I guess I am a closet Tony Bennett fan!

- Rachel on September 25th, 2007

My dad is really into the standards music….I tried to choose a song when I was married that would be memorable for both of us and I had originally chosen “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)” but then I found out that my sister had always wanted that song for her own wedding….I went with of Frank Sinatra’s “All the way” (duet with Celine Dion) and my dad was extremely touched…it was most definitely our type of music and truly unforgettable! Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, etc. is what I grew up on and even my kids are learning to love it!

- Nicole on September 25th, 2007

You Can’t Take that Away from Me has always been a favorite! My grandfather used to sing it and it reminds me of him.

- Brooke on September 25th, 2007

“The Way You Look Tonight”…we danced to it at our wedding 5 years ago. I have always been a big Tony Bennett fan. He appeals to people from all age groups. And I LOVE his duets.

- Ang on September 25th, 2007

“They Can’t Take That Away From Me” is one of my favourites. I loved hearing it in Mr. Holland’s Opus. What a great movie… makes me cry every time and brings back lots of great memories of times with my family.

- Andrea on September 25th, 2007

I’ll have to go with “You’ll Never Get Away From Me” Because I love Gypsy

- Anastasia on September 25th, 2007

My favorite standard right now is “Embraceable You”. I’ve been singing it to my baby daughter since she was born, and it’s one of her favorites.

- Melissa C. on September 25th, 2007

I’m 36 years old and have always enjoyed listening to Tony Bennett sing, though most of my friends and family probably don’t know that b/c I don’t own many Tony Bennett albums. From this latest album, I would pick “It Had to be You.” A quartet played that song when my husband and I cut our cake at our wedding reception. The song also reminds me of great Autumns my husband and I spent in Quebec City and New York City.

- Tiffany S. on September 25th, 2007

I love Tony Bennett, and actually met him on Cape Cod (where I live) in 2001 and he was so nice and gracious to his fans.
I love Fly Me to the Moon and Youre all the World to Me. His music transcends generations and is timeless.

- MOM2boys on September 25th, 2007

When I was a little girl, my Dad traveled from Monday to Friday every week for his sales job. The only time I got to spend with him was on the weekends and especially Sunday morning. After church he would make us a big breakfast and then we would go in the living room where he would put a stack of Tony Bennett albums on the phonograph and we would read the paper together. Needless to say Tony Bennet is very special to me and my favorite hit is “It Had To Be You”.

- Steel Magnolia on September 25th, 2007

“Fly Me To The Moon”, and I have to admit, the Frank Sinatra version but I adore Tony Bennett too. Really anyone from that general era of tunes is high in my book and in my iTunes playlist.

- anamcara on September 25th, 2007

Hands downit has to be “I’ve got you under my skin” and no one does it better than Tony Bennett or Frank Sinatra. I never really appreciated my father’s far reaching and elclectic music choices I find more and more I prefer to listen to this type of music. Like you favorite pair of old jeans, it brings me confort to remember.

- Jennifer C. Donnelly on September 25th, 2007

I love “The way you look tonight” and Tony’s version is my favorite. I had the soundtrack from My Best Friend’s Wedding and used to play that song over and over and over again until my college roommate went crazy!

- Lindsey on September 25th, 2007

I have seen Tony in concert 3 times!!! The first time I saw him I was 15. He is amazing every time! One of my favorite songs is “Piano” because its such a catchy little number. I also love “Cold, Cold, Heart”. I can’t get enough of Tony!!!

- Kim on September 25th, 2007

“It Had To Be You.” Mellow and romantic!

- Mama Zen on September 25th, 2007