Sinatra / Capitol Sound Quality and General Discussion: "Point of No Return" - rec. 1961*

While we can see from the photos on this thread that FS was clearly in "contractual obligation mode" for this album, with a few exceptions, the results bely the attitude displayed by him during the recording sessions...still a wonderful album despite his understandable misgivings about making it...

 

Steve, Graham, et. al.: You really should read Robin Douglas-Home's account. There's nothing to indicate that Sinatra was unhappy, irritated, or impatient at these sessions. To the contrary, the author stresses how intensely focused on the music Sinatra was. After all, this was not upbeat material. "One vibrant gut-wrenching track after another" is how he puts it. He even repeats several jokes which FS exchanged with the musicians. I think you're reading too much into those photos.

 

Much of this album is really good, and it has a certain quality to it overall I can't put my finger on that's just beautiful. I do agree with some criticism that I've seen written about this version of "These Foolish Things" (and I LOVE the Columbia version Frank did), but some people think it's great. Side 1 sounds to me like they structured it to have the two weakest performances in the middle ("September Song" and "A Million Dreams ago"). Even then, "Million" is pretty nice, and the other four songs on that side are very strong. Side 2 is not quite up to side 1, but sort of seems similarly sequenced. If pushed I'd probably pick Nat singing "Somewhere Along the Way" over Frank's, but I really like Frank's version and it's close for me. I don't think Frank ever quite got the best he might of out of "I'll Be Seeing You", though all his versions are fine (I'd choose the Dorsey version as best). This version of "Memories of You" is excellent, but I like the withheld from SWINGIN' LOVERS! Riddle arranged version even better (which I think is one of the very best recordings Frank ever made).

 

I love how in the RAY movie they had Ahmet tell Ray (when discussing his leaving Atlantic for ABC Paramount) something like "even Sinatra doesn't get that kind of deal". I was talking about that with someone yesterday. Also from that movie "You think pennies, you get pennies. You think dollars, you get dollars" (or the equivalent on your side of the pond).

 

I don't know where some of these rumors come from (e.g. Frank being rude to Axel).

With all due respect to the copyright holders, here's a fair-use extract from Douglas-Home's book:

Sure doesn't sound like an unhappy guy to me.

 

Thanks for sharing, Bob.

I don't have Friedwald's book handy, but aren't there some quotes from Bill Miller in there regarding Sinatra's mood at the session? Or maybe I'm thinking of Alan Livingston...

 

Yep, Bill Miller, Al Viola, and Milt Bernhart, among others:

There are some negative memories about Sinatra rushing through the sessions, but I find them suspect. In particular, Milt Bernhart claims they went through six songs in an hour each night, but Douglas-Home clearly reports the sessions ran from 8:30 to almost midnight.

 

Sounds just a tad hyperbolic.

 

He's got a "Let's Get This Over With" look.

 

I love them both. Each exquisite in an emphatic and understated way, respectively.

I don't know how the Riddle version never wound up on a single in the 50s--as a b-side at least!

 

I think that Frank handles the transitions from the macho boulevardier to the winsome lover better than Nat. Although Nat's French pronunciations are more convincing.

 

I doubt anyone has ever said that about Nat's French (or Spanish, or Italian, or German, or Japanese).

 

Is that De Rosa to Sinatra's left?

 

Vince DeRosa is listed in the Silva discography as one of the French horn players on the date, along with John Cave and Richard Perissi.