Last Frank Sinatra Capitol Gray Label

Can anyone tell me when Capitol stopped using the gray label and switched to the 9 o' clock rainbow label for Sinatra's albums? Specifically which album was the last gray labeled one?

Or better yet, does anyone have a link to a website with a rundown of all the label variations from the 50s on?

Thanks!

 

Unless very early copies of his Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely (W-1053) had a grey label, then the album before it would be the last "grey label" Sinatra. The debut of the first 9 o'clock rainbow label (with "Long-Playing High Fidelity" at an angle, the Capitol "dome" logo being grey, and the rainbow itself different than what would be introduced beginning a year later) apparently coincided with the introduction of stereo in mid-1958 - probably because the single-colored labels such as grey for W, turquoise blue for T etc., were associated with mono.

Better yet, type in "Capitol Sinatra" in the Search feature here, one of the many earlier posts about this subject would have a link to the various label variations of Capitol from the '50's to about the '70's or thereabouts.

 

Thanks W.B. I knew I could count on you.

 

Agreed. The rainbow rim was intended to show that Capitol's newfangled STEREO LP's were ablaze in all the tonal colors of the spectrum (even though it was used on the mono LP's as well). IMO the "9 o' clock" black/rainbow label, particularly the 2nd version, is the looking record label ever.

IF Only the Lonely does NOT exist, the last regular Sinatra LP issued with the gray label would be This Is Sinatra Volume 2 (W-982), a compilation with some then new songs. The previous "concept" album was Come Fly With Me (W-920). There's also the Kings Go Forth soundtrack (W-1063), which was issued after This Is Sinatra Volume 2.

 

Martin,

Do you mean "Come DANCE With Me"?

 

No. DANCE followed Only the Lonely, (S)W-1069.

 

Hi,

Frank Sinatra Sings For Only The Lonely is the last Grey Label Capitol LP of his work in the USA. There were a couple of later ones in the UK on Grey Label on Capitol UK/ Capitol Germany. The Stereo Only The Lonely first appeared on the Rainbow label with spikes and the logo at 9 O'clock.

 

is the _____ looking record label ever.

Best? Worst? Coolest? I'm just curious what you meant. I assume something along the lines of coolest.

 

Do you actually have a US gray label "Frank Sinatra Sings For Only The Lonely"? I have been trying to confirm it's existence for years with no luck. I've seen a UK copy but never a US one. If you can provide a picture that would be great

 

I don't think there is a US gray label for Only the Lonely. I really do not.

 

I think I may have seen a really beaten up copy of a grey label only the lonely......I think......99.9% sure I have------if I can, I'll try to find it and pick it up next week and snap a picture of it..Almost sure.....try ebay too--they may have one up there---

 

I have kept an eye on ebay for months. Every single copy that comes up is rainbow! Not one gray label.

I really do not think it exists (we debated this very topic a few months ago and no one could produce a gray label).

Until I see one I say it does not exist.

 

My gold mine book apparently says it does----sorry for the fuzzy pic--but it does say "Grey Label" under Only The Lonely (M)

 

Actually, that was pressings from after mid-1959. It would appear the very first stereo OTL would be the first rainbow label design with "Long-Playing High Fidelity" at an angle and the 9 o'clock position logo in grey, as I noted earlier. Unless the stereo came out after '59.

 

As you can see from this scan I recently posted in another Frank thread in New Zealand they kept the grey label for a while longer than the US. This album was pressed from US metal parts sent out to NZ, Capitol did this right thru to the 70s. I'm almost certain 'Only The Lonely' was released here on grey label Capitol. I'll see if I can locate one...

 

Hi,

The Stereo did come out in February, 1960 of "Sings For Only The Lonely". The radio station I worked for had a Grey label mono of "Sings For Only The Lonely", it was a commercial pressing bought at the Music Box. Price $3.79. They were the true first run. Only Scranton made Grey labels of this that I am aware of.

 

Hi

After reading a previous thread that questioned the existence of a grey label Capitol pressing of ONLY THE LONELY I found a Japanese pressing with red vinyl and grey label offered on E-Bay and I won it. Catalog # is 2LP3022E and I have seen other Jpanese red vinyl albums from Japan offered. This is the mono 12 cut version and interestingly the B side is labelled Side 1!!I wonder if anyone knows more about this series of Japanese issues?

 

I'm not saying it doesn't exist but IF it does it is as rare as hen's teeth. All it takes is one gray label US copy to surface and that will settle the argument. I've been looking in stores all over CA on ebay for 2-3 years and have probably had in my hands about 30 copies of this title and not a gray label in the bunch. The earliest stampers I have seen are on my vertical text rainbow-label which are N1#2 for side 1 and N2 for side 2. Anybody have earlier stampers?

 

I didn't intend a fill in the blank test. Sorry about that...

I think it's the best looking label.

 

Kent, that actually exists on the original LONG PLAYING/HIGH FIDELITY black/rainbow label too. I have one in STEREO, and also a STEREO No One Cares with that 1st label.

 

Kent, could you possibly contact them and see if they still have it? If they do, and are willing to sell it, I'd gladly buy it (even if it's rough).

 

The number after the letter is the lacquer # that was cut in that particular studio. So on this copy you have a side 1 sourced from the 1st lacquer cut (from a dub) in NY, and a side 2 from the 2nd lacquer (also NY). A "D" would denote a lacquer cut (from the master) in LA.

 

Martin, I assume most of Sinatra's Capitol output was recorded in LA so the "D" cut lacquer's would be cut from the masters while the NY "N" cuts, were from a dub. Are there any titles recorded in NY therefore "N" cuts from masters?

 

Sorry Martin. But the correct answer was actually twinkliest.

 

During his Capitol years, absolutely not. He'd cut sides in New York while at Columbia, and he recorded in the Big Apple on occasion during the "Reprise Years" - but never while at Capitol, otherwise his discographies would have had at least some titles in the "20000" block which was assigned to the New York studio. No, his sides were all 10000 and 30000 series numbers, all but the first few years with an "E" (for Essex Productions, Inc.) prefix.