Anthony Dominick Benedetto, known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an Ame… Read Full Bio ↴Anthony Dominick Benedetto, known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes and jazz. He is also a painter, having created works under his birth name that are on permanent public display in several institutions. He is the founder of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens, New York.

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.

Let The Good Times Roll
Tony Bennett Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hey, everybody, let's have some fun
You only live but once
And when you're dead you're done, so

Let the good times roll, let the good times roll
Don't care if you're young or old
Get together, let the good times roll

Don't sit there mumblin', talkin' trash
If you want to have a ball
You gotta go out and spend some cash, and
Let the good times roll, let the good times roll
I don't care if you're young or old
Get together and let the good times roll

Hey Mr. Landlord, lock all the doors
When the police come around
Just tell 'em that the joint is closed
And let the good times roll, let the good times roll
Don't care if you're young or old
Get together, let the good times roll

Hey y'all tell everybody
Bb's in town
I got a dollar and a quarter
I'm just rarin' to clown
And don't let nobody play him cheap
I got fifty cents more that I'm gonna keep, so

Let the good times roll, let the good times roll
I don't care if you're young or old
Get together, let the good times roll

No matter whether it's rainy weather
Birds of a feather gotta stick together
So get yourself under control
Get out and get together and let the good times roll

No, I don't care if you're young or old
Get together, let the good times roll

Overall Meaning

Tony Bennett's "Let the Good Times Roll" is an upbeat and playful song that encourages listeners to live life to the fullest. The first verse sets the tone for the song, telling us that we only live once and when we're gone, we're gone for good. The chorus then repeats the phrase "let the good times roll" as an invitation to take advantage of the present moment and enjoy life.

The second verse urges listeners to get up and go out to have fun, instead of staying home complaining. It suggests that spending money is sometimes necessary to have a good time. The third verse takes a different approach and tells us to disregard authority by encouraging the locking of doors and lying to the police to avoid ending a good time prematurely. The song then references "Mr. King," likely referring to the famous blues musician B.B. King, and how the singer plans to spend his evening with friends. In the final verse, Bennett suggests that people should stick together and enjoy each other's company regardless of circumstances.

Overall, this song is a light-hearted and energetic anthem to enjoying life with friends and having a good time, while not worrying about the consequences.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey, everybody, let's have some fun
Let's enjoy ourselves and have a good time

You only live but once
Life is short and we should make the most of it

And when you're dead you're done, so
There is no more life after death so we should enjoy it while we can

Let the good times roll, let the good times roll
Let's have a great time together

I don't care if you're young or old
Age doesn't matter, we can all have fun

Get together, let the good times roll
Let's come together and enjoy the moment

Don't sit there mumblin', talkin' trash
Don't waste time complaining or being negative

If you want to have a ball
If you want to have a good time

You gotta go out and spend some cash, and
You may have to spend money to have a good time

Hey Mr. landlord, lock up all the doors
Close the doors and have a private party

When the police comes around
If the police come