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.

Lover
Tony Bennett Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When you held your hand to my heart
Dear you did something grand to my heart
And we played the scene to perfection
Though we didn't have the time to rehearse

Since you took control of my life
You have become the whole of my life
When you are away it's awful

And when you are with me it's worse

Lover, when I'm near you
And I hear you speak my name
Softly in my ear and breathe a flame

Lover, when we're dancing
Keep on glancing in my eyes
Till love's only trancing music dies

All of my future is in you
You're every plan I design
Promise you'll always continue
To be mine

Lover, please be tender
When you're tender fears depart
Lover, I surrender to my heart

Well, I say that the devil is in you
And to resist you I try
But if you didn't continue
I would die

Lover, please be tender
When you're tender fears depart

Lover, I surrender to my heart
To my heart, lover

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tony Bennett's song “Lover” express the intense feelings of the singer towards the person he loves. The song starts with the singer explaining the impact his loved one has had on his life. Every touch from his lover makes a grand difference and every interaction is just perfect. He expresses his love by mentioning that his life has become a part of him and it is difficult to live without his lover around. The lyrics are a testament to the overwhelming emotions one feels when in love.

The second verse highlights the significance of the loved one by mentioning that his future plans are all tied to this person. The singer is completely invested in this relationship and urges his lover to always be with him in the future. The chorus of the song comes with intense passion, where the singer describes the feelings of being near his lover. Every time he hears his lover's voice or feels the touch of his lover, it's like a flame burning within him. The last verse shakes things up a bit by expressing the singer's fear of the intensity of his feelings for his lover. But he surrenders to his heart and acknowledges that life without his lover is not worth living.

Line by Line Meaning

When you held your hand to my heart
When you touched my heart with your hand

Dear you did something grand to my heart
You did something wonderful to my heart

And we played the scene to perfection
We executed the scenario flawlessly

Though we didn't have the time to rehearse
Despite having no time to practice

Since you took control of my life
You have taken over my life

You have become the whole of my life
You are my everything

When you are away it's awful
Being apart from you is dreadful

And when you are with me it's worse
Being with you intensifies my emotions

Lover, when I'm near you
When I am close to you, my love

And I hear you speak my name
And I hear you call my name

Softly in my ear and breathe a flame
Whispering in my ear with passion