Tony Bennett - The Ultimate Tony Bennett (2000)

The 20 tracks on this anthology cover Bennett's entire career at Columbia, from his 1951 number one single "Because of You" to "Mood Indigo" from 1999's Hot and Cool: Bennett Sings Ellington. Note, however, that "entire career at Columbia" is not synonymous with Bennett's entire career, as there's nothing representing the span between the mid-'60s and the mid-'80s. Since the best Bennett is from the 1950s and early '60s, anyway, that doesn't signify any great loss, particularly as the track selection is considerably weighted toward that era, with 15 of the 20 songs dating from 1951-1965. A 20-song compilation isn't an adequate overview of a singer who has recorded so much material, even in commercial terms; not one of his eight Top 40 singles from 1956 is here, for instance. For those who really want to dig deep into his repertoire, some other compilations, such as the box set 40 Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett and Jazz, might serve some fans better. For the casual fan, though, this might be the best choice, as it does include the songs listeners are most likely to be familiar with: "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," "Because of You," "Rags to Riches," "I Wanna Be Around," and well-selected non-hits like "The Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Gigolo and Gigolette)" and "Put on a Happy Face."

Tracklist:

01. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
02. Because Of You
03. Rags To Riches
04. Just In Time
05. Stranger In Paradise
06. The Boulevard Of Broken Dreams (Gigolo And Gigolette)
07. I Wanna Be Around
08. The Good Life
09. The Shadow Of Your Smile
10. Put On A Happy Face (from "Bye Bye Birdie")
11. If I Ruled The World
12. Smile
13. Night And Day
14. How Do You Keep The Music Playing
15. Mood Indigo
16. Blue Velvet
17. Steppin' Out With My Baby
18. When Joanna Loved Me
19. When Do The Bells Ring For Me
20. The Best Is Yet To Come