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.
Gone With the Wind
Tony Bennett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just like a leaf that has blown away.
Gone with the wind,
My romance has flown away.
Yesterday's kisses
Are still on my lips,
I found a lifetime of heaven
At my fingertips.
But now all is gone,
Gone is the rapture that filled my heart.
Gone with the wind,
The gladness that stilled my heart.
Just like a flame,
Love burned brightly then became
An empty smoke dream
That is gone, gone with the wind!
Now all is gone,
Gone is the rapture that filled my heart.
Gone with the wind,
The gladness that stilled my heart.
Just like a flame,
Love burned brightly then became
An empty smoke dream
That is gone, gone with the wind!
Adios, goodbye, she's gone!
The song "Gone with the Wind" by Tony Bennett is a classic track that talks about the end of a romance. The song starts by comparing the singer's lover to a leaf that has blown away with the wind, signifying the suddenness and abruptness of the separation. The next line talks about how the romance has flown away like a leaf, furthering the sadness and helplessness that the singer feels. The lyrics then talk about how all the good times they spent with each other, including yesterday's kisses, are still fresh in their memory, implying that the separation is recent and the singer is not yet over the heartbreak. They also talk about how they found heaven in their lover's touch, highlighting the depth of their love.
However, the next lines talk about how all that is gone now. The rapture that filled their heart is nowhere to be found, and the gladness that stilled their heart is replaced with an emptiness that only love can fill. The song then likens love to a flame that burned brightly but ultimately became only an empty smoke dream, hinting at the fleeting nature of romance. The song ends on a bittersweet note with the singer saying goodbye to their lover and acknowledging that they are gone.
Overall, "Gone with the Wind" is a poignant song that captures the pain and sadness of a lost love. The lyrics beautifully convey the emotions that come with heartbreak and the longing for a love that is no longer there.
Line by Line Meaning
Gone with the wind,
My love has ended and disappeared, like a leaf blown away by the wind.
Just like a leaf that has blown away.
My love vanished suddenly, just like a leaf that's carried away by the wind.
Gone with the wind,
My love is gone, flown away and vanished into the distance.
My romance has flown away.
The love and passion I shared with my partner is no more, it has disappeared.
Yesterday's kisses
Memories of my past love.
Are still on my lips,
The feeling of those memories is still present within me.
I found a lifetime of heaven
At one point in time, I experienced immense happiness and joy in my relationship.
At my fingertips.
These moments of joy and happiness were once so easily accessible to me, but now they are gone.
But now all is gone,
Everything that was once present, including my love and happiness, has vanished.
Gone is the rapture that filled my heart.
The intense feelings of joy and excitement that I once felt are no longer present.
Gone with the wind,
My love has disappeared into the distance, just like the wind.
The gladness that stilled my heart.
The happiness and contentment that once brought calmness to my heart have vanished.
Just like a flame,
My love burned brightly and passionately at one point.
Love burned brightly then became
But it eventually died down, leaving only memories behind.
An empty smoke dream
My love and relationship now feel like an empty and intangible illusion.
That is gone, gone with the wind!
All the love and passion that once existed in my relationship has disappeared, just like the wind.
Adios, goodbye, she's gone!
My partner has said goodbye forever, and is now gone.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Herbert Magidson, Allie Wrubel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind