New Sinatra collection "Baby Blue Eyes..." (Digital album, CD, double LP)*

Of course we’re all entitled to our opinions. Pure and simple, mine is this: This compilation was not intended for collectors. If you already “have it all,” I don”t know why you would expect something unique here, especially in what was originally a download-only collection.

It”s a nice enough concept, and I can’t fault Tina Sinatra for putting out something that’s not just a rehash of tired old career-spannng “best of” selections. These are simply Tina’s choices. (She mentioned in the radio interview with Pignone that “Hush-a-Bye Island” is her personal favorite.)

Perhaps she is saving “To Love a Child” for volume 2? I doubt that anyone even considered the fact that the Stevie Wonder song was getting its first standalone release here. There is no “selling point.” Indeed, I don’t think this was expected to sell at all, which perhaps is why it has not had a general retail release.

 

Because the version chosen has the best orchestration and sound quality? For those who may be curious, these are the three studio recordings of “Cradle Song” (Brahms’ Lullaby) and where they may be found:

1. V-Disc recording (July 8, 1944)
   Army & Navy V-Discs (1945)
   The V-Discs (1994) Disc 1 of 2
   
   Cradle Song (Brahms' Lullaby), a song by Frank Sinatra on Spotify
   
   
   
2. V-Disc recording (October 23, 1944) [unissued]
   The V-Discs (1994) Disc 2 of 2
   The Sinatra Treasures (2004) book CD
   
   Cradle Song (Brahms' Lullaby), a song by Frank Sinatra on Spotify
   Cradle Song (Brahms' Lullaby) - YouTube
   
   
3. Columbia recording (December 3, 1944)
   b/w Nancy (with the Laughing Face) (1945) 78 single
   Reflections (1960) LP
   The Columbia Years: The Complete Recordings (1993) 12-CD box
   Classics & Standards (2003) CD [and in other Sony CD sets]
   Baby Blue Eyes (2017) Digital and CD
   
   Cradle Song (Brahms' Lullaby), a song by Frank Sinatra on Spotify
   Cradle Song (Brahms' Lullaby) - YouTube

Plus, of course, the original MGM “Anchors Aweigh” film soundtrack recording (June 6, 1944), in the Frank Sinatra in Hollywood (2002) 6-CD box set. (And a couple of short radio transcriptions from 1946 and 1947.)

 

As reported in another thread:

Baby Blue Eyes is slated for a general release on vinyl and CD, April 6, 2018.

 

“Behind” the CD:

 

I see what you did there!


peace and love✌Dave

 

The new vinyl issue will be a double LP, with five songs on each side.

First-time vinyl release of “Isn’t She Lovely” and “Hush-a-Bye Island.” (Credit to @Ronald Sarbo for pointing that out elsewhere.)

 

Jimmy Roselli would have loved the cover. In "The Man Who Made The Wiseguys Weep" Roselli told of how Jilly in the mid-60's invited him to Sinatra's house in Palm Springs saying "Everyone is going swimming in Frank's pool....naked". Jimmy declined the invitation telling Jilly: "I don't look good naked anymore...and I bet you and Frank don't either."

 

Saw the vinyl at the record shop yesterday. But couldn't force myself to buy it. 25 euros is a lot of money for a compilation. And from what I have seen it hasn't even a gatefold cover. So also the artwork is not as tempting as I imagined it to be.

 

I have played this Cd, maybe, 10, or, 12 times, and, I gotta come clean, it ... The song selection and order of the songs is beginning to be very comfortable. I like it more and more each time I play it. I might have been a bit hasty.

 

It's the "Sinatra Effect". Put any 20 Sinatra performances on a CD and it's freakin' genius!! Why shouldn't it be? It's Sinatra!

 

How does the CD sound?