[Nick_Bradley78]

Its on the Christmas Songs by Sinatra CD.

[WayneDC]

My favorite is a Henry Nemo tune recorded twice by Frank. The first was a swing version arranged by Heinie Beau for Capitol on March 20, 1961. But one of my all time FS recordings was the beautiful ballad arrangement by the great Don Costa for the Reprise label on November 21 of the same year. Because of contractual difficulties, most of us never got to appreciate the version until much later in his career.

It's this passage that's really exquisite...."Would you take the oceans roar and leave..just a sigh----all this your heart won't let you do..."
Superb phrasing! Also, I believe that's Feliz Slatkin playing the violin solo at the bridge.

[Donna]

Originally Posted by Nick_Bradley78

Its on the Christmas Songs by Sinatra CD.

yes thanks. It is absolutely riveting. Frank's voice is crystal perfect.

[Stnwy18]

Are You Lonesome Tonight?

[SinatraFan]

A couple of more favorites are Moment To Moment and Blue Lace, what a beautiful song.

[Adam]

"Love Me Tender" of course a widely known song, but a great FS version.

My favourite 'unknown' has to be 'Monique', a great melody and the feeling in the line "Why am i dancing" is almost as good as anything i have heard from FS in potraying a lyric.

Anyone know the song?

I also love 'Drinking Again', on a par with 'One For My Baby' in atmosphere, but hardly recognised.

[Nancy]

Adam, I wish you could sign up for Sirius XM satellite radio. You would love Siriusly Sinatra and on Nancy for Frank we play all the songs you love.

[Adam]

Hello Nancy,

I believe that even though digital radio is in its infancy in terms of usage here, that it is quickly being replaced by portable internet radios, once the technology catches up and has internet connections portably e.t.c then i would think the whole world can share radio stations. What an audience.

[Nancy]

Just sign up on the Internet like a lot of other members in countires outside the US, including Jerry, Lourdes, Kristian and Brigitte. You'll love it, Adam. You'll hear FS songs you never knew existed!

[David A]

Favorite obscure Sinatra performances:

Just One Of Those Things (1961, Vegas)
Wandering (1968, Cycles)
Pennies from Heaven (1984, New York)
If This Isn't Love (1954, FS in Hollywood)
Poor Butterfly (1968, Francis A. and Edward K.)
Until The Real Thing Comes Along (1984, LA Is My Lady)
When I Lost You (1962, All Alone)
A Foggy Day (1963, New York)
My Shining Hour (1980, Trilogy)
Michael & Peter (1970, Watertown)
The Train (1970, Watertown)
I Guess I'll Have To Dream The Rest (1951, Columbia)
Like A Sad Song (1976, Reprise)

Hell, can I just put the entire Watertown album on here?

I've just gotta say that "Like A Sad Song," is one of the most criminally under-heard classics in the Sinatra cannon. He was a great interpreter of the John Denver catalogue.

[Nick_Bradley78]

Originally Posted by David A

Favorite obscure Sinatra performances:

I've just gotta say that "Like A Sad Song," is one of the most criminally under-heard classics in the Sinatra cannon. He was a great interpreter of the John Denver catalogue.

Agreed, he seemed to have a real feel for Denver's music, and got on well with the man himself to, a style well outside Franks musical origins, which goes to show again his versatility.

[Emi75]

Hi all guys,
It’s a real pleasure for me to be finally able to join this forum after so many months of lurking. Let me say I should thank some of you already because thanks to your witty and informative posts I’ve learned things about Frank I never dreamed to learn through a dedicated fan-site.

I’ve always thought one sentence had perfectly encapsulated the sense of my passion for Sinatra. As many of you are probably aware, it was Jonathan Schwartz who once said: “He is the only singer I’ve ever heard who could sing a semi-colon”. So true. I don’t think Frank’s oeuvre has survived eras and fashions just because he was cooler than cool and oozed style by the truckloads. No, I really think Frank’s art is still among us because there’s never been someone quite like him before or since. I mean, Captain Beefheart was a true maverick and basically mastered a genre of his own. Conversely, what Sinatra did was apparently a more “banal” and common job: he sang songs. In his times there have been zillions of singers, so why do we still remember and cherish Sinatra? Is his legacy a nostalgia trip gone mad, perhaps? No way, it’s Frank’s songs that many people still love, cherish and (even) study. Because you can listen to a hundred singers of his times and easily realize no one could match his flair, his class, “his way to a simple bloody song”. And this, for me, is art. Sheer unadulterated art.

I’d like to finish this rant (excuse me if I’ve been long) with a little question. If I had to choose my favourite Sinatra period I’d go for the Reprise years even if I perfectly understand that to single out such a heavy body of work isn’t probably a very comfy move. Anyway, what do you reckon is the “unsung little treasure” of the Reprise years? I’ve got many classic records from that era, but I always wonder if out there for me there’s another pearl I’m not yet aware of...

Well, thanks in advance for having read all this and for your advice

[Nick_Bradley78]

I don't think anything that appeared on reprise albums is particularly a "lost" gem as they've now been reissued, often 3 times. But some of the singles and other studio odds and ends that only appear on the Complete Recordings set (on CD at least) would count - Shadow of the Moon for example or The Game is Over (the last studio recording before Franks 1971 retirement, though I've no idea if that was intentional).

[Brian]

Originally Posted by Nick_Bradley78

Agreed, he seemed to have a real feel for Denver's music, and got on well with the man himself to, a style well outside Franks musical origins, which goes to show again his versatility.

Another John Denver song that Ol' Blue Eyes recorded was Leaving On A Jet Plane which is on the Sinatra & Company album . . . . that song is a favorite obscure Sinatra favorite of mine

I defintely need to check out "Like A Sad Song" because as David said it is most defintely an under-heard song in the Sinatra canon . . . . I haven't heard the song yet. It sure doesn't stand on the list of the most popular Sinatra songs. It's a shame I think that most people associate Sinatra with My Way,New York, New York, and Strangers In The Night, but miss the gems that gives us more of a look into Sinatra and his music. Those 3 songs that I previously listed gives us a glimpse of Sinatra but if they want to look at the heart of Sinatra they need to look at songs the Only The Lonely album or Where Are You and even Watertown which became more of an appreciated Sinatra album over time and what I consider a masterpiece.

[Nick in Toronto]

Another tune that I (and my wife) particularly enjoy is Heart of Mine found only on the Hollywood 6 CD box. And the idea of this thread in the first place was to re-visit lesser known tunes that still have great merit, whether they are songs we once heard, ot material that got by us by virtue of it's being seldom included in the usual albums.

In this case, the tune was overlooked entirely by Reprise at the time of it's partial use in a film. Nevertheless, its a great listen (if not a great song) that is made to sound wonderful by Frank Sinatra's outstanding reading of the lyric , and his excellent vocal performance.

It may not be up to Memories of You, but few songs are.

Listen and enjoy!

[johnofphilly]

I know when you ask what is your "favorite", really, you may mean favorite of the moment topically in accordance with one's current affairs, and not necessarily an all time standout favorite written in stone.

A current favorite lesser known is "Don't try to change me now".
I think I need a new dust mop for these "ashes on the floor".
Came home from the market and realized I didn't lock the door.

[SinatraFan]

Crazy Love... should have been a big hit.

[Nick in Toronto]

Yes John, they are meant to be passing fancies, not faves written in stone.

My current two new favourites are the Nelson Riddle versions of the Christmas Waltz, and White Christmas. Both can be found on A Jolly Christmas and in the singles box from Capitol.

P.S. Both were unavailable for years until the digital age when they were added to the original Jolly Christmas CD to flesh it out a bit. IMHO they do not blend very well at all. The charts are very different, and FS is in much better voice on the Riddle version of the Christmas Waltz. Comparisons are inevitable, and the results are rather jarring.

[CraigHochscheid]

One that comes to mind is the under appreciated Johnny Mercer torch song "Drinking Again". Sinatra's rendition of this song is touching and flawless

[siouxcillian404]

As a jazz fan I loved the Ellington set and on that one my fav lesser known songs are "Follow Me" and "Indian Summer" which is one of the best Johnny Hodges solos of all time.

I also loved "Prisoner of Love" from the Strings album-no where near the Billy Eckstine version that was so famous but this version by FS soars from the opening notes and his control is mahvellous throughout the song.

I agree with so many others that "Forget To Remember " is a gem!