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.

Love Letters
Tony Bennett Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The sky may be starless,
The night may be moonless.
But deep in my heart,
I know that you love me,
You love me, because you told me so.

Love letters straight from your heart
Keep us so near while we're apart.

I'm not alone in the night
When I can have all the love you write.

I memorize every line,
I kiss the name that you sign.
And darling, then I read again
Right from the start,
Love letters straight from your heart.

I memorize every line,
I kiss the name that you sign.
And darling, then I read again

Right from the start,
Love letters straight from your heart.

Overall Meaning

In Tony Bennett’s classic song, “Love Letters,” the singer poetically describes his feelings of devotion and affection for a person far away. The singer acknowledges that the sky may be starless and the night may be moonless, but deep in his heart, he knows that this person loves him because they told him so. This reassurance provides comfort to the singer, and he continues to reflect on the love letters that he receives from this person. These letters keep the couple close in spirit, even when they are physically apart. The singer reads and rereads the letters, memorizing every line and kissing the name that the person signs. The love letters serve as a physical reminder of the emotion that exists between the two people, allowing the singer to feel connected and loved.

The lyrics of “Love Letters” speak to the timeless theme of long-distance love, which humans have experienced for centuries. The song offers a poignant and romantic view of how written words can be used to foster emotional closeness between people who are physically separated. Many people can relate to the feeling of missing someone who is far away and finding solace in looking at objects or reading words that connect us to them, even if only for a moment. The song reminds us that love is a powerful force that can transcend physical distance and connect us to the people we care about most.

Line by Line Meaning

The sky may be starless,
Even if there is darkness all around me,

The night may be moonless.
Even if the night is devoid of any light,

But deep in my heart,
Within my heart of hearts

I know that you love me,
I am confident that you love me,

You love me because you told me so.
Because you have explicitly expressed your love for me.

Love letters straight from your heart
The letters of love that come straight from your heart

Keep us so near while we're apart.
Bring us emotionally close even in our physical separation.

I'm not alone in the night
I don't feel lonely in the night,

When I can have all the love you write.
Because I can feel all the love that you have put in writing.

I memorize every line,
I remember each and every word,

I kiss the name that you sign.
I even kiss the name you put at the end of the letters,