Lady Gaga has teased her upcoming album release, a collection of Cole Porter standards featuring iconic vocalist Tony Bennett. The record also marks Bennett’s final recording before his retirement due to Alzheimer’s disease earlier this year. The release also celebrates Bennett’s 95th birthday on August 3.
Love For Sale sees Bennett and Gaga tackling ten of Cole Porter’s most beloved tunes, including “De-Lovely,” “Let’s Do It,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” and “Love For Sale.” The debut track, “I Get a Kick Out Of You,” sees Gaga abandon her pop belting for a smokier, jazzy sound alongside Bennett’s clear baritone. Bennett & Gaga had previously collaborated on another jazz album, Cheek to Cheek in 2014.
Related: Tony Bennett: Lady Gaga “One Of The Best Jazz Singers…Ever,” Recording Album Together
We’re also happy to report that, true to form, Gaga has kept the queerness in her work. Cole Porter–often lauded as one of America’s greatest composers–was a gay man, and delighted in weaving sexual entendre into his lyrics. His Broadway works include Kiss Me Kate, Anything Goes and Silk Stockings.
Have a listen, and try not to feel the need to throw on a pinstripe suit, pour a martini and head to a speakeasy. It’s a beautiful swan song for Mr. Bennett, and another fabulous work by Lady Gaga.
Love For Sale goes on sale October 1.
LeBlevsez
Tony Bennett. Sexiest Voice Ever.
Kangol2
I love their duets together so I’m looking forward to this! What a beautiful tribute by one icon, Lady Gaga, to another, the great Tony Bennett.
The real Bruce
They sure sound great together don’t they? And they sound like they’re having a hell of a good time too.
The real Bruce
Just that one song alone and I can hardly wait for the new CD to be available. I have the first one and it sure is fun to hear the two of them having fun singing together. Great band too!
BoomerMyles
Cole Porter was married for 35 years until his wife died.
Definitely bi, not gay.
Zorba123
Why are labels so important here? Bi/Gay? Remember, this was a time when one put oneself to the public for what the public wanted to see (including marriage) and not necessarily who they really were.
inbama
WRONG.
From the gay influencers blogspot: “Porter, who was exclusively homosexual, met his future wife Linda at a 1918 wedding reception… Cole’s numerous male lovers included Nelson Barfeld (a dancer/choreographer who was a former U.S. Marine), Robert Bray (a married Californian) and Jack Cassidy (a character actor). Not to mention architect Ed Tauch, director John Wilson and longtime friend Ray Kelly, whose children still receive half of Porter’s copyright royalties. After relocating to Hollywood, he was a regular guest at George Cukor’s Sunday all-male pool parties, but soon the two became rivals. While renting a beautiful Hollywood home owned by renowned homosexual actor-decorator Billy Haines, Porter held competing all-male parties, and Cole’s became the more valued invitation. Porter was not discrete. A recent biography recounts that in his later years, Cole kept “breaking appliances so he could lure cute repairmen into his lair”. As well, Scotty Bowers’s recent Hollywood tell-all recounts that Porter had a decided taste for giving oral sex to Marines while suffering verbal abuse and humiliation. The homosexual relations were not casual. All of Porter’s sexual activity was homosexual, and he became more brazen in the more open and permissive atmosphere of Hollywood. Linda reacted by staying away from California, sailing back and forth between her residences in Paris and New York…”
Zorba123
For someone who was voted least likely to succeed in high school, I love to see the reality for what Lady Gaga has become. A truly astonishing and great lady. What a wonderful tribute to Tony Bennett whose voice is one of a kind. Thank you for sharing Qweerty! I look forward to the release of the CD.