Friday 4 November 2016

What we're listening to: Frank Sinatra 'Songs for Swinging Lovers'


Often referred to as 'The Nelson Riddle' Album, this was Sinatra's tenth Album from 1956 and considered his best by most or thereabouts with 1955's "In the wee small hours" record.

It's a smooth classic though and lovely to hear in the background of Streamabout's offices as a lot of the tunes are well known still. 

"It happened in Monterey", "You make me feel so young", "Pennies from Heaven", Cole Porter's "I've got you under my skin", "Anything goes" and so on. Play it and you'll know them.

It's Nelson Riddle's arrangements that stand out (you'll often hear Van sing about 'Nelson Riddle Strings') and great orchestration. Plus Sinatra sings on the half beat and was 41 when it was recorded having released his first Album in 1946. So ten Albums in ten years.

From a tenement in Hoboken New Jersey, the only child of Italian immigrants, he was an icon of his time and one smooth crooner nevermind Actor ('From here to Eternity' Academy Award winner). Actually given current elections, he actively campaigned for Truman, JFK (who he was very close to) and Reagan. 

He died in 1988 at 82 by the way, but when you look at his career, it's hard to fathom that one person could achieve so much in one life. Extraordinary. And probably, he was the greatest singer of the 20th Century.

This is an Album you should have and go to every now again, well worth a listen. It's for Swinging Lovers so there you go. 

Listen to Nelson Riddle and Sinatra at their best here....




Previous "listen to's" you'll also find on this blog (you can search them in the Search top left on the Blog)......Al Stewart 'Year of the Cat': Stevie Ray Vaughan 'Texas Flood':Frank Ocean 'Blond': Jimmy Buffett 'Son of a Sailor': Marc Cohn 'Marc Cohn': Bill Withers 'Complete Sussex and Columbia': Hendrix 'Electric Ladyland': ABC 'Lexicon of Love': Rickie Lee Jones 'Rickie Lee Jones': Billy Joel "Glass Houses": Rodriguez "Cold Fact": Prefab Sprout 'Steve McQueen'; Chet Baker 'Live 64-79'; The Stone Roses 'Stone Roses'; Joe Jackson 'I'm the Man'; Oasis 'Morning Glory'; Bob Dylan 'At The Budokan'; Van "It's too late to stop now Volume 2/3/4"; Air 'Moon Safari'; Talking Heads 'Stop Making Sense'; Lynyrd Skynyrd 'One for the road'; Marvin Gaye 'Whats Goin on'; Mercury Rev 'Deserters Songs'; Dave Matthews 'Crash'; Beyonce 'Lemonade'; Prince 'Sign O the times'; Daft Punk 'Random Access Memories'; Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black';Police 'Outlandos D'Amour'; Michael Jackson 'Off the Wall'; Carole King 'Tapestry'; Beatles 'Red Album'; Sex Pistols 'Never mind the Bollocks'; Sam Cooke 'Live at Harlem Square'; The Doors 'LA Woman'; Thin Lizzy 'Live & Dangerous'; Kendrick Lamarr 'Butterfly'; Aretha Franklin 'Amazing Grace'; Clapton '461'; Massive Attack 'Blue Lines'; The Clash 'London Calling'; Chris Isaak 'At The Filmore'; Bob Dylan 'Street Legal'; Bad Company 'Straight Shooter'; Jackson Browne 'Love is Strange'; Lou Reed 'Transformer'; Steely Dan 'AJA'; Stones 'Black+Blue'; Stephen Bishop 'Careless'; Nils Lofgren 'Night after Night'; Mike Oldfield 'Tubular Bells'; Neil Young 'Harvest'; Led Zep '4'; David Bowie 'David Live'; Van Morrison 'It's too late to stop now'; Wings 'Band on the Run'; Rod Stewart 'Atlantic Crossing'; Ryan Adams 'Heartbreaker'; Santana 'Essential'; Bob Dylan 'Desire'; Roxy Music 'For your pleasure'; Bob Marley 'Legend'; Stephen Fretwell 'Magpie'; James Taylor 'Sweet Baby James'; Deep Purple 'Machine Head'; Springsteen 'Darkness on the edge of town'; Leon Bridges 'Coming Home'; Eagles 'Hotel California'; Jungle; Aretha 'Soul Queen'; Neil Young 'After the Goldrush' ; Zappa 'Overnite Sensation'; Fleetwood Mac 'Rumours'; Keith Jarrett 'Koln Concert'; Doobies 'Southbound'; Stevie Earle 'I feel Alright'; Tom Waits 'Closing Time'; Pink Floyd 'Dark Side'; Van Morrison 'Moondance'; Eric Church 'Caught in the Act'; Randy Newman 'Little Criminals'; Elton John 'Madman across the water'; Patti Smith 'Horses'; Doobies 'Captain and Me'; Steely Dan 'Can't Buy a Thrill'.