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.
You're Nearer
Tony Bennett Lyrics
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Nearer than the wind is to the willow
Dearer than the rain is to the earth below
Precious as the sun to the things that grow
You're nearer than the ivy to the the wall is
Nearer than the winter to the fall is
Leave me but when you're away
You're nearer for I love you so
In Tony Bennett's song You're Nearer, the lyrics highlight the immense love the singer has for someone, and how close they seem to him. The lines "You're nearer than my head is to my pillow" and "Nearer than the wind is to the willow" emphasize the profound closeness and connection the singer feels towards the person he loves. It is almost as if the person is a part of him and he cannot escape their presence. The lines "Dearer than the rain is to the earth below" and "Precious as the sun to the things that grow" evoke the idea that this love is essential and necessary for the singer's well-being and growth.
Furthermore, the lyrics in the second verse echo the same sentiment, with "You're nearer than the ivy to the wall is" and "Nearer than the winter to the fall is" illustrating just how inseparable this love is to the singer. The last line "You're nearer for I love you so" emphasizes that it is the enormity of the singer's love that creates this closeness, and that even if the person is physically away, their presence is still felt.
Overall, this song speaks to the infinite and immeasurable depth of love and how it can create an unmatched intimacy and proximity between two people.
Line by Line Meaning
You're nearer than my head is to my pillow
You are incredibly close to me, much closer than the thing I lay my head on every night when I sleep
Nearer than the wind is to the willow
Your proximity to me is even closer than how close the wind blows against a nearby willow tree
Dearer than the rain is to the earth below
You mean a lot more to me than how much rain provides nourishment to the ground beneath us
Precious as the sun to the things that grow
You are as invaluable to me as how vital the sun is to the survival and growth of all living things
You're nearer than the ivy to the the wall is
You are closer to me than how intimately ivy is bound to a wall
Nearer than the winter to the fall is
Your closeness to me is even closer than how winter follows closely after fall
Leave me but when you're away
Even if you go away from me or leave me, I still feel your presence because of how close you are to me
You'll know you're nearer for I love you so
The depth of my love for you will make you realize how near you are to me despite the physical distance, time or space
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LORENZ HART, RICHARD RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
noahvale939
Wonderful. The alternate take includes the verse.