On December 12, 1915, the greatest interpreter of the American Songbook was born. His music has been a backdrop since I was a kid. Whether it was reruns of his movies, TV specials, or listening to my dad's vinyl albums, I can't remember a time that I didn't know who Frank Sinatra was.
Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.
Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.
Below is an article I wrote a few years ago, but I decided to repost it here for his 100th birthday.
Happy Birthday Frank! Gone, better never forgotten. The music you created still gets played at least once a week on my stereo and hearing it still blows me away like the first time I picked up "In the Wee Small Hours" on CD.
This year, I thought I would put together a list of my favorite albums. I would recommend all of them, or if you want, you could pick up the Capital Years Boxed Set on Amazon for $39, which I believe is the bargain of the decade (although, I should mention that some reviews say the sound quality on this collection is not up to the standards of prior releases). I don't have this exact collection, but I have the original Concepts box that I am pretty sure cost me over $200.
Well, here are some of my favorites:
Happy Birthday Frank! Gone, better never forgotten. The music you created still gets played at least once a week on my stereo and hearing it still blows me away like the first time I picked up "In the Wee Small Hours" on CD.
This year, I thought I would put together a list of my favorite albums. I would recommend all of them, or if you want, you could pick up the Capital Years Boxed Set on Amazon for $39, which I believe is the bargain of the decade (although, I should mention that some reviews say the sound quality on this collection is not up to the standards of prior releases). I don't have this exact collection, but I have the original Concepts box that I am pretty sure cost me over $200.
Well, here are some of my favorites:
Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely: My all time favorite album. It is THE saloon song album. A best friend when you are feeling down and a reminder of how good you have it when you are feeling good.
Songs for Swingin' Lovers: The opposite of Only the Lonely. Pure happiness! "I've Got You Under My Skin" may be his best song.
In the Wee Small Hours: Another album of loneliness and sadness. However, it doesn't go to the depths of Only the Lonely. This was my first Sinatra album and it hooked me from the first note.
September of My Years: Sinatra's album about aging as he approaches 50. Poignant.
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim - Sinatra is smooth, sleek, cool, and has some of his most tender moments on this album.
Sinatra at the Sands - So many great live performances, but this one is my favorite. If you can find the DVD-Audio version of this and have a player that can play it, I would highly recommend getting it. The surround mix puts you in the 10th row, front and center. The sound quality, combined with this classic performance, blows me away. If you are a vinyl nut, the vinyl version is fantastic, as well.
Nice N Easy: The name of the album leads one to believe that this will be an album of relaxed, but swinging songs. However, much of the album is actually Sinatra at his most romantic.
Sinatra & Strings: A sensual, romantic album that has one of my favorite Sinatra songs with the ballad version of "Night and Day".
A Swingin' Affair!: Another great swing album from Frank. While "Swingin' Lovers" makes you swoon, this one knocks you off your feet.
Where are you?: Sinatra during his peak Capital years with strings. Which is to say...lush, beautiful and intoxicating.
While I do believe that Sinatra had some great music from his Columbia Years and even before when he worked with Tommy Dorsey and Harry James, I have mainly listened to those songs as part of a boxed set. I would still recommend picking up something from those eras because Sinatra's voice had more of angelica sound to it in those days. When his career got a jump start in the 50s, his voice had a more grown up, mature sound to it. I remember one reviewer saying he sounded like Humphrey Bogart with a microphone. This voice gave him the authority to sing such emotional songs that may have sounded wimpy with a less worldly and masculine voice.
Also, I barely scratched the surface with the albums above. I think all of his albums in the 50s are worth owning as well as many of the early Reprise albums. His albums with jazz royalty like Count Basie and Ellington are simply fantastic.
Anyway, Happy Birthday and thanks for your gifts to the world that will never stop giving.
Also, I barely scratched the surface with the albums above. I think all of his albums in the 50s are worth owning as well as many of the early Reprise albums. His albums with jazz royalty like Count Basie and Ellington are simply fantastic.
Anyway, Happy Birthday and thanks for your gifts to the world that will never stop giving.
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