The *Frank Sinatra* recordings thread

Yes. Most of the songs were singles. The only first issues on this LP were "Dear Heart" and "Pass Me By." A grab bag of arrangers: Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Marty Paich, Don Costa, Ernie Freeman.

 

Drawn from various recording sessions scattered over 1963 and 1964.

 

And 1962 ("The Look of Love"). Since it went out of print long ago, the CD reissue of this Reprise album is one of the more difficult (and expensive) to find. It's just been reissued in Spain and Portugal (this week, in fact).

 

Mine is manufactured in Germany, Reprise 927 028-2

 

I could have sworn you wrote "France" and that had me scratching my head. Yeah, the German pressing is almost as rare as the USA one (Reprise 1013-2). The bar code number (27028) is the same.

 

I did but I edit it after wards. The word 'France' is spelled on the back, but its just to specify the different catalogue number I guess.

 

How about "My Kind of Broadway"? I dont have this one. Is it just another compilation? If so, is there any reason to get this one?

 

Yes, it's also a compilation. Slightly different than Softly, As I Leave You, since most of the songs were drawn from other albums instead of singles. From an SFF post:

The one other song which was noteworthy when the LP was issued is "Luck Be A Lady" which, at that time, had only appeared on the somewhat obscure Reprise Musical Repertory Theatre LP of Guys and Dolls. Today, of course, it can be found on many CDs.

Is there any reason to get this one? I think so, for the three songs mentioned above. All the others appear on other albums.

 

I wonder if they'll ever release I Can't believe I'm Losing You without the over-dubbed guitar done four years later.

 

You mean WITH the overdubbed guitar, don't you? Issued only on a 45 and a jukebox record, and nowhere else since, I believe.

 

The 1968 single issue has the guitar overdub. THe Softly As I Leave You LP has the song, sans guitar, no?

 

Oh, I assumed the over-dubbed one was what went out on CD. Thanks, Bob.
By the way, Bob - have you heard Autumn Leaves on the mono LP? It's an alternate take, though with Sinatra recordings that could mean the slightest intercut. I've Heard That Song Before is a perfect example of what I mean.

 

A jukebox special issue, really - in the U.S.? I thought these songs were only released together on the 7" single. I requested these for airplay on Nancy's show because they're pretty obscure in this form - maybe they'll air soon?

 

I think it's a partial alternate/intercut. Years ago on the Sinatra Forum, I posted notes on what section of the song sounded different to me between the mono and stereo "takes", and what seemed the same. What I hear as the intercut section is a better performance, IMO. See the thread/post linked below, and also posts following it :

http://sinatrafamily.com/forum/showthread.php?p=299925

 

Yes, that's correct. It's a bass guitar overdub by Max Bennett.

The original track was recorded in 1964 and appeared first on the LP Softly, As I Leave You. The next year, it was placed on the B side of a single with "Forget Domani" (Reprise #0380). "Forget Domani" charted (7 weeks on Billboard singles chart, peaked at #78); "I Can't Believe I'm Losing You" went unnoticed in 1965.

Three years later, in 1968, another single was issued (Reprise #0677) with remastered versions of "I Can't Believe I'm Losing You" on the A side and "How Old Am I?" (from the September Of My Years LP) on the B side. Both songs had the added guitar overdub. They've never been released on LP or CD. This time, "I Can't Believe" charted (5 weeks, peaked at #60).

I have a source which states the "I Can't Believe" with guitar overdub was used on a US 6-song jukebox cutdown of the Softly, As I Leave You album (Reprise SR-1013, with a cardboard picture sleeve). I assume this was a 33-1/3 RPM 7-inch format. You mentioned these once on the SFF, Martin, but I don't know much about them.

After 40 years (OMG!), I can't remember either one of the overdubbed songs. It would be nice if Chuck can dig those up to play on Nancy's Sirius show.

 

I believe the 2 overdubbed recordings are on "The Voice Vol. 3" LP from Italy.

 

Can you confirm that, Ron? I have a source that indicates otherwise.

 

Bob: When I played the 2 tracks on the LP I thought they were the same as the single but I could be wrong.

 

Bob, thanks. While I've never heard the record and obviously can't state definitively yes or no, I seriously doubt that EP has the overdub version. Those EP's should match the contents on the whole LP's they're drawn from. The EP was probably issued with or around the time of the release of the album, and "How Old Am I?" wasn't even recorded yet when the SOFTLY album was released. I've never read or heard any details about the overdubs being done, but I'd bet they were probably both done in 1967 around the same time (possibly at the same session) for the release of the "special" versions for this particular single (Reprise 0677). Also, that SOFTLY EP should be stereo (those records were produced for jukeboxes that played 7" 33 1/3 stereo records), and if the intention for the overdub version was for a single release only, it/they were probably mixed only to mono. I'd really like to know the real reason why those overdub versions were done in the first place. I find it interesting that they exist at all. Also, how were these two songs chosen for guitar overdub, etc.

 

Not necessarily. You're probably correct, Martin, but it's possible the EP was released to coincide with the popularity of the '68 single. It only contains six songs from the album, and there is no indication it was part of a set. Like you, I can't definitively state yes or no, but it's specifically listed along with the 45 as containing the overdubbed version (and it's the only other issue so listed as such).

According to AFM sheets, the bass guitar overdubs by Max Bennett were recorded on March 14, 1968, at Western Recorders 2 in Hollywood, from 9 A.M. to 12 Noon. The two titles received new master numbers and were issued by Reprise on the single RPS 0677 within a month. The single A-side ("I Can't Believe I'm Losing You") reached the Billboard chart on April 13, 1968 and stayed for 5 weeks, peaking at no. 60.

 

Figured it was Western (instead of United), given where Frank was recording at that time...thanks Bob. I used to think it was '68 for this release, then read a date somewhere that the record was released in '67. I think when I recorded a request for the songs to be played Nancy's show, I said '67 - oops! The titles need new master #'s because they were, well, new (sort of)! They needed to differentiate these versions from the earlier ones...

Those 6 song jukebox EP's didn't have "parts" that I'm aware of (unlike some earlier variants of these releases that had 1 song per side, and multiple records to make a set). These were just a sampling of an album to the best of my knowledge.

 

I have a more technical question, but still related to Sinatra recordings. When echo was added to a mix at Capitol, was it usually added to the entire mix as a whole or particular instruments?

By the way..I made a thread asking about Capitol's mixing console. If anyone has more technical knowledge of this stuff, please check it out and fill me in. Thanks.
http://stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=161446

 

Martin, I have BOTH, the 45 of "I Can't Believe I'm Losing You"/"How Old Am I", on the GOLD Reprise 45 label AND the 33 1/3 Jukebox EP (REPRISE SR 1013), 6 track EP for "Softly As I Leave You" on the tan/brown Reprise label, with the songs...

Side A
Dear Heart
Pass Me By
I Can't Believe I'm Losing You

Side B
Come Blow Your Horn
Softly As I Leave You
Then Suddenly Love

I don't have time right now to check, but possibly tomorrow. What kind of "overdub" should I listen for, on "I Can't Believe I'm Losing You"?

By the way, I actually have quite a few of those SINATRA Jukebox EP's in my collection, especially since I have a juke that plays 'em. My favorite jukebox EP, outside of the ones that I have, that make up the "Sinatra & Strings" album, is the Nancy Sinatra, "Movin' With Nancy" EP, which includes Frank's wonderful track, "Younger Than Springtime" on it!

Chris C

 

Cool. Thanks Steve. I have 2 more quick questions, which you can just answer yes or no. That way we don't go too off topic.

1.Did you do the compression trick for both vocals and instruments?

2.Did you compress before you EQ'd?