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.
I am
Tony Bennett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just a man, only one man
I am in the eyes of the world
Just a dot, not a lot
But when I walk with you
My soul starts every star
Cause I, I am the world
In the eyes of my love
Yes, I may be small
In the eyes of the world
But I am so tall
In the eyes of my love
But when I walk with you
My soul starts every star
Cause I, I am the world
And Heaven above
In the eyes of my love
Yes, I may be small
In the eyes of the world
But I am so tall
In the eyes of my love
In "I Am", Tony Bennett sings about the contrast between how he is seen by the world and how he is perceived by the person he loves. To the world, he is just one man, insignificant and small. However, in his lover's eyes, he is everything. When he's with them, his soul starts every star - this shows the transformative power of love. In the eyes of his love, he feels tall and mighty, as if he can conquer anything.
The lyrics of "I Am" can be interpreted as a love poem that expresses the feelings of someone who is deeply in love. At the same time, the song can also be read as a reflection on the universal human need to be seen and validated. The singer embodies a feeling that many of us can relate to - the sense that in our daily lives, we may feel small and insignificant. Despite this, the message of the song is that our worth and significance should not be determined by others, but by the value we hold in the eyes of those who love us.
Line by Line Meaning
I am in the eyes of the world
I am perceived by the world
Just a man, only one man
My existence is just that of one individual
Just a dot, not a lot
I am small and insignificant
But when I walk with you
Being with you
My soul starts every star
Gives me a sense of grandeur
Cause I, I am the world
I am everything
And Heaven above
Even more than everything on this planet
In the eyes of my love
To the person I love
Yes, I may be small
I may seem unimportant
But I am so tall
But to the one I love, I am everything
In the eyes of my love
From the perspective of someone who loves me
But when I walk with you
When I am with you
My soul starts every star
I feel immense joy and excitement
Cause I, I am the world
Feels like being the center of the universe
And Heaven above
And everything that is heavenly
In the eyes of my love
As seen by the person I hold dear
Contributed by Lila N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
lateforbreakfast
This song gives Tony Bennett the opportunity to show his powerful voice off to perfection.. I had not heard it before but I certaily like it.
sanfor aracena
ESTA CANCIÓN ME HACE RETROCEDER A MIS DÍAS DE ADOLESCENCIA,CUANDO ME SENTABA AL LADO DE MI RADIO ''PHILIPS'' A ESCUCHAR LAS HERMOSAS MELODÍAS DE ESA ÉPOCA.-
Gerardo Vega
Una de las mejores canciones del Tony Bennett
Nick Riggio
Nick Riggio
1 second ago
Tony sings on Facebook at: Friends of Tony Bennett
David Walsh
Simply great music by one of the greatest performers ever.
David Chernofsky
what a great song
David Dingledy
Another fantastic job, Tony! I'm surprised it was on the other side of "In the Middle of an Island", which I remember well from my Gr. 7 year (1957). This one certainly should have gotten equal billing.
David Walsh
How this was a b side is just ridiculous. It's just one classy performance.
Nick Riggio
Nick Riggio
1 second ago
Tony sings on Facebook at: Friends of Tony Bennett
Carol Sword
The Playmates also sang this song. It's on the other side of "What Is Love?" I'm surprised it wasn't a hit, too. I love the words and the music!