Sinatra Thread?

[Bean Bag]

Can I get a freekin' Sinatra thread started?  Damn. 

[Mahalo]

"In The Wee Small Hours" holds a special place in my heart.   

[Bean Bag]

Oh man that's a good one.



That's like Ingrid Bergman good...

[Mahalo]

I don't know Ingrid Bergman, but "...wee small hours" rules. I would listen to that album over and over all through the night as I was making artwork.

Shop- Rite had that album for about $4.99 in the supermarket. Amazing how such unreal music is bargain basement material. Sinatra is an American icon.

I never got too into Frank, but my best friend loves him and hooked me up with this CD. He's a good friend.

[Bean Bag]

Amen.  It's a consistent, sublime album.  I can see how it would fuel a creative drive.

[The Heartical Don]

I am a bit of a dissenter. I will readily acknowledge his strong points (and there are many). But what qualifies him for me is his narcissism. I find him just that much too obsessed with himself, his life, and his loves that I can only take him in small doses.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I'm a big fan of his Reprise years; I prefer the mature Sinatra. "It Was A Very Good Year" gets to me every time.

[The Heartical Don]

I'm a big fan of his Reprise years; I prefer the mature Sinatra. "It Was A Very Good Year" gets to me every time.

Yep. The only set I possess actually is 'The Reprise Years', and that is very good. 4 LPs in a luxurious box.

[TdHabib]

Except for "Smile," "Strangers in the Night" is probably my favorite song that can't be classified as rock.

[Jason]

I don't know Ingrid Bergman, but

But nothing.

You fail. At the movies. (Kidding)

Sinatra kicks all kinds of ass. I'm big on his Reprise years but his Columbia period holds a lot of personal significance for me. Before the deservedly cocky side of him graced the Capitol and Reprise recordings, he was just a tenor with a great voice and excellent song selection. And the man could WORK. Four songs in a three-hour session, every time. He was efficient and he could make the girls go crazy. He was Elvis before Elvis, and JUST AS COOL.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Except for "Smile," "Strangers in the Night" is probably my favorite song that can't be classified as rock.

....with Glen Campbell on guitar and I believe Hal Blaine on drums....

[Bean Bag]

I've always been partial to the Capitol albums, especially the earlier ones.  There's something happening on all fronts.  Just the physical sound of the recordings--the early 50s mono sound--a little more dynamic than the great, full and warm 40s sound -- but not quite the late 50s hi-fi stereo yet.  There's a full warmth and innocence of the age captured so well.  What kind of mics did they use back then?  The sound of the arrangements and the sound of Sinatra's voice, very much reflect those same qualities.  There's a total package there, all working for the same end.  It creates this late, late rainy night movie feel...very intimate, but alone too.

His voice was in a very unique period.  Not too young, not too old.  Retaining a little of the softness of his Columbia years.  His voice had been damaged a little bit, as was his person and career - so there's a slight weathering.  He had lived, but the seasoned, more cocky swingin' Vegas years (which is great too!) was still far off.  So the total sound, from the technology of the time which produced the recordings to all the parts mentioned -- it creates a very sublime and focused picture.  Something you cannot recreate for sure.  It was just all those things happening at once.

[Dugan]

FYI. If your looking for the Capitol discs in a used bin, make sure you buy the Larry Walsh mastered ones. They are the best sounding.

My personal favorite:



PS Bean Bag you missed the first Capitol LP:

[Bean Bag]

I couldn't find a picture of that.  I love that one.  That's the one that got me into that era.  It's now commonly included with Swing Easy, since they were both EPs, I believe.  One of the best!

[Dugan]

Google Image search is your friend. 

Actually it was originally a 10" LP, just like Swing Easy.  Capitol later combined them into one 12" LP when that become the industry standard. In the early 60's, after Frank left the label, they split them up, added 4 period tracks to each and futz with the running order. I believe my picture is that issue since the original had the track list on the front cover.
Like this: 

[Aegir]

Bean Bag, please stop writing in yellow. It hurts my eyes.

[Rocky]

What kind of mics did they use back then?

this is a little off topic, but that reminded me of reading in the liner notes for "Strange Days" that the Doors used a Telefunken U47 for Jim Morrison's vocals and apparently that made him very happy because it was the same mic Sinatra used on his album "Sintra's Swingin Session" and he was a huge Sinatra fan.
/  but yes, to be on topic, i love Sinatra to death. I mostly prefer his Reprise years but man some of those Capital albums are killer as well.

[lance]

I used to work at an Italian restaurant where Sinatra was played a lot. I can appreciate the artistry of his phrasing, it's almost avant garde.
 Having said that...I think he's a bit overrated. Of those rat-pack crooner-guys I will take Sammi Davis Jr. or Toni Bennett anyday of the week over Ole Blue Eyes.

[donald]

I like a whole lot of Sinatra but some is not my cup of tea.  Guess I have to agree with those who prefer the Reprise years.  Bu t some of those older album covers are the treasures of my LP collection.   THE definition of cool at the time.

Enjoy both Billy May and Nelson Riddle orchestras.   Summer Wind is just so perfectly evocative of summer memories of the era.  Light and breezy, wistful......building slowly and powerfully....then slowing like a wave subsiding at sunset.
Try dancing with your favorite dance partner to this one.   

I'm glad people are still enjoying Old Blue Eyes.   A star shinging through the generations.    Not many that bright.

[Bean Bag]

Summer Wind is just so perfectly evocative of summer memories of the era.  Light and breezy, wistful......building slowly and powerfully....then slowing like a wave subsiding at sunset.

Beautifully said donald.  Summer Wind is iconic in the same manner for me. 

[Bean Bag]

I am a bit of a dissenter. I will readily acknowledge his strong points (and there are many). But what qualifies him for me is his narcissism. I find him just that much too obsessed with himself, his life, and his loves that I can only take him in small doses.

And you call yourself a "don?"   

Is it the Italian pathos?


If so...I'd recommend the Capital years.  Very artistic.  Very painterly.  OR....if you will, as "The Real Beach Boy" said...the Columbia years.  Try those.  Clearly...he's just a singer there.  No self.  No story.  No ego.  That's one friggin' singer there.

A Voice in Time.  Rocked my world.  Even though a long time Sinatra fan...this collection, which covers a lot of ground (the Columbia Years 39-52), is fugking amazing. 

http://www.amazon.com/Voice-Time-1939-1952-Frank-Sinatra/dp/B000UYT9SK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1240457926&sr=8-1

[Bean Bag]

Interestingly, this album originally appeared on CD as the second half to Song for Young Lovers.  But in the excellent and highly, highly, HIGHLY recommended Concept Box (see below)...it is correctly placed as the first half.   So the disc starts with the easy and upbeat "It Was Just...One of Those Tings" followed by the rest of the EXCELLENT Swing Easy 10 inch.  Then comes the more late-night, mellow, bloozier Song for Young Lovers 10 inch - that leads with a soft and dreamy "My Funny Valentine".  Perfect.

This is possibly my favorite Sinatra album.  It works every-time.  God, I love this one.



Get this box set.  It's got all the Capitol albums/LPs, sans-bonus tracks, mini-LP sleeves.  Just beautiful.




You can get it for around 40 clams.  Fcking do it.   

[Sheriff John Stone]

I was just listening to "Sunday With Sinatra", hosted by Sid Mark (yes, I'm mellowing in my old age). Anyway, he played a couple of selections from the recent Sinatra release, "Live At The Meadowlands". Even though it was recorded in 1986, Frank sounds pretty good. Anybody have this one?

[Bean Bag]

I've been waffling on that!  I've got the Vegas box (excellente!) which has 3 later-day-Sinatra live gigs...78, 82, 87, I believe?  Then I picked up the Vegas single disc which is again from 1980-something....so there wasn't a massive "gotta have it" rush for me on this.  But I will pick it up eventually...I guess I'm waiting for an irresistible sale price.

But if you don't have any of the aforementioned live shows...it would be an excellent pick.  I do enjoy the later day Sinatra.  Clearly not the artistic giant of his earlier days...but a great classy sound. 

[summerinparadise.flac]

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