Frank Sinatra - Where To Start?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by powelb, Apr 8, 2013.

  1. powelb

    powelb Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Sorry if this has been done to death, a few pages of the search results were fruitless.

    I don't really know Sinatra's music at all.
    Are there key 'gateway' album(s) that people would recommend? Key versions of those albums?
    Are there distinct periods in his career?
    How about starting with a compilation? My reading of old threads here led me to 'Best of The Capitol Years', mastered by Larry Walsh. Good start?

    Thanks!
     
  2. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    you have to pick a Sinatra era?...each one with a different quality. I like them all.
     
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  3. powelb

    powelb Forum Resident Thread Starter

    That's what I was asking for guidance on really. Any pointers or summaries appreciated, if fun to share.
     
  4. mikrt17

    mikrt17 Life has surface noise.

    Location:
    BROADSTAIRS UK
    His years with Capitol Records are considered the best, for a first purchase buy 'Songs For Swinging Lovers' and 'Only The Lonely'
     
  5. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    Indeed, but if go to Amazon and listen to some of the available Sinatra CDs you might have a better take on what you like...The Columbia years vocals are so different than the later years.
     
  6. skisdlimit

    skisdlimit Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bellevue, WA
    I'd probably recommend starting with his '50s Capitol "comeback" material (arguably his greatest work), and skip over the earlier "bobby-soxer" era for now. A few key titles are:

    In the Wee Small Hours (1955)
    Only the Lonely (1958)
    Songs for Swingin' Lovers (1956)
    Come Fly with Me (1958)

    After you've taken that in, some notable LPs from the '60s "Reprise" era are:

    September of My Years (1965)
    Sinatra/Jobim (1967)
    My Way (1969)

    From there, it's up to you whether to go backwards or forwards...Sinatra staged at least two more comebacks in later years:

    Trilogy: Past, Present and Future (1980)
    Duets (1993)

    I think, though, that before you do that, you might want to dip back in time to the Harry Dorsey and Tommy James years, covered reasonably well here:

    Voice in Time (1939-1952)

    Well, that's 10 titles (OK, the last one is a box set), but even all of these barely scratch the surface of this icon. Enjoy! :righton:
     
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  7. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    From the beginning is a good place. If you dont like the early columbia era after four or five songs then try the next. If you dont like the Capitol era then move to Tony :)
     
  8. mkolesa

    mkolesa Forum Resident

    "in the wee small hours" (1955) and "songs for swingin' lovers!" (1956) were the first of sinatra's 12" LPs and present a one-two punch that's irresistible... they're also arguably the first concept albums produced and could be considered templates for most of his albums that followed... "in the wee small hours" could be considered the prototype for all of sinatra's down-tempo albums, and "songs for swingin' lovers!" his up-tempo albums. they're also eminently listenable!
     
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  9. Jim B.

    Jim B. Senior Member

    Location:
    UK
    I would definetely start with the early Capitol albums, those are the jewels in the crown.
     
    JimC likes this.
  10. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    his Columbia voice was fabulous!
     
    4stringking73 likes this.
  11. drasil

    drasil Former Resident

    Location:
    NYC
    +1 for in the wee small hours. I know very little about Sinatra, but that record is absurdly good.
     
    Ro-Go likes this.
  12. zen

    zen Senior Member

  13. Lloyd

    Lloyd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cleveland, OH
    My favorites are the afforementioned 1950s comeback albums, but my friends and I were introduced to Sinatra while in high school through A Man and His Music. It is a 1960s re-recording of many of his earlier hits with Frank giving humorous asides throughout. This is not the best Sinatra recording, but I still look on it fondly and think it is a good introduction.
     
    Bob F likes this.
  14. tim_neely

    tim_neely Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Central VA
    It depends on what you mean by "where to start." As others have implied, there are several distinct phases to Sinatra's career:
    -- The big-band years with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey orchestras;
    -- The solo Columbia years, where he had some hit singles and also made his first serious forays into the so-called Great American Songbook;
    -- The Capitol years, where he made both legendary "concept" albums and a series of non-LP hit singles such as "Young at Heart," "Love and Marriage" and "High Hopes";
    -- The Reprise years, during which - because he founded the label - he explored wherever his muse led him, in both predictable and surprising directions.
    -- Finally, there are the later years, when he recorded for Qwest and then returned to Capitol; those years have their moments, but they paled in comparison to what he did earlier.

    Finding a single-disc (or two-disc) compilation that samples all of these areas is almost impossible. The closest to it was the now out-of-print soundtrack to the CBS miniseries Sinatra, but that also included several non-Sinatra tracks. Maybe, as others have suggested above, the best thing to do is go to Amazon or YouTube or some place where you can sample Sinatra's music a little at a time. Decide which era speaks most to you, and go from there. Virtually every recording ever released by Sinatra is available on CD somewhere, in numerous box sets and compilations as well as the original albums (especially in the Capitol years), so you can dig deeply once you find what you like.
     
  15. bartels76

    bartels76 Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    CT
    I know you are asking about what comps to get. The Larry Walsh set you are asking about has great songs but his singles really aren't his best material. The Capital albums really need to be heard as a whole. Theis box is cheap. is it the best sound no but it's a way to get the albums cheap. And all the albums great!

    http://www.amazon.com/Capitol-Recor...sr=1-1&keywords=frank+sinatra+capital+concept

    Also, you need something from the Reprise Years. This comp is perfect. A no-brainer to get. Just geta used copy. No idea why it costs 40 bucks new.
    http://www.amazon.com/Reprise-Very-...5468693&sr=1-1&keywords=frank+sinatra+reprise
     
  16. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    Yes it certainly was.
     
  17. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    As far as mastering goes if you are starting with his Capitol recordings then your best bet is the old Capitol Collectors 3 cd set.
     
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  18. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    I love his stuff from that era...do you have the Columbia Years Blue CD Box? If so, what do you think of it...I love the content, but IIRC it's laden with NR? haven't played it recently.
     
  19. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    yes, a good choice...and of course the Capital Collectors Series CD!
     
  20. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    The blue box is a gem. Dont recall any NR. They did it right.

    Well. his style was different at that stage. More innocent? I think many of the songs redone later are better versions. More "Frank". But gosh I love that early stuff. Beautiful voice.
     
  21. smitquest

    smitquest Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lancaster, NY, USA
    i was asking the same thing a couple years ago. found good copies of the "songs for young lovers & swing easy" and "in the wee small hours" discs (both mastered by larry walsh, '87 and '91 respectively ), and they did the job--led me to dig in to all eras while remaining my 2 favorites for a long time.
     
  22. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    I swear I heard some NR? on my Box Set...did they do another remaster? I have the first issued one. At this stage in the game it wouldn't matter anyway as I am done replacing anything in my ridiculously huge CD collection...only buy stuff I do not own unless it's a SH remaster..then it's a must buy for me no matter what.
     
  23. TLMusic

    TLMusic Musician & record collector

    In my experience you can start anywhere you want with Frank Sinatra's music, but you must end up with In the Wee Small Hours. That is Frank's brooding, melancholy masterpiece. The sum is even greater than its masterful parts. Mobile Fidelity is advertising their intentions of a SACD and vinyl reissue. Let's hope that will be the definitive version.




    Other than hearing Sinatra songs while out and about, my first serious encounter with his music was Sinatra at the Sands, a fine live Reprise era album, showcasing the man's many talents.
     
  24. howlinrock

    howlinrock Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    3 CD set "The Capitol Years" go from there. You can't go wrong with that collection as a starter. Very good sound as well. My 5 cents...
     
  25. KipB

    KipB Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bethel, CT, USA
    May I suggest checking out Sinatra at the Sands? This is a live album with the Count Basie band and Frank is having a ball and sounds like a million bucks ... as does Basie ... the old Reprise Cd sounds great ... vinyl copies are easy to come by in mono and stereo. Enjoy Frank!
     
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