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.
Silent Night
Tony Bennett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All is calm, all is bright,
Round yon virgin mother and child,
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace [Repeat: x2]
Silent night! holy night!
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing alleluia!
Christ the savior is born [Repeat: x2]
Silent night! holy night!
Son of god, love's pure light;
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, lord at thy birth [Repeat: x3]
The song "Silent Night" is a classic Christmas hymn that delivers a message of peace and hope. The initial verse portrays the tranquility of the night, as the mother and child rest in peace. The following verse emphasizes the grandeur of Jesus's birth, with the heavenly hosts singing "Alleluia!". The final verse goes deeper into the purpose of Jesus's coming, which is to bring love, redemption, and salvation for all who believe in him. This song is a reminder that in the midst of the chaos of the world, there is still hope for peace and salvation.
Line by Line Meaning
Silent night! holy night!
This is a peaceful, sacred night.
All is calm, all is bright,
Everything is tranquil and full of light.
Round yon virgin mother and child,
Mary and baby Jesus are nearby.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Jesus is a pure and gentle baby.
Sleep in heavenly peace [Repeat: x2]
Rest in the peaceful, divine calm of heaven.
Shepherds quake at the sight,
The shepherds are scared by what they see.
Glories stream from heaven afar,
There are magnificent things coming down from heaven.
Heavenly hosts sing alleluia!
The angels in heaven are singing praises.
Christ the savior is born [Repeat: x2]
Jesus, who will save us all, has been born.
Son of god, love's pure light;
Jesus is the divine son of God and represents pure love and light.
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
There is a shining brightness coming from Jesus' holy face.
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
The dawn brings the possibility of salvation and forgiveness.
Jesus, lord at thy birth [Repeat: x3]
Jesus was a powerful, divine ruler from the moment he was born.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Franz Xaver Gruber, Joseph Mohr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jay Ducharme
I purchased this album shortly before the blizzard of '78. I was trapped all alone during the holidays but the recording was able to kindle the spirit of Christmas in me. Your version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is still my favorite.
Danièlle Sossélla
Adoro músicas natalinas!!!!
Que delícia de vídeo!!!!
BateraLab
Thank you for setting the tone through the seasons, Tony fantastic! 👍🏻🎸🍊
Buffybear
This is such a beautiful album. Always reminds me of my childhood. My mother always played this album at Christmas time. She loved your music, and so do I.❤️
Miguel Ramos
Nice, I will play this song on Christmas Day.
Odilon da Silva Rocha
As to me, I never wait for December... I hear Christmas music almost all year long...
Odilon da Silva Rocha
uma carreira impar, que atravessou décadas, altos e baixos. Não meu cantor favorito (é o Pat Boone, mas tem tantos outros...) mas sem dúvida merece seu lugar na História da boa música.
Millie Elliott
OH WOW! I needed to hear Tony and this medley of Christmas songs right about now! Thank you Tony and wishing you a Merry Christmas!!
iñigo san juan pernar
Thanks Tony for bringing us hope and joy with this.
Eric González
Excellent music performed by the great Tony Bennett!!