Bennett began singing at an early age. He fought in the final stages of World War II as a U.S. Army infantryman in the European Theater. Afterward, he developed his singing technique, signed with Columbia Records and had his first number-one popular song with "Because of You" in 1951. Several tracks such as "Rags to Riches" followed in early 1953. He then refined his approach to encompass jazz singing. He reached an artistic peak in the late 1950s with albums such as The Beat of My Heart and Basie Swings, Bennett Sings. In 1962, Bennett recorded his signature song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco". His career and personal life experienced an extended downturn during the height of the rock music era. Bennett staged a comeback in the late 1980s and 1990s, putting out gold record albums again and expanding his reach to the MTV generation while keeping his musical style intact.
Bennett continued to create popular and critically praised work into the 21st century. He attracted acclaim for his collaborations with Lady Gaga, which began with the album Cheek to Cheek (2014); the two performers toured together to promote the album throughout 2014 and 2015. With the release of the duo's second album, Love for Sale (2021), Bennett broke the individual record for the longest span of top-10 albums on the Billboard 200 chart for any living artist; his first top-10 record was I Left My Heart in San Francisco in 1962. Bennett also broke the Guinness World Record for the oldest person to release an album of new material, at the age of 95 years and 60 days.
Bennett has amassed numerous accolades throughout his career, including 19 Grammy Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards. He was named an NEA Jazz Master and a Kennedy Center Honoree. Bennett has sold over 50 million records worldwide.
In February 2021, it was revealed that Bennett was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016. Due to the slow progression of his illness, he continued to record, tour, and perform until his retirement from concert performances in August 2021 due to physical challenges.
Bennett died in New York City on Friday, July 21, 2023, at the age of 96. His death was announced by his publicist.
All of My Life
Tony Bennett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Someone I've needed so long
For once, unafraid I can go where life leads me
And somehow I know I'll be strong
For once I can touch what my heart used to dream of
Long before I knew
Someone warm like you would make my dream come true
Not like it's hurt me before
For once I have something I know won't desert me
I'm not alone anymore
For once I can say this is mine, you can't take it
Long as I know I have love, I can make it
For once in my life I have someone who needs me
For once I can say this is mine, you can't take it
As long as I know I have love, I can make it
For once in my life I have someone, someone who needs me
The lyrics to Tony Bennett's "For Once in My Life" express a deep sense of gratitude and hopefulness that comes with finding true love. The singer reveals that they have finally found someone who they have "needed so long," and this person has helped them feel unafraid to go wherever life may take them. This newfound sense of security and strength is particularly powerful for the singer, who has experienced hurt and sorrow in the past. With this new love, they won't let themselves be hurt like that again.
Furthermore, the singer places a lot of value on having something that is truly theirs, something that cannot be taken away. This love is so important that they know they can make it through anything as long as they have it. Overall, the lyrics express a sense of joy and relief at finally finding someone who loves and needs them, and the hope of a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
For once in my life I have someone who needs me
I finally have someone in my life who truly needs me.
Someone I've needed so long
I have been needing this person for a long time now.
For once, unafraid I can go where life leads me
Finally, I can face the difficulties of life without fear, and go in any direction that it takes me.
And somehow I know I'll be strong
I feel stronger than ever before.
For once I can touch what my heart used to dream of
I am finally able to experience the things that my heart has always dreamed of.
Long before I knew Someone warm like you would make my dream come true
Even before I met you, I had hoped that someone like you would come into my life and make my dreams come true.
For once in my life I won't let sorrow hurt me
I am now able to move past my sorrows and not let them continue to hurt me.
Not like it's hurt me before
This time, I won't let my sorrows hurt me like they have in the past.
For once I have something I know won't desert me
I finally have something in my life that I know won't abandon me.
I'm not alone anymore
I am no longer alone because I have someone who needs me.
For once I can say this is mine, you can't take it
I can finally take ownership of something without fear of it being taken away from me.
Long as I know I have love, I can make it
As long as I have the love of someone who needs me, I know I can make it through anything.
For once in my life I have someone who needs me
I finally have someone in my life who truly needs me.
For once I can say this is mine, you can't take it
I can finally take ownership of something without fear of it being taken away from me.
As long as I know I have love, I can make it
As long as I have the love of someone who needs me, I know I can make it through anything.
For once in my life I have someone, someone who needs me
I finally have someone in my life who truly needs me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ronald N. Miller, Orlando Murden
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind