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.
Mood Indigo
Tony Bennett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You ain't been blue
Till you've had that mood indigo
That feelin' goes stealin' down to my shoes
While I sit here and sigh, go 'long blues
Always get that mood indigo
Since my baby said goodbye
I'm so lonesome I could cry
'Cause there's nobody who cares about me
I'm just a soul that's bluer than blue can be
When I get that mood indigo
I could lay me down and die
Always get that mood indigo
Since my baby said goodbye
In the evenin', in the evenin' when the lights are low
I'm so lonesome I could cry
'Cause there's nobody who cares about me
I'm just a soul that's bluer than blue can be
When I get, when I get, when I get that mood indigo
I could lay me down and die
In "Mood Indigo," Tony Bennett speaks about experiencing the blues like never before after going through heartbreak. The opening lines of the song claim that the listener has not yet experienced true sorrow until they've had "that mood indigo." It's clear that Bennett is talking about a feeling that's not just mental, but also physical, as he describes it as going "stealin' down to my shoes." The words emphasize that the aching of heartbreak isn't just in one's mind, but it can be all-consuming.
Bennett sings about feeling lonely and abandoned since his love left him. The song's use of "mood indigo" is meant to capture the sense of heightened, otherworldly melancholy that comes with unexpected sadness. The singer wishes he could "lay me down and die" to escape the turmoil he feels inside.
Line by Line Meaning
You ain't been blue, no, no, no
You haven't truly experienced sadness, no, no, no
You ain't been blue
Till you've had that mood indigo
You haven't reached the depths of sadness until you’ve felt the effect of the blues
That feelin' goes stealin' down to my shoes
While I sit here and sigh, go 'long blues
This feeling of sadness spreads throughout me, affecting even my feet, and all that can be done is to sigh and let the blues take their course
Always get that mood indigo
Since my baby said goodbye
Ever since my loved one left, I am always in the mood for the blues
And in the evenin' when the lights are low
I'm so lonesome I could cry
In the evening, when it's quiet and dark, I feel so lonely that I could cry
'Cause there's nobody who cares about me
I'm just a soul that's bluer than blue can be
Because there is no one who cares about me, my sadness is profound and deeper than anyone else's
When I get that mood indigo
I could lay me down and die
When the mood indigo strikes me, I feel so low that I could simply give up and die
When I get, when I get, when I get that mood indigo
I could lay me down and die
When the mood indigo takes hold of me, I am so overcome with grief that it feels like dying would be a relief
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Barney Bigard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tasigae
You ain't been blue, no, no, no
You ain't been blue
Till you've had that mood indigo
That feelin' goes stealin' down to my shoes
While I sit here and sigh, go 'long blues
Always get that mood indigo
Since my baby said goodbye
And in the evenin' when the lights are low
I'm so lonesome I could cry
'Cause there's nobody who cares about me
I'm just a soul that's bluer than blue can be
When I get that mood indigo
I could lay me down and die
Always get that mood indigo
Since my baby said goodbye
In the evenin', in the evenin' when the lights are low
I'm so lonesome I could cry
'Cause there's nobody who cares about me
I'm just a soul that's bluer than blue can be
When I get, when I get, when I get that mood indigo
I could lay me down and die
Gxyz222
Unimaginable grace, Tony knows a thing or two about carrying the weight of a sad song.
And that band? Brilliant! Love them all!
Nick Riggio
great song and a great singer
Isabel Hoyos
Ohhh! So gorgeous!!! Mood Indigo ( one of my favorites blue colors!!!) I could go on listening this song on and on!!! It’s magnetic!!! ❤️❤️❤️👏💕🔝
KentuckyJet
Tony is the master-craftsman of song
Corbin James
My absolute favorite song......
Mike Pollock
No male singer can match the way Bennett sings. Classic.
R Campbell
Consider also a skinny kid from Hoboken.
Tasigae
You ain't been blue, no, no, no
You ain't been blue
Till you've had that mood indigo
That feelin' goes stealin' down to my shoes
While I sit here and sigh, go 'long blues
Always get that mood indigo
Since my baby said goodbye
And in the evenin' when the lights are low
I'm so lonesome I could cry
'Cause there's nobody who cares about me
I'm just a soul that's bluer than blue can be
When I get that mood indigo
I could lay me down and die
Always get that mood indigo
Since my baby said goodbye
In the evenin', in the evenin' when the lights are low
I'm so lonesome I could cry
'Cause there's nobody who cares about me
I'm just a soul that's bluer than blue can be
When I get, when I get, when I get that mood indigo
I could lay me down and die
MAUREEN E Donovan
I don't care how many great and wonderful singers cover this song, it still is, and will always be Miss Ella's. Hers is the benchmark by which we judge all others.
Philou doumba
Real Pleasure ..!