Once again, Mr. Tony Bennett.

Artist Tony Bennett
Year 1953
Album Ultimate Tony
US 1
RateYourMusic.com 3.40/5 | 1953: 41
My Rating 8.31/10

There’s no question whose version I’d choose for this classic. Tony Bennett recorded this the year it was written, and he brought it to number one on Billboard 58 years ago. I can’t be sure if the recording here is the original, but it’s clearly from his younger days.

It’s a fantastic song, and, while other artists have covered it (most famously Elvis), Tony has recorded so many covers up himself that there’s something new in each version.

I can’t find which album Rags to Riches first appeared on. It doesn’t seem like Bennett’s old albums are in current release, anyway, which is a shame, since the “greatest” and “ultimate” releases will only select from a few dozens songs, not that I’ve even gone through all of what has been released yet. I know some Tony Bennett recordings will fall into my “I missed that one” bin.

Here’s a senior Tony Bennett performing with Elton John:

And, just as a bonus, here’s a hilarious Saturday Night Live skit from 2007 with Alec Baldwin as Tony Bennett and Tony Bennett as Anthony Benedetto.