Frank Sinatra song 'I Couldn't Care Less': origin?

I recently picked up a used but well-cared for copy of the 1990 Frank Sinatra 3CD box set The Capitol Years, but the booklet is missing. I've been trying to track down the sources of the tracks, what albums they originally appeared on, whether they were singles, and so on. I can account for all of the tracks except for 'I Couldn't Care Less' (Disc 3, track 6). As all of the songs are arranged in chronological sequence, it appears to be from 1958. Can anyone here please help me find the source of the track? Was it on a compilation album or a movie soundtrack, perhaps?

 

It's a shame you're missing the booklet (68 pages in the jewel case version), because it's an especially worthwhile addition to the package. Here's what it would have told you about "I Couldn't Care Less"...

And in the Track-by-Track descriptions:

I would add that the song came from the 1958 movie, Say One For Me, sung by Bing Crosby. Also, although this is indeed the first take (and the only complete one), the session material has circulated and there were eleven takes attempted.

The only other place you'll find the song on official CD is in the British 21-disc box set, THE CAPITOL YEARS (same title), on the bonus disc THE RARE SINATRA.
__________________
~ Frank's Albums

 

Many thanks for that, Bob. The book might be missing but the discs are near mint and the sound is great. I'll definitely be on the lookout for another copy, just for the booklet.

 

Doing a little extra web surfing, I notice (e.g. IMDb) that the movie was released June 19, 1959. Sinatra's October '58 recording preceded the film and Crosby's March '59 recordings (on the Columbia soundtrack LP, and a UK single backed with the title song "Say One For Me").

There were quite a few lesser-known Van Heusen/Cahn compositions in the soundtrack, including the very beautiful "The Secret of Christmas." (I love Ella's rendition of that one.)

"I Couldn't Care Less" is the only song from the film recorded by Frank, and it remained unknown for fifteen years thereafter. Perhaps he kept it unreleased in deference to Bing?

 

While on the subject of the movie "Say One For Me," I also noticed the following item...

So perhaps that was Sinatra's connection to the song. Or maybe Frank just "couldn't care less." He was probably smart to pass up the role, as this was...

(Just a bit of off-topic trivia from IMDb. )

 

I note that the recording date for 'I Couldn't Care Less' is 10/15/58. Frank Sinatra Sings For Only The Lonely was released in September 1958 so the song was not recorded for that album, even though it is in a similar style. I read somewhere that one other song that was to be on the album was 'Lush Life'. Was Frank's abandoned attempt at recording that ever released?

 

Only "underground." Not officially.

 

"To Love and Be Loved" and "I Couldn't Care Less"

Minor correction to the booklet in THE CAPITOL YEARS 3-CD set: The date of this session was probably a day later than stated, i.e. October 16, 1958. See the discussion of "To Love and Be Loved" in another thread:

[post=6500466]Frank Sinatra - "Robin and the Seven Hoods" Reprise album question for Steve[/post]​

It was an unusual afternoon session. Both songs were Cahn and Van Heusen compositions for upcoming motion pictures. They were probably both intended for single release, but after 23 takes on "To Love and Be Loved," Sinatra seems to have had less patience for "I Couldn't Care Less" which went unreleased initially.

Following is a duplicate of my session post at the Sinatra Family Forum. Martin (MMM) provides some fascinating followup regarding his acetate ([post=6496830]pictured here[/post]); I've taken the liberty of duplicating some of his comments as well...

 

Thursday, October 16, 1958

[Posted 10/16/2008]: Fifty years ago today, Frank Sinatra returned to the Capitol Tower for the fourth consecutive day.* This time, he would turn the conductor's baton over to Nelson Riddle, while singing two current Van Heusen and Cahn movie songs. In an afternoon session from 2 to 5 P.M., the following Riddle arangements were recorded:

• To Love And Be Loved - Take 23 (and Take 8; see MMM's post below)
  (Music by Jimmy Van Heusen; lyrics by Sammy Cahn)
  (From the 1958 movie Some Came Running, as instrumental and by uncredited vocal trio)
  
  The 23rd take yielded the single version released as a commercial tie-in for the upcoming MGM movie. (FS does not sing the song in the film.) The most recent issue of that track is on the 2008 CD Sinatra At The Movies. A longer arrangement from an earlier take would appear on the 1961 compilation album, All The Way. See this post for additional details and sources of the two different versions: "To Love And Be Loved".
  
  
• I Couldn't Care Less - Take 12 (or 1)†
  (Music by Jimmy Van Heusen; lyrics by Sammy Cahn)
  (From the 1958 movie Say One For Me, sung by Bing Crosby)
  
  This song was unreleased for fifteen years, until the 1973 mail-order LP, Sinatra Like Never Before. It remained a genuine rarity in the US until its inclusion in the 1990 3-CD set, The Capitol Years. (Also available on disc 21, The Rare Sinatra, in the UK box set The Capitol Years.)
  
  † Many sources indicate take 1 (of 11) was used.

Musicians (40): Conrad Gozzo, Frank Beach, Dale McMickle (trumpet); Joe Howard, Murray McEachern (trombone); George Roberts (bass trombone); Vincent DeRosa, Richard Perissi, John Cave (French horn); Willie Schwartz, Gus Bivona, Jules Jacob, Abe Most, Dale Issenhuth (woodwinds); Felix Slatkin, Dan Lube, Paul Shure, Gerald Vinci, Amerigo Marino, Victor Arno, Marshall Sosson, Lou Raderman, Alex Beller, Victor Bay, Jacques Gasselin, Carl LaMagna (violin); Alvin Dinkin, Joseph Di Fiore, Stanley Harris, Paul Robyn (viola); Eleanor Slatkin, Elizabeth Greenschpoon, Edgar Lustgarten, James Arkatov (cello); Kathryn Julye (harp); Bill Miller (piano); Al Viola (guitar); Joe Comfort (bass); Bill Richmond (drums); Larry Bunker (percussion).

*Many sources, including Capitol Records, specify a date of October 15th for this session. That would mean it took place after only a one-hour break from the morning session (with FS conducting for Dean Martin) and with a number of additions to the orchestra personnel. Although the earlier date is certainly feasible—especially because of the unusual afternoon time for this session—our source indicates October 16th, based (I believe) on AFM union contracts.

 

According to the notes in The Capitol Years set, Frank did just one take of this song. The Scott Sayers/Ed O'Brien book indicates that the known recording is take #2. I have an unofficial CD with at least three takes on it, and I know those CDs never have the official take.

Can anyone shed a little light on this?

 

Many sources specify that the officially released version of "I Couldn't Care Less" was Take 1, but there were additional incomplete takes following. The Take 2 indication in the Ed O'Brien and Scott Sayers book may be a typo (intended to be Take 12). Here's what Ed himself had to say elsewhere about the Capitol Tower session of October 15, 1958:

However, a "collector's" CD with session material has appeared which contains just 11 separate takes (attempts), only the first of which is complete and appears to match the released version.

Note: The Silva discography, which is based on AFM reports and is generally very reliable, specifies that the session took place on the afternoon of October 16, 1958, and the released master was Take 1.

 

It's worth noting that the released take of a song is not always the final take. Although that is the usual case, there are sometimes exceptions where an earlier take is chosen. The published take number is not a reliable indicator of how many takes were recorded.

 

Two different songs. I don't know why that subtitle is printed on the UK label.

Actually, Sinatra never recorded "Who's in Your Arms Tonight." An orchestra track was made at the session of Sep. 11, 1958 ("Mr. Success", "Sleep Warm" and "Where or When")—but no vocal.

 

Not to my knowledge.

 

See also an old post of mine at the SFF: By The Beautiful Sea #6

 

Matt: "The One I Love" on the Japanese "No One Cares" LP is the same version as on "Like Never Before". The unedited version did not appear until 1990 on "The Capitol Years".

Barton Music; publishing co. owned by Sinatra and Sanicola. Barton Music books and I believe the sheet music have Sinatra's pic and in some say "Recorded by Sinatra". May have been printed in anticipation of being recorded.

Sanicola is another "story" that has never been told in it's entirety and is shrouded in mystery. He never gave an in depth interview after parting with Sinatra but I believe he and his wife did answer a few general questions from the British Sinatra Society just prior to his passing.