speak to me: remembering amy.

i finally watched the video for tony bennett's new duet with amy winehouse. until a few hours ago, i did not even know this was a thing that had happened. this song "body and soul" was the last song amy winehouse recorded before she died. i've always been a big fan of amy winehouse's voice (back to black is one of my favorite pop albums of all time) and i was devastated when i heard the terrible news. i have a few friends that have gone down that same dark road so the news was personal, in a way, for me as well. addiction is a terrible monster that steals people away from themselves and once you've seen its teeth, you are never quite the same. i discovered the video of this beautiful song after watching jon stewart's interview with tony bennett on the daily show, promoting his new album Duets II. bennett said that even during the recording of this song, "she knew that she was in a lot of trouble, that she wasn't going to live."  however, he had nothing but lovely things to say about working with her. he said that in 70 years of working in the music business, amy is one of the few people who "sings right." he said that she was a true jazz singer and that they bonded over a shared love of dinah washington. watching this video, i was deeply moved. i think it's really beautiful that her last music video has no special effects, no crazy sets or costumes, no storyline.  it's just tony and amy, singing, laughing, and having a good time together.

my heart is sad and lonely

for you i sigh, for you, dear only

why haven't you seen it, i'm all for you

i spend my days in longing

and wondering why it's me you're wronging

i tell you, i mean it, i'm all for you

body and soul

i can't believe it, it's hard to conceive it

that you'd turn away romance

are you pretending, it looks like the ending

unless i could have one more chance to prove dear

my life, a wreck you're making

you know i'm yours for just the taking

i'd gladly surrender myself to you

body and soul.

♥

ps: to lighten the mood a little (and to prove to any skeptics that she DOES, in fact, have an incredible voice), i wanted to share another single off of Duets II, the lady is a tramp by tony bennett and lady gaga.  yup.