Where am I?: "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" Tony Bennett (1962)

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This classic song hardly requires explanation. “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was written in 1953 by George Cory and Douglas Cross who moved to New York City and felt nostalgic about their hometown. The song was intended for opera singer Claramae Turner who sang it in concert but never recorded. Tony Bennett’s longtime accompanist Ralph Sharon knew the writers and brought the song to the singer’s attention. Bennett debuted the song in the Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco where a statue of the singer now stands. “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was B side to “Once Upon a Time” but disc jockeys discovered listeners preferred the B side more. The rest is history. The gold single only charted at Billboard #19 but its popularity grew and grew over time. Winner of Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Solo Vocal Performance. Bennett said his signature song changed his life. There have been covers by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and others but Bennett owns it. “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” is the city’s co-official song and played following Giants victories.