"Once Upon a Time" | ||||
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Single by Tony Bennett | ||||
A-side | Once Upon a Time | |||
B-side | I Left My Heart in San Francisco | |||
Released | February 2, 1962 | |||
Format | 7-inch single | |||
Recorded | January 23, 1962 | |||
Genre | Classic pop | |||
Length | 2:52 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Writer(s) | George Cory, Douglass Cross | |||
Producer(s) | Ernie Altschuler | |||
Tony Bennett singles chronology | ||||
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"I Left My Heart in San Francisco" is a popular song, written in the fall of 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 #19 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was also included on the album of the same name. The song is one of the official anthems for the city of San Francisco.
The music was written by Cory, with lyrics by Cross, about two amateur writers nostalgic for San Francisco after moving to New York.
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.
A little-known fact about the song is that, prior to Tony Bennett hearing it, the song was pitched to Tennessee Ernie Ford, whom Claramae Turner suggested Cross take it to. Ford turned the song down, but in an ironic turn of events, later purchased a ranch in Lake County, California, owned by Cross's family.