Frank Sinatra—The brilliant and colorful vocalist properly came into to prominence during the era of the second World War. His proper first solo record soon follows. The song “You Get to My Head” is the first track on the cut. The vocal quality is crisp and clear. The color of the orchestration behind the scenes is swirling in anticipation for another vocal panning line after line. The 1938 song was pinned by Sinatra following a string of artists that had previously recorded famous jazz artists. His version, however was top in the easy listening charts. It went to #1, not surprisingly. The arrangements for the tracks were conducted by Axel Stordahl and played by his orchestra, which was basically a string quartet, woodwinds and a few brass. You can’t have a huge orchestra when doing pop records, especially if the record is meant to be intimate. The way the record was produced in such a way that the melodies and harmonies will keep you listening throughout the minutes that pass.
The other track that has stood out throughout the latter half of the 20th century is the classic “Someone to Watch Over Me.” This song has been covered by over 100 artists over the ages. It is a fabulous Jazz number originally penned by George Gershwin that quickly became a standard in the Great American Songbook. Enter in Frank Sinatra and his melodious but deep voice. He nailed it beautifully. The orchestra again swoons over the flawless lines in production in Sinatra’s voice. Two classic gems in the repertoire still stand up today—these two are some of Sinatra’s greatest hits. The whole ten inch “EP” as it were is simply fabulous and it was one of his greatest efforts right before he had a career slump in 1946. It was a start to the timeless music that is Sinatra.
