Albums that exist in the same realm as Sinatra's 'saloon songs' or 'noir' albums

Chinatown - OST

 

Holly Cole - Don't Smoke in Bed

 

Joni's cover of Summertime is absolutely brilliant. She sounds like she's been singing jazz for her whole life. She nails the song's whole vibe

 

I really want to own a copy of this but it has of course shot up to collectors prices!

 

Great post. Will Friedwald makes the same point in his excellent book "The Song Is You" from 1997. He says that Sinatra's covers of modern music usually didn't work because he and his associates had a limited vision of what current music was.

Friedwald cites Elvis Costello's "Almost Blue" as the type of song Sinatra should have been doing. But, heck, I'd consider the Dead's "Stella Blue" or "If I Had The World To Give" as more appropriate for Sinatra's style than some of the things he covered, like "Song Sung Blue."

That said, Sinatra did manage to find a (mostly) good balance of old and new on his last great album She Shot Me Down, which I'd strongly recommend -- and which fits in with the albums discussed on this thread.

 

His album ‘Some Nice Things I’ve Missed’ I have to admit has some terrible material. There certainly were better options. As much as Frank hated rock n roll, with the right people around him it was definitely possible to find then contemporary songs with good lyrics and a nice melody. There were also a ton of songs from the 20s through the 50s that he never did that could’ve made a great album.
‘She Shot Me Down’ is a miracle album to me especially considering the year it was made - it has great performances and good material.
The album he did of Rod McKuen songs was definitely not a bad idea and a step in the right direction as far as rock era writers that he could use. Maybe an entire album of McKuen was too much I don’t know - I like the album.

 

What album does she do ‘summertime’ ?

 

Herbie Hancock Gershwin's World

 

Played this tonight based on your suggestion. Wow. Thanks!

 

Glad you liked it.

 

Julie London’s version of Cry Me a River is the very essence of the genre, from her first record as some have already noted.
In a similar vein, Tracy Thorn, singing with The Style Council, gave us this little gem, The Paris Match.

 

I could drive city streets in the rain all night long playing The Heart of Saturday Night, windshield wipers keeping time.

 

Another 50s femme-vox album that really dials up the noir angle...

 

A great topic. I'll enjoy discovering the albums mentioned here.

I also thought of Ferry, anachronous though it may seem. I'd add Taxi and Mamouna to the list.

 

And another fairly obscure one but worth seeking out. This has nice arrangements by Fred Katz; seems to have been the only album Pat Healy ever made.

 

I really would have liked to have heard Frank do that one. Chet Baker's version is merely okay; too detached. Sinatra has an ability to commit to a lyric of that sort- addressing a departed lover directly as someone that he once cared about, and in fact still cares about- that Chet, for all his talents, doesn't really share.

Similarly, Frank could have done a great version of Joni Mitchell's "Hejira." As could Mel Torme. Whereas Chet would likely have wandered off in reverie in the middle of that communique without even finishing it- much less signing, sealing, and wearily delivering it, the way it's supposed to be sung.

On the other hand, Chet Baker the horn player could probably have done wonders with that melody.

 

Richard Hawley - Truelove's Gutter

 

I don’t think the whole Mo’ Better Blues album qualifies for this thread, but Harlem Blues sure does:

 

Yes - a great addition for this topic.

 

I’m intrigued by this - I listened to a sample and ordered the CD version- thanks

 

Excellent! Unfortunately this another that has shot up to collectors prices already

 

That is indeed a good one released in 1958 and was her only album.

Pat Healy passed away late last year at age 92. Here's a long obituary with lots of information about her career and life. Very interesting reading.

Pat Healy Obituary from Point Reyes Light, 01/09/2020