Sinatra...

Hi,
I have posted a similar request on another forum requesting anyone out there who could suggest which Sinatra CD/compilation would be a good place to start..?

 

In The Wee Small Hours is great. Any of his stuff with Nelson Riddle arrangements (there must be a compilation of that).

-- Ian

 

In the Wee Small Hours is indeed wonderful, and some say it's his best, but for me Songs for Swinging Lovers takes it by a nose. They're very different records. ITWSH is lush and lovelorn, with Frank slipping effortlessly into the role of heartsick paramour. SFSL on the other hand is loud, raucous and stuffed with the joy of life. You Make Me Feel So Young, It Happened in Monterey, Pennies From Heaven, I've Got You Under My Skin (that demented trombone!), Making Whoopee, Anything Goes. Plus it is the best singalong record ever: see if you can match his phrasing! If you've ever wondered why Sinatra is described as genius, SFSL reveals why.

Whatever, Sideshowbob's right. Stick with the Nelson Riddle collaborations as a starting point and you really can't go wrong.

 

If you have a record player do try and get some original Sinatra vinyl, it really slaughters the CDs I've heard. There is a lot knocking around second hand and it tends to be in pretty good condition – I guess Sinatra fans had better record players that those into The Beatles or Stones. I just pick any cheap decent condition original vinyl up that I find and haven't already got, I'm up to about 15 LPs now, most costing 2 quid or less. Mono and stereo cuts both sound excellent, I've got a couple of LPs in both formats and don't really have any preference.

I also go along with Sideshow Bob in recommending the Nelson Riddle stuff – the timing / phrasing of the voice against the orchestra is amazing. Songs for swinging lovers is probably the definitive Sinatra LP, and makes a great place to start. I've got an absolutely mint original, not so much as a spine crease on the cover!

Tony.

 

So,
to summarise:
Song for swinging lovers is the big band backed swing that Sinatra's so famous for, and in the wee small hours is more intimate?

 

Pretty much yeah, but I'd suggest also listening to Cycles, it's a fantastic album. Oh, and The Best of Sinatra & Company. Both quite intimate and low-key but wonderful stuff...

FS

 

Hi

A sampler for Frank would be the " My Way, The best of Frank Sinatra" double CD that came out a few years ago. This has 40+ song from the various periods of this career. Fopp had these in for £10 not to long ago. There is also a single version of this cd.

If you have a record player, I agree with TonyL, there is alot of his stuff out there for little money.

The Nelson Riddle stuff is a winner.


SCIDB