Duets: An American Classic

Last updated
Duets: An American Classic
Duetsanamericanclassic.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 26, 2006 (2006-09-26)
RecordedFebruary – June 2006
StudioBennett Studios, Abbey Road Studios, Capitol Studios, Studio at the Palms
Genre Traditional pop
Length65:56
Label Columbia
Producer Phil Ramone
Tony Bennett chronology
The Art of Romance
(2004)
Duets: An American Classic
(2006)
A Swingin' Christmas
(2008)
Singles from Duets: An American Classic
  1. "Just in Time"
    Released: September 2006
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [2]

Duets: An American Classic is a studio album by Tony Bennett, released in 2006 via Columbia label. [3]

Contents

Background

The album was released in conjunction with Bennett's 80th birthday the previous month. The songs selected were mostly ones that Bennett had played a major role in introducing into the Great American Songbook.

Unlike some other celebrity duets efforts where performances were recorded separately and then combined by producers, such as Frank Sinatra's 1993 Duets , Bennett was physically present with each of his partners during recording. The vocals were performed live as the band was playing.

Charts

The album debuted at number 3 on The Billboard 200, selling around 202,000 copies in its first week. [4] It spent five consecutive weeks in the top 10 and was certified Gold in less than four weeks. It also reached number one in Canada. The sequel album, Duets II , was released in 2011 in conjunction with Bennett's 85th birthday.

Grammy Awards

The album won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 2007 Grammy Awards. Bennett's duet with Stevie Wonder, "For Once in My Life", also won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Duet partnerLength
1."Lullaby of Broadway" Al Dubin, Harry Warren Dixie Chicks 3:03
2."Smile" Charles Chaplin, John Turner, Geoff Parsons Barbra Streisand 4:41
3."Put On a Happy Face" Charles Strouse, Lee Adams James Taylor 3:15
4."The Very Thought of You" Ray Noble Paul McCartney 4:01
5."The Shadow of Your Smile" Johnny Mandel, Paul Francis Webster Juanes 4:34
6."Rags to Riches" Richard Adler, Jerry Ross Elton John 2:40
7."The Good Life" Sacha Distel, Jack Reardon Billy Joel 3:20
8."Cold, Cold Heart" Hank Williams Tim McGraw 3:17
9."If I Ruled the World" Leslie Bricusse, Cyril Ornadel Celine Dion 2:56
10."The Best Is Yet to Come" Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh Diana Krall 3:39
11."For Once in My Life" Ron Miller, Orlando Murden Stevie Wonder 3:24
12."Are You Havin' Any Fun?" Sammy Fain, Jack Yellen Elvis Costello 2:45
13."Because of You" Arthur Hammerstein, Dudley Wilkinson k.d. lang 4:04
14."Just in Time" Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Jule Styne Michael Bublé 2:17
15."The Boulevard of Broken Dreams"Dubin, Warren Sting 3:23
16."I Wanna Be Around" Johnny Mercer, Sadie Vimmerstedt Bono 3:01
17."Sing, You Sinners" Sam Coslow, W. Franke Harling John Legend 2:18
18."I Left My Heart in San Francisco"George Cory, Douglass Cross 3:55
19."How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand George Michael 5:23
Total length:65:56
Target bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Duet partnerLength
20."I've Got the World on a String" Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler Diana Krall  
21."Steppin' Out With My Baby" Irving Berlin Michael Bublé  
22."I Left My Heart in San Francisco"Georgy Cory, Douglass Cross Judy Garland  
23."The Lady Is a Tramp" Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers Frank Sinatra  
Australian bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Duet partnerLength
20."Steppin' Out With My Baby" Irving Berlin Delta Goodrem  
Singapore bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Duet partnerLength
20."If I Ruled the World" Leslie Bricusse, Cyril Ornadel Leehom Wang  

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [19] Gold35,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [20] 2× Platinum200,000^
Ireland (IRMA) [21] Gold7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI) [22] Gold100,000^
United States (RIAA) [23] 2× Platinum1,500,000 [24]
Summaries
Worldwide3,000,000 [25]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>No More Tears</i> 1991 studio album by Ozzy Osbourne

No More Tears is the sixth studio album by English heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. Released on 17 September 1991, the album charted at number 17 on the UK Albums Chart and number seven on the US Billboard 200 albums chart. No More Tears spawned four singles which reached the top ten of the US Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, including the number two "Mama, I'm Coming Home", and the Grammy-winning track "I Don't Want to Change the World". Along with 1980's Blizzard of Ozz it is one of Osbourne's two best-selling solo albums in North America, having been certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA and double platinum by CRIA. It was Osbourne's final album to feature drummer Randy Castillo and longtime bassist and songwriter Bob Daisley.

<i>Genius Loves Company</i> 2004 studio album by Ray Charles

Genius Loves Company is the final studio album by rhythm and blues and soul musician Ray Charles, posthumously released August 31, 2004, on Concord Records. Recording sessions for the album took place between June 2003 and March 2004. The album consists of rhythm and blues, soul, country, blues, jazz and pop standards performed by Charles and several guest musicians, such as Natalie Cole, Elton John, James Taylor, Norah Jones, B.B. King, Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, Van Morrison, Willie Nelson and Bonnie Raitt. Genius Loves Company was the last album recorded and completed by Charles before his death in June 2004.

<i>Whitney: The Greatest Hits</i> 2000 compilation album by Whitney Houston

Whitney: The Greatest Hits is a compilation album by American singer Whitney Houston, released in May 2000. The set consists of disc one with ballads and disc two with uptempo numbers and remixes, spanning the first 15 years of Houston's music career. Houston's performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV, and 1988 Olympics tribute "One Moment in Time" are also included in the set. The collection includes four new songs—"Could I Have This Kiss Forever", duet with Enrique Iglesias, "If I Told You That", duet with George Michael, "Same Script, Different Cast", duet with Deborah Cox and "Fine"—all of which were released as singles. It also includes three other songs that had never appeared on a Houston album: "One Moment in Time", "The Star Spangled Banner", and "If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful", a duet with Jermaine Jackson from his 1986 Precious Moments album. Along with the album, an accompanying VHS and DVD was released featuring the music videos to Houston's greatest hits, as well as several hard-to-find live performances including her 1983 debut on The Merv Griffin Show, and interviews.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Bennett discography</span>

The discography of American traditional pop and jazz singer Tony Bennett consists of 61 studio albums, 11 live albums, 33 compilation albums, three video albums, one extended play and 83 singles.

<i>These Are Special Times</i> 1998 studio album by Celine Dion

These Are Special Times is the seventeenth studio album by Canadian singer Celine Dion, and her first English-language Christmas album. It was first released in Europe on 30 October 1998, by Columbia Records. In the United States, it was released on 3 November 1998 through Epic Records. The album features cover versions of popular Christmas songs and original material, including "I'm Your Angel" and "The Prayer". Dion worked with David Foster and Ric Wake, who produced most of the album. These Are Special Times was released after two of Dion's most successful albums, Falling into You (1996) and Let's Talk About Love (1997).

<i>We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions</i> 2006 studio album by Bruce Springsteen

We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions is the fourteenth studio album by Bruce Springsteen. Released in 2006, it peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album at the 49th Grammy Awards.

<i>Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III</i> 2004 studio album by Rod Stewart

Stardust... the Great American Songbook, Volume III is the third studio album of pop standards by British musician Rod Stewart, released on 19 October 2004 by J Records, and his 22nd album overall. The album was dedicated to the Tartan Army.

<i>Brand New Day</i> (Sting album) 1999 studio album by Sting

Brand New Day is the sixth solo studio album by English musician Sting, released by A&M Records on 27 September 1999. Promoted heavily by the success of the album's second single, "Desert Rose", the album peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 and sold over 3.5 million copies in the United States. Upon its release, Brand New Day was a critical and commercial success, and hailed as commercial comeback for Sting.

<i>Tropico</i> (Pat Benatar album) 1984 studio album by Pat Benatar

Tropico is the fifth studio album by American rock singer Pat Benatar, released on November 1, 1984, by Chrysalis Records. It is the first album to feature bassist Donnie Nossov, who replaced Roger Capps in Benatar's band.

<i>A Wonderful World</i> (Tony Bennett and k.d. lang album) 2002 studio album by Tony Bennett and k.d. lang

A Wonderful World is an album by Tony Bennett and k.d. lang released in 2002.

<i>Call Me Irresponsible</i> (album) 2007 studio album by Michael Bublé

Call Me Irresponsible is the fifth studio album by Canadian singer Michael Bublé. Released on May 1, 2007 via 143 and Reprise Records, it was produced by David Foster, Humberto Gatica, and Bob Rock. The album features renditions of classic traditional pop songs, including the title track "Call Me Irresponsible", "'Always on My Mind", and "Comin' Home Baby" featuring Boyz II Men. Two original tracks were written for the album, "Everything" and "Lost", both of which were co-written by Bublé.

<i>Back to Broadway</i> 1993 studio album by Barbra Streisand

Back to Broadway is the twenty-sixth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand, released in 1993. The album was Streisand's second collection of songs from Broadway musicals, after 1985's The Broadway Album. It debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and gave her the title of "only female artist to have a number one album in four different decades." The album sold 189,000 copies in the first week, and has been certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA, her fifth album to do so. The album was another smash hit for Streisand, also reaching the top 10 in Canada, the UK and Australia.

<i>The Day</i> (Babyface album) 1996 studio album by Babyface

The Day is the fourth studio album by American R&B singer Babyface. It was released by Epic Records on October 22, 1996, in the United States. The album peaked at number 6 on the US Billboard 200 and number 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, also reaching the top ten on the Dutch Albums Chart. The Day was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and received Grammy Award nominations for Album of the Year and Best R&B Album respectively.

<i>Higher Ground</i> (Barbra Streisand album) 1997 studio album by Barbra Streisand

Higher Ground is the twenty-seventh studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand, her first in four years. The album was inspired by and dedicated to Virginia Clinton Kelley. It was released in North America on November 11, 1997, and a day earlier in Europe.

<i>Duets II</i> (Tony Bennett album) 2011 studio album by Tony Bennett

Duets II is an album by Tony Bennett, released on September 20, 2011. It was released in conjunction with Bennett's 85th birthday and is a sequel to his previous duet album, Duets: An American Classic. "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" was released on iTunes as a free download on August 2, 2011.

<i>Cheek to Cheek</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga

Cheek to Cheek is the first collaborative album by American singers Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, released on September 19, 2014, by Columbia and Interscope Records. It is Bennett's fifty-eighth studio album, and Gaga's fourth. The two first met at the Robin Hood Foundation gala in New York City in 2011, and later recorded a rendition of "The Lady Is a Tramp" together, after which they began discussing plans of working on a jazz project. Cheek to Cheek consists of jazz standards by popular composers such as George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, and Irving Berlin. It was inspired by Bennett and Gaga's desire to introduce the songs to a younger generation, since they believed these tracks have a universal appeal.

<i>Partners</i> (Barbra Streisand album) 2014 studio album by Barbra Streisand

Partners is the thirty-fourth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand, released on September 16, 2014, by Columbia Records. The album features Streisand singing duets with an all-male lineup including Stevie Wonder, Michael Bublé, Billy Joel, John Legend, John Mayer, Andrea Bocelli, Lionel Richie, and from an earlier recording, Elvis Presley. The collection also features Streisand's first studio-recorded duet with her now 47-year-old son, Jason Gould. The album release was promoted on The Tonight Show, where Streisand was the evening's sole guest and sang a medley with host Jimmy Fallon.

<i>Cinema</i> (Andrea Bocelli album) 2015 studio album by Andrea Bocelli

Cinema is the fifteenth studio album by Italian classical tenor recording artist Andrea Bocelli. The album, featuring renditions of classic film soundtracks and scores, was released on 23 October 2015 through Sugar Music and Universal Music Group. A Spanish-language version of the album was also released and has been nominated Album of the Year at the 17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards. Cinema received a nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards held in February 2017.

<i>Love Is Here to Stay</i> (album) 2018 studio album by Tony Bennett and Diana Krall

Love Is Here to Stay is a collaborative studio album by American singer Tony Bennett and Canadian singer and pianist Diana Krall. It was released on September 14, 2018, by Verve Records and Columbia Records. The album features the New York–based jazz group the Bill Charlap Trio. An exclusive CD edition containing two bonus tracks was released at Target, while a red-colored opaque vinyl of the album was made available exclusively through Barnes & Noble.

<i>Love for Sale</i> (Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga album) 2021 album by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga

Love for Sale is the second collaborative album by American singers Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, released on September 30, 2021, by Columbia and Interscope Records. It is the sixty-first and final studio album of Bennett's career, and Gaga's seventh. Following Cheek to Cheek (2014), the duo's first collaborative album, Love for Sale was recorded between 2018 and early 2020, consisting of their renditions of various jazz standards by American composer Cole Porter, to whom the record is a tribute.

References

  1. Duets: An American Classic at AllMusic
  2. Rolling Stone
  3. Tony Bennett.com
  4. Caulfield, Keith (September 28, 2011). "Tony Bennett, 85, Achieves First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  5. "Australiancharts.com – Tony Bennett – Duets – An American Classic". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  6. "Ultratop.be – Tony Bennett – Duets – An American Classic" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  7. "Tony Bennett Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  8. "Dutchcharts.nl – Tony Bennett – Duets – An American Classic" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  9. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Tony Bennett". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  10. "Italiancharts.com – Tony Bennett – Duets – An American Classic". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  11. "Charts.nz – Tony Bennett – Duets – An American Classic". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  12. "Portuguesecharts.com – Tony Bennett – Duets – An American Classic". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  13. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  14. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  15. "Tony Bennett Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  16. "2006 UK Albums Chart" (PDF). ChartsPlus. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  17. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  18. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  19. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2006 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  20. "Canadian album certifications – Tony Bennett – Duets". Music Canada . Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  21. "The Irish Charts - 2006 Certification Awards - Gold". Irish Recorded Music Association . Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  22. "British album certifications – Tony Bennett – Duets". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  23. "American album certifications – Tony Bennett – Duets". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  24. Rosen, Craig (February 11, 2012). "Keeping Score". Billboard. p. 27.
  25. Graff, Gary (September 12, 2011). "Q&A: Tony Bennett Talks 'Duets II'". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.