| "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Picture sleeve for early-1960s US single; the other US picture sleeve contains a photo of Tony Bennett | ||||
| Single byTony Bennett | ||||
| from the albumI Left My Heart in San Francisco | ||||
| A-side | "Once Upon a Time" | |||
| Released | February 2, 1962 | |||
| Recorded | January 23, 1962 | |||
| Studio | CBS 30th Street Studio,New York City[1] | |||
| Genre | Traditional pop | |||
| Length | 2:52 | |||
| Label | Columbia 42332 | |||
| Composer | George Cory | |||
| Lyricist | Douglass Cross | |||
| Producer | Ernie Altschuler | |||
| Tony Bennett singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"I Left My Heart in San Francisco" is apopular song, best known as thesignature song ofTony Bennett. It was written in late-1953 inBrooklyn, New York, with music byGeorge Cory (1920–1978) and lyrics by Douglass Cross (1920–1975).[2]
In 1962, the song was released as a single by Bennett onColumbia Records as theb-side to "Once Upon a Time", which peaked at No. 19 on the U.S.Billboard Hot 100. The song was also included on the albumI Left My Heart in San Francisco. It reached number seven on the Easy Listening chart.[3] The song is one of the official anthems for the city ofSan Francisco. In 2018, it was selected for preservation in theNational Recording Registry by theLibrary of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[4]
The music was written byGeorge Cory, with lyrics by Douglass Cross, about two amateur writers nostalgic for San Francisco after moving to New York.[5] It references theSan Francisco cable car system and theSan Francisco fog.
Although the song was originally written forClaramae Turner, who often used it as an encore, she never got around to recording it (although a recording of her singing it live on a broadcast does exist).[6] The song found its way toTony Bennett throughRalph Sharon, Bennett's longtimeaccompanist and friends with the composers. Sharon brought the music along when he and Bennett were on tour and on their way toSan Francisco'sFairmont Hotel.[7]
Before Tony Bennett heard it, the song was pitched toTennessee Ernie Ford, whom Claramae Turner suggested Cross take it to. Ford turned the song down.
In December 1961, in the famous Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, Tony Bennett first sang "I Left My Heart in San Francisco".[8] In the audience that night were San Francisco mayorGeorge Christopher and future mayorJoseph L. Alioto. From the 1960s through the 1980s, Bennett always sang the song at his appearances at the Venetian Room.
Bennett first recorded the song at theCBS 30th Street Studio on January 23, 1962; CBS released it as theb-side of "Once Upon A Time"/ TheA-side received no attention, and DJs began flipping the record over and playing "San Francisco".[9] It became a hit on the pop singles chart in1962 and spent close to a year on various other charts, achievinggold record status. It then won the top prize ofGrammy Award for Record of the Year, as well as forBest Male Solo Vocal Performance. In 1994, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[10]
In 2001, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" was ranked 23rd on anRIAA/NEA list of the most historically significantSongs of the 20th Century.
It was often performed in public by Bennett in concert as well as on special occasions. A statue of Tony Bennett was unveiled outside theFairmont Hotel on 19 August 2016, in honor of his 90th birthday, the hotel performance, and the song's history with San Francisco.[11] Two years later, the block of Mason Street was renamed Tony Bennett Way.[12]
TheSongwriters Hall of Fame gave Bennett the Towering Performance Award for his vocal rendition of the song.[13]
Rhythm and blues singerBobby Womack released a version onMinit Records which peaked at No. 48 on theBillboard R&B chart in 1969.[14]
On May 15, 1984, the song was adopted by theCity and County of San Francisco as one of its two official anthems, the other being thetitle song from the 1936 filmSan Francisco.
A slower-paced piano only version of the song appears as the intro theme to the Canadian television showTrailer Park Boys.
TheSan Francisco Giants play the song after each victory at their home field,Oracle Park.[15] Bennett has performed the song live at multiple Giants games, including the 1993 home opener atCandlestick Park[16] and before games in the2002 and2010 World Series.[17][18]
At noon (PDT) on Saturday, April 25, 2020, in the midst of theCOVID-19 pandemic and theshelter-in-place orders for people across the United States, San Francisco residents sang "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in unison from their residences and other places of sheltering as a tribute to the spirit of the city and its fight to keep the virus in check. Tony Bennett led the sing-along.[19][20]
