SOFTLY AS I LEAVE YOU
By Mahnuel Muñoz
“Softly As I Leave You” is, more than an album, a compilation of outtakes from other sessions, published in November 1964, in the midst of Beatlemania.
Said like that, it may sound unappealing if you haven’t heard it, but anyone who knows the album knows its surprising quality.
The feverish recording activity carried out by Sinatra at the time when the world was shocked by the Liverpool Four is astonishing; In February 1964, Paul, John, George and Ringo set foot on American soil for the first time, with the task of presenting themselves to the country through the Ed Sullivan television show.
Sinatra had just completed the recording of the patriotic album “America, I Hear You Singing“, together with Bing Crosby and the orchestra and choirs of Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians. A perhaps anachronistic proposal, but undoubtedly firm and strategic.
Throughout 1964, The Voice completed thirteen recording sessions in which he recorded almost fifty songs for inclusion on singles, albums and soundtracks. While the British were shaking their hair, Sinatra completed the albums “Academy Award Winners“, “Sinatra ’65“, “Robin & The Seven Hoods“, “It Might As Well Be Swing“, “Twelve Songs Of Christmas“, the aforementioned ” America, I Hear You Singing” and a part of our protagonist, “Softly As I Leave You“. An unbeatable brand in quantity and quality. If in the end a more homogeneous album could not be made, it is because the bulk of the songs that make up their characteristic sound, the work of arranger Ernie Freeman, were recorded in three sessions between July and October, the last of an absolutely frenetic year. , as you have seen.
“Softly As I Leave You” is Frank Sinatra’s first serious attempt to adapt his sound to the current times.
Tracklist
- “Emily” (Johnny Mandel, Johnny Mercer) – 2:58
- “Here’s to the Losers” (Robert Wells, Jack Segal) – 3:05
- “Dear Heart” (Jay Livingston, Ray Evans, Henry Mancini) – 2:43
- “Come Blow Your Horn” (Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen) – 3:07
- “Love Isn’t Just for the Young” (Bernard Knee, Herb Miller) – 2:57
- “I Can’t Believe I’m Losing You” (Don Costa, Phil Zeller) – 2:43
- “Pass Me By” (Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh) – 2:25
- “Softly, as I Leave You” (Hal Shaper, Antonio DeVita, Giorgio Calabrese) – 2:50
- “Then Suddenly Love” (Roy Alfred, Paul Vance) – 2:15
- “Available” (Cahn, Ned Wynn, L.B. Marks)– 2:47
- “Talk to Me Baby” (Robert Emmett Dolan, Mercer) – 3:00
- “The Look of Love” (Cahn, Van Heusen) – 2:43
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