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She sings the lines and her voice soars, purrs, and becomes a presence that's almost visible in the studio: I spend my days in longing/And wondering why it's me you're wronging/I tell you I mean it/I'm all for you body and soul. Afterward, Amy Winehouse kisses her gold necklace and briefly looks up and points to the ceiling.

This is the last video and song recorded by Winehouse, and it's a beauty. Gone is the bizarre behavior that often accompanied her live concerts, and no fancy camera tricks or special effects make this video anything more than what it is: a perfectly lovely duet performance of "Body and Soul." Sharing the spotlight with Tony Bennett, Amy Winehouse truly looks like she's been resurrected from a healthier, happier time. 

Her hair is piled up in that signature bouffant, her eyes are kohl-lined as always, and she appears in glowing good health and spirits. It's all the more tragic that the song was recorded in London's Abbey Road Studios this March, just months before her death.

Take a look:

In an interview conducted on the day of the recording session, Winehouse talked about how honored she was to perform with Bennett, and how thrilled her father was when he found out which song they would be singing:

My dad personally himself, he was like, "Oh, it's only my favorite song in the world you're going to sing. Oh my God. Do you even know it?" I'm like, of course I know it, Mitchell, I'm your daughter. Of course I know it.

Her father, Mitch Winehouse, has recently gone on record saying that he believes Amy's death was caused by detoxing rather than an overdose:

She would drink for two or three weeks and then she would detox for two or three weeks, and that’s the worst thing. Her doctor ... said if this behavior continued—the binge drinking then the detoxing—that could lead to seizures that could ultimately lead to death.

It's certainly possible that this is what happened to her, and if so, it's nearly unthinkable that she may have died while trying to claw her way out of the nightmare of addiction. Watching her sing on this video—clear-eyed and smiling—makes me wish I could turn back the clock for her.

As sad as it is to be reminded of a life cut so short, the good news is that the video will likely do more than show Winehouse as her fans prefer to remember her. The video and song were released today, on what would have been Winehouse's 28th birthday. Today also marks the launch of the Amy Winehouse Foundation UK, which has been created by Winehouse's family to help young people struggling with drug and alcohol abuse and poverty.

With some of the sales of the "Body and Soul" track going to her foundation, and a video that shows her in top form, I can't think of a more fitting tribute to such a talented singer.

What do you think of this video?

Image via YouTube