Fifty years after he debuted "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" at the Venetian Room in the Fairmont Hotel, noted San Francisco fan and former Belvedere mansion owner Tony Bennett will return for a special Valentine's day performance of the city's unofficial theme song under the dome at City Hall. The event is free and open to the public, of course. And because we can't all just drop what we're doing on a Tuesday and head down to Civic Center (or possibly because the city is testing out some sort of Tony Bennett mind control device), the city will also broadcast the 85-year-old crooner's performance in the plazas and parks around Union Square and over the radio waves like our very own honey-throated overlord.
Per the city's press release this morning, city dignitaries like Dianne Feinstein, Nancy Pelosi, former Mayor Willie Brown and Charlotte Shultz will be in attendance to honor the Grammy-nominated Duets II singer, in the main room at City Hall. Meanwhile, the commoners will be bombarded over the airwaves:
Every radio station that broadcasts in the City has been asked to play “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” at or near noon. KOIT 96.5FM will preempt the noon news and will play “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” at exactly noon because of their long-standing relationship with Tony Bennett and his music. At noon, the song will also be played over the public address system in Union Square and at Hallidie Plaza, courtesy of the Union Square Business Improvement District. San Franciscans are encouraged to stop what they are doing and sing along to “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” from office building, parks, sidewalks or where ever they are in the City.
Got that? It will be physically impossible to not love your city on Valentine's day.
Also on Tony Bennett's Day, Valentine's Day, the city's cable cars will be decked out especially for the occasion and City Hall will glow red, like a big golden box of Russel Stovers. The Ruth Asawa School of the Arts Choir and Band, the San Francisco Boys and Girls Choruses, the San Francisco Symphony, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and Beach Blanket Babylon will also give their own renditions of the famous tune.
Anyhow, here's Tony with Judy Garland to give you a quick refresher on those lyrics:
