Everything Should Be Done with Love
I consider “love” to be the most important word in any language. It embodies my whole philosophy. Duke Ellington used to say, “God is love,” and I abide by this notion. Everything you do should be done with love. It’s the greatest thing we can teach our children—to love people and be able to forgive them if they make a mistake. If you fill yourself with hate, you just shrink. But when you can give up yourself to love, you’re ahead of the game. That becomes the premise; not anger, not shrewdness. Pour your heart into your work, your friendships, and your family, and you’ll be rewarded a hundredfold.
When I recorded my second duets record, we used the Jim Henson Studios in Los Angeles. It was originally owned by Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin never made a movie without love, and as a result, each of his films is a masterpiece. Based on his success, he could have just dialed it in, but he respected his audience too much to do that; he did things honestly. Most of his old soundstages are still there at the studios, as are the vaults where he stored his films. It was very inspiring to record there. Right outside one of the stages leading up to the entrance, Chaplin had left imprints in wet cement of his famous “Little Tramp” footprints. I couldn’t resist taking a stroll across them and imitating that famous swagger. Now I can honestly say that I followed in the footsteps of one of my heroes.
I admired Chaplin’s work and the love he showed for it, which is why I was so touched by a gift I received from him in the early seventies. One day a package arrived in the mail for me. I opened it to find a canister that held an original copy of the last ten minutes of Modern Times, the film in which the song “Smile” (composed by Chaplin) first appeared. Chaplin had heard my recorded version, and out of appreciation sent me this treasured gift. Imagine that.
Bob Hope told me to make sure to show everybody in the audience that you love them, and that you love to perform for them. Not for the money, not for the fame, but for the love of the work and for the love of the audience. I still think about this today, right before I hit the stage. If you don’t love what you’re doing, there is something big missing. Loving what you do is about humanity; it’s thinking about how your work affects your fellow man, rather than just yourself.
Sidney Poitier is a great example of someone who loved what he did, and who also knew how to love and forgive. He had a very tough life growing up poor in the Bahamas; when he came to the States as a teenager, he could hardly read. He was washing dishes in a little restaurant in Harlem when he saw an ad for an audition. He went, and was crushed when he failed because he couldn’t read well.
That experience left him determined to transform himself. He not only taught himself how to read; he memorized all of Shakespeare and became a real intellectual. Instead of staying angry, he became one of the most magnificent actors Hollywood has ever seen. He never made a movie that he didn’t believe in. For that reason, all of his films are classics. His work is a great testament to doing everything with honesty and love.
When performing in public, I always make sure to follow the advice given to me by Maurice Chevalier when I was first starting out. “Show that there are other artists onstage besides you, and present them to the audience,” he told me. Chevalier never liked it when the headline performer acted as if it were only him or her up there, and the musicians behind him were just in the background. So I developed this attitude of always introducing the songwriters and musicians.
Each is a talent in his own right—true jazz musicians who improvise every time. Night after night, they breathe new life into the songs. To perform with such amazing artists is a privilege. They inspire me, and I feel lucky to be working with them. During the show, I feature the individual artists through solos. This gives the audience a rest, too—they’re not just watching a singer the whole time. Proper credit is important; it’s one of the few things we can honestly say we deserve, and it acknowledges the people onstage and behind the scenes who help bring the performance to life. I also want to educate my audience wherever I go, so that the names of those great writers and performers will live on forever. It’s just one of the ways I’m able to express my appreciation and love.
When Lady Gaga recorded “The Lady Is a Tramp” with me, I was very impressed when she went to everyone on the crew afterward and thanked them all for believing in her and supporting her. I was so pleased to see her do this, and I wish more artists were that conscientious of the other people supporting their efforts.
It’s all about being properly involved. Remember, as Dean Martin sang, you’re nobody until someone loves you.
The Zen of Bennett
Everything you do should be done with love.
Pour your heart into your work, your friendships, and your family, and you’ll be rewarded a hundredfold.
Give credit to those who work so hard to make your performance or project happen.
When you can give yourself up to love, you’re ahead of the game.
