I Left My Heart in San Francisco (Song)

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“I Left My Heart in San Francisco” is a popular song, written in late 1953 in Brooklyn, New York, with music by George Cory (1920–1978) and lyrics by Douglass Cross (1920–1975) and best known as the signature song of Tony Bennett.

In 1962, the song was released as a single by Bennett on Columbia Records as the b-side to “Once Upon a Time“, peaked at No. 19 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and was also included on the album I Left My Heart in San Francisco. It also reached number seven on the Easy Listening chart.The song is one of the official anthems for the city of San Francisco. In 2018, it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or artistically significant”.

Background

The music was written by George Cory, with lyrics by Douglass Cross, about two amateur writers nostalgic for San Francisco after moving to New York. It references the San Francisco cable car system and the San Francisco fog.

Although the song was originally written for Claramae Turner, who often used it as an encore, she never got around to recording it.

The song found its way to Tony Bennett through Ralph Sharon, Bennett’s longtime accompanist and friends with the composers. Sharon brought the music along when he and Bennett were on tour and on their way to San Francisco‘s Fairmont Hotel.

Before Tony Bennett heard it, the song was pitched to Tennessee 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”. In the audience that night were San Francisco mayor George Christopher and future mayor Joseph L. Alioto. From the 1960s through the 1980s, Bennett always sang the song at his appearances at the Venetian Room.

Recording history

Bennett first recorded the song at the CBS 30th Street Studio on January 23, 1962; CBS released it as the b-side of “Once Upon A Time.” The A-side received no attention, and DJs began flipping the record over and playing “San Francisco”. It became a hit on the pop singles chart in 1962 and spent close to a year on various other charts, achieving gold record status. It then won the top prize of Grammy Award for Record of the Year, as well as for Best Male Solo Vocal Performance.

Legacy

In 2001 “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was ranked 23rd on an RIAA/NEA list of the most historically significant Songs 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 the Fairmont Hotel on 19 August 2016, in honor of his 90th birthday, the hotel performance, and the song’s history with San Francisco. Two years later, the block of Mason Street was renamed Tony Bennett Way.

The Songwriters Hall of Fame gave Bennett the Towering Performance Award for his vocal rendition of the song.

Rhythm and blues singer Bobby Womack released a version on Minit Records which peaked at No. 48 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1969.

On May 15, 1984, the song was adopted by the City and County of San Francisco as one of its two official anthems, the other being the title song from the 1936 film San Francisco.

A slower-paced piano only version of the song appears as the intro theme to the Canadian television show Trailer Park Boys.

The San Francisco Giants play the song after each victory at their home field, Oracle Park.

Bennett has performed the song live at multiple Giants games, including the 1993 home opener at Candlestick Park and before games in the 2002 and 2010 World Series.

At noon (PDT) on Saturday, April 25, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the shelter-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.

Bennett has said of the song,

That song helped make me a world citizen. It allowed me to live, work and sing in any city on the globe. It changed my whole life.

I Left My Heart in San Francisco covers

• Julie London – I Left My Heart in San Francisco

• Doris Day Tony Bennett – I Left My Heart in San Francisco

• Westlife – I Left My Heart in San Francisco (Official Audio)

• Brenda Lee – I Left My Heart In San Francisco

• Joni James – I Left My Heart In San Francisco

• Andy Williams – I Left My Heart In San Francisco

• Instrumental version

• I Left My Heart In San Francisco | 마리아킴 | Maria Kim | Jazz Vocal/Pianist | 재즈피아노 | 재즈보컬

• I Left My Heart (in San Francisco) LIVE in CONCERT! – Cuan Durkin

• Connie Francis “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” on The Ed Sullivan Show

• Sarah Vaughan – (I Left My Heart) In San Francisco (Mercury Records 1967)

• Liberace I Left My Heart In San Francisco

• Count Basie – I Left My Heart in San Francisco

• Frank Sinatra – I left my heart in San Francisco

• Jewel Brown – I Left My Heart In San Francisco

• Dean Martin-I Left My Heart In San Fransisco

• James Last – I Left My Heart In San Francisco

• Perry Como – I Left My Heart In San Francisco

• 101 Strings Orchestra – I Left My Heart In San Francisco

I Left My Heart in San Francisco (album)

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Record Mirror

I Left My Heart in San Francisco is an album by American singer Tony Bennett, released in 1962 on Columbia Records. It peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and has been certified platinum by the RIAA. Originally available as Columbia rekey CL 1869 (mono) and CS 8669 (stereo), it is one of the best-selling albums of Bennett’s career.

Tony Bennett won two 1962 Grammy Awards for the title song: Record of the Year and Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male.

Content

In February 1962, the song “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was released by Columbia as the B-side to “Once Upon a Time“, but became a chart hit in its own right. Columbia assembled the album around the single, including material that had been previously released on singles and unused items from earlier sessions.

Previously released songs included “The Best Is Yet to Come“, which had been introduced by Bennett and released as Columbia single 41965 in February 1961, with “Marry Young” on the flipside. Both songs were by the team of Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh, their “Rules of the Road” the b-side to Columbia 42135 “Close Your Eyes” released August 11, 1961. Another single, “Candy Kisses” recorded in March 1961 with “Have I Told You Lately?” from I Can Get It for You Wholesale recorded at the same January 23, 1962 sessions that yielded the title song, were Columbia 42395 on March 30, 1962. “Tender Is the Night”, later used in the 1962 film, had been Columbia 42219, released October 27, 1961, while Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile” from Modern Times peaked at #73 on the Billboard Hot 100 as Columbia 41434, released July 6, 1959. None of the other singles, with the exception of “San Francisco”, had charted.

The additional three tracks were taken from sessions spanning 1957 to 1960. “Taking a Chance on Love” derived from the musical Cabin in the Sky, “Love for Sale” from The New Yorkers, and “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows” from Oh, Look!. Bennett’s rescue of “Once Upon a Time” from All American gave him “San Francisco” instead, his signature song.

Track listing

Side one

Side two

Personnel

• Tony Bennett — vocals
• Ralph Sharon — piano; arrangements on “Love for Sale”
• The Count Basie Orchestra — instruments and arrangements on “Taking A Chance on Love”
• Marty Manning — arrangements on “San Francisco,” “Once Upon A Time,” “Tender is the Night,” “Candy Kisses,” and “Have I Told You Lately?”
• Cy Coleman — arrangements on “Marry Young” and “The Best Is Yet to Come”
• Ralph Burns — arrangements on “Smile” and “Rules of the Road”
• Frank De Vol — arrangements on “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows”
• Candido Camero, Sabu Martinez, and Billy Exiner — percussion on “Love for Sale”

Review for the song and album

The song “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was written by Douglass Cross and originally recorded by George Cory in 1954. However, it was Tony Bennett’s version, released in 1962, that became the definitive version and a worldwide hit. The song is a romantic ballad about a man who has left his heart in San Francisco, and it captures the city’s beauty and charm in a way that has resonated with listeners for generations.

The album “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” is a collection of classic pop songs, including “The Best Is Yet to Come,” “Once Upon a Time,” and “Smile.” Bennett’s warm, expressive vocals are perfectly suited to these songs, and he delivers them with a sense of nostalgia and longing that is irresistible. The album is a timeless classic that is sure to please fans of classic pop music.

Here is a more detailed review of the song and album:

• Song: “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” is a beautiful and moving ballad about a man who has left his heart in San Francisco. The song is full of vivid imagery, from the fog rolling in over the Golden Gate Bridge to the cable cars climbing halfway to the stars. Bennett’s vocals are warm and expressive, and he sings the song with a sense of longing and regret that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
• Album: “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” is a collection of classic pop songs that are beautifully performed by Tony Bennett. The album includes songs like “The Best Is Yet to Come,” “Once Upon a Time,” and “Smile,” all of which are standards that have been enjoyed by generations of listeners. Bennett’s vocals are in top form, and he delivers each song with a sense of warmth and authenticity.

Overall, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” is a classic album that is sure to please fans of classic pop music. The song “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” is a timeless ballad that has become a beloved standard, and the album is a collection of other classic songs that are beautifully performed by Tony Bennett. If you are a fan of classic pop music, then you should definitely check out this album.

Here are some of the things that make the song and album so special:

• The beautiful and evocative lyrics
• Tony Bennett’s warm and expressive vocals
• The lush and sophisticated orchestration
• The timeless appeal of the songs

If you are looking for a classic pop album that will transport you to another time and place, then “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” is the perfect choice for you.

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