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I Left My Heart in San Francisco

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"I Left My Heart in San Francisco" is best known as the signature song of Tony Bennett, written in 1953 by George Cory and Douglass Cross. In 1962, the song was released as a single by Bennett on Columbia Records as the b-side to "Once Upon a Time", which peaked at No. 19 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

The Ralph Records album Subterranean Modern, released in 1979, features four different covers of the song recorded specifically or the LP, by Chrome, MX-80 Sound, The Residents and Tuxedomoon.

Background

Residents version

Ralph Records' Subterranean Modern album, released in 1979, was a showcase for bizarre contemporary San Francisco bands, with each of its four artists contributing 10 minutes worth of new music. At the request of The Cryptic Corporation, each artist would include a cover of "I Lefft My Heart in San Francisco" in that 10 minute slot. The Residents submitted a four part suite titled The Replacement, which told the story of a man being replaced by his doppelgänger. "In San Francisco" serves as the opening track to The Replacement, and is again interpolated in the closing track, "Time's Up." An early instrumental demo version of the cover was released on the 2019 Eskimo pREServed set.

None of the groups were particularly thrilled about recording the song. Hardy Fox, of The Cryptic Corporation, later admitted that the original song was "not great",[1] but it was chosen because of its status as the anthem of San Francisco.

Legacy

Being released shortly before The Residents' Eskimo album, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" is often included in CD reissues of said album, most notably the 1987 Classic series and the 2019 pREServed CDs alongside the rest of The Replacement suite. The song has also appeared on the Ralph before 84 and 80 Aching Orphans Best of compilations, as well as the expanded edition of the Residue rarities compilation.

Lyrics

I know that soon I will be gone
I know that soon I will be gone
Left his heart in San Francisco
Left his heart in San Francisco
I know that soon I will be grown
Grown, Groan, Groan[2]

Releases

Versions

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1979 Studio version (2:02)
  2. ↑ "Heart In SF" demo (2:08)

References

  1. ↑ NME interview, 17th November, 1979
  2. ↑ Ima Buddy, Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS, 1992
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