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.
Fly Me to the Moon
Tony Bennett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To say a simple thing
It takes thought and time
And rhyme to make a poem sing
With music and words
I've been playing
For you, I have written a song
What I'm saying
I'll translate as I go along
Fly me to the moon
And let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like
On Jupiter and Mars
In other words, hold my hand
In other words (in other words), darling, kiss me
Fill my heart with song
And let me sing forevermore
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore
In other words (in other words), please be true
In other words, I love you
In Tony Bennett's song Fly Me To The Moon, he acknowledges the power of words and time needed to create a beautiful and meaningful poem. He then goes on to express his love for a person through music, using the universal symbol of the moon and stars to set the romantic scene. He wants to be taken on a journey to experience the beauty of other planets such as Jupiter and Mars with his loved one by his side. He further expresses his desire to have his loved one hold his hand and kiss him, filling his heart with song and singing forevermore. He declares that his loved one is all he longs for and worships, pleading for them to be true and confesses his love for them.
The lyrics of Fly Me To The Moon have been interpreted in various ways by listeners, some identifying the song as a romantic gesture towards a loved one, while others see the song as a reference to artist's appreciation for space and exploration.
Line by Line Meaning
Poets often use many words
Poets tend to use many words to convey simple things
To say a simple thing
In this pursuit, they end up over complicating things
It takes thought and time and rhyme
It requires multiple attempts and creative tools to make a poem successful
To make a poem sing
To give a poem life, one has to make it rhyming and rich in thought
With music and words I've been playing
Through the combination of music and carefully chosen words, I have been expressing my feelings
For you I have written a song
I've taken the time to create a song just for you
To be sure you know what I'm saying
I want to ensure that you understand the message behind my song
I'll translate as I go along
Throughout the song, I'll explain what I mean, so you won't miss my point
Fly me to the moon
Take me to the vast beauty of space
And let me play among the stars
Allow me to feel free amidst the twinkling lights of the galaxy
Let me see what spring is like
I want to observe the beauty of new life in different celestial bodies
On Jupiter and Mars
Specifically on two of the most interesting planets in our solar system
In other words
Said in simpler terms
Hold my hand
I want to feel your touch and guidance
In other words
This is what I'm really trying to say
Darlin' kiss me
I want you to show your love to me physically
Fill my heart with song
I want to experience the joy and passion that love can bring
And let me sing forevermore
Allow me to express my love through song for eternity
You are all I long for
You are the only one I desire and yearn for
All I worship and adore
You are the center of my world, and I cherish you deeply
In other words
This is what I'm really trying to express
Please be true
I value honesty and sincerity above all else
In other words
Simply stated
I love you
I have intense affection and feelings of devotion towards you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bart Howard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Isnard Ferreira de Carvalho
Me Leve Para a Lua
Me leve para a Lua
Me deixe brincar entre as estrelas
Me deixe ver como é a primavera
Em Júpiter e Marte
Em outras palavras
Segure minha mão
Em outras palavras
Amor, me beije
Encha meu coração com música
E me deixe cantar para sempre
Você é tudo que desejo
Tudo que eu venero e adoro
Em outras palavras
Por favor, seja sincera
Em outras palavras
Eu te amo
Encha meu coração com música
Me deixe cantar para sempre
Você é tudo que desejo
Tudo que eu venero e adoro
Em outras palavras
Por favor, seja sincera
Em outras palavras
Em outras palavras
Eu te amo
Raven
Rest in peace, Tony. One of the all-time greats. One of a kind.
Ann Pommer
✨🎶🎑🎶✨ Thank You ✨ Tony ❤
Steve Dougherty
It’s not just his voice. It’s the way he invites you into his world like a dear old friend.
T.S. T.
YES:)
T.S. T.
Mr. Bennett is an American treasure who will be sorely missed.
Keep singing and swinging in Heaven Dear Man.
728huey
RIP Tony Bennett. You flew us to the moon, and now you fly with the angels.😇🙏
Jack Spry
@728huey and he’s flying with the shooting stars as well.
J Hawk
So well stated! A voice so belongs with the angels. Mr. Bennett is and has been always a gentleman. A great man is what he wanted to be remembered of...And that's precisely what he was! A Great Man!!
Suzette Walker Becker
His voice will live on forever! Just listen to this with no microphone!!! Amazing voice
Mama Kotterkey
Boy, he was great. There will never be another artist like Tony Bennett.