Fallen Angels
Polka Dots and Moonbeams
Written by: Jimmy Van Heusen (music) and Johnny Burke (lyrics), 1940
Arrangement used by Bob performed by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, 1940
For the first time across the three Songbook albums, Bob dips into Sinatra’s 1939-42 tenure with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. I haven’t been able to find out who actually wrote this arrangement, but it’s very representative of the role singers played in large orchestras at the time – they were often just another instrument, and the long intro here (faithfully reproduced by Bob) makes it clear that trombonist Dorsey was the star of the show. Nevertheless, this was Sinatra’s first hit song. He re-recorded it, with an arrangement by fellow Dorsey alumnus Sy Oliver, for the 1961 Reprise album I Remember Tommy.
All the Way
Written by: Jimmy Van Heusen (music) and Sammy Cahn (lyrics), 1957
Arrangement used by Bob: Nelson Riddle, 1957
In the 1950s and well into the ‘60s, Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn served as a kind of in-house songwriting team for Sinatra, often tasked with penning songs for single releases and film soundtracks. 'All the Way' was written for the Sinatra vehicle The Joker is Wild, and then served as the title track on the fourth Capitol compilation of Sinatra singles in 1961. Like 'Young at Heart', this song was also re-recorded for the 1963 album Sinatra's Sinatra, with Nelson Riddle supplying a very-slightly-tweaked version of his earlier arrangement.
Skylark
Written by: Hoagy Carmichael (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics), 1941
Arrangement used by Bob performed by The Harry James Orchestra, 1942
Here it is: the first song on Bob’s Songbook albums that was never recorded by Sinatra. However, there is a strong Sinatra link here. Dylan is using an arrangement by the Harry James Orchestra, in which Frank served as vocalist between July-November 1939. The singer on this track is Helen Forrest, who, besides her work with Harry James, also sang in the orchestras of Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and Lionel Hampton. In another Sinatra connection, Forrest was touring with Frank Sinatra Jr at the time of the younger Sinatra’s kidnapping in 1963.
Nevertheless
Written by: Harry Ruby (music) and Bert Kalmar (lyrics), 1931
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Nelson Riddle, 1960
'Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)' was recorded by three artists in 1931: Jack Denny & his Orchestra, Ruth Etting, and The Radiolites. It was then forgotten about for the next two decades, before being featured in the 1950 Fred Astaire film Three Little Words, which was itself a biopic of songwriters Ruby and Kalmar. After that, everyone wanted to record it - including Sinatra, who recorded the song for Columbia in October 1950. Bob, however, goes for the arrangement Sinatra used when he revisited the song ten years later for the Capitol album Nice 'n' Easy.
All or Nothing at All
Written by: Arthur Altman (music) and Jack Lawrence (lyrics), 1939
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Andy Gibson, 1939
We’re back with the Harry James Orchestra again, and this time Frank is here too! Although the James/Sinatra recording of 'All or Nothing at All' was originally released in 1939, it only became a million-selling hit when it was reissued by Columbia in 1943. Unusually for the time period, this performance does not relegate the singer to a supporting role – Sinatra is front and centre all the way through. He would rerecord 'All or Nothing at All' in 1961 (arranged by Don Costa) for Sinatra and Strings, in 1966 (arranged by Nelson Riddle) for Strangers in the Night, and in 1977 (in a truly surreal disco version arranged by Joe Beck).
On a Little Street in Singapore
Written by Peter DeRose (music) and Billy Hill (lyrics), 1939
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Andy Gibson,1939
Another Harry James Orchestra arrangement. It’s fascinating how this era of Sinatra’s career has such a presence on Fallen Angels but doesn’t feature on Shadows in the Night at all. 'On a Little Street in Singapore' is a good example of a song that never quite caught on but has never gone away either: it was recorded a handful of times in 1939-40 (the Harry James version being the first) before disappearing, only to re-emerge in the '50s and '60s (often as an instrumental) before vanishing again. It had an unexpected comeback when it was released as a single by the Manhattan Transfer in 1978, but then went unrecorded for another 22 years. Bob's version is the third of the 21st Century, after Katya Gorrie (2004) and Marina Xavier (2010).
It Had to Be You
Written by: Isham Jones (music) and Gus Kahn (lyrics), 1924
Arrangement used by Bob written by Billy May, 1979
Transporting us from the earliest period of Sinatra’s recording career to the latest, Dylan’s version of 'It Had to Be You' uses the arrangement found on Sinatra’s 1980 album Trilogy: Past, Present, Future. An ambitious three-disc set (sound familiar?), this album was designed as Sinatra’s triumphant return to long-playing records after a six-year hiatus. 'It Had to Be You' appears on disc 1, a selection of standards arranged by Billy May. Disc two is comprised of contemporary songs arranged by Don Costa, while disc three is devoted to an experimental song suite written and arranged by Gordon Jenkins. The album received a mixed reception, but is well worth investigating.
Melancholy Mood
Written by: Walter Schuman (music) and Victor Knight (lyrics)
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Andy Gibson, 1939
The fourth Harry James Orchestra arrangement on Fallen Angels. James’ instrumental intro on this track (faithfully transposed to guitar on Dylan's version) is great, as is the outro. This is one of the most obscure songs on any of Bob’s songbook albums: according to secondhandsongs.com, Dylan was first the person to record it since 1959.
That Old Black Magic
Written by: Harold Arlen (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics), 1942
Arrangement used by Bob performed by Louis Prima and Keeley Smith, 1958
This is probably the most left-field arrangement choice on all five discs of Dylan’s songbook albums. Bob had a choice between Sinatra’s 1946 Columbia recording, which appeared on the album Songs by Sinatra the following year, and the more famous 1961 recording that was featured on the Capitol album Come Swing With Me!. He chose …. neither of them, instead opting to adapt the arrangement performed by Louis Prima and Keely Smith on their hit version of the tune from 1958.
But wait! There are Sinatra connections to be found. The most obvious one is that Sinatra, Prima and Smith were all on the same label, Capitol, at the time. But there’s more: 'That Old Black Magic' apparently had a huge fan in none other than John F. Kennedy. When Kennedy was elected President of the United States in 1962, Prima and Smith were invited to perform their version of the song at the Pre-Inaugural Gala, an event that was produced and hosted by … Frank Sinatra. Some sources report that Sinatra also performed his version of the tune at the event, while Wikipedia alleges that Sinatra and Prima performed it together.
Come Rain or Come Shine
Written by: Harold Arlen (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics), 1946
Young at Heart
Written by: Johnny Richards (music) and Carlolyn Leigh (lyrics), 1953
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Nelson Riddle, 1953
Despite Nelson Riddle arguably being Frank Sinatra’s most famous arranger, none of his arrangements appear on Shadows in the Night - the first Riddle appearance in Dylan’s standards project arrives here, with the opening track of Fallen Angels. 'Young at Heart' was written and recorded for the 1953 film of the same name, which starred Sinatra and Doris Day. Ten years later, Sinatra recorded the song again (in a slightly different Nelson Riddle arrangement) for Sinatra’s Sinatra – an album of Capitol-era hits re-recorded for his new label, Reprise.
Written by: Johnny Richards (music) and Carlolyn Leigh (lyrics), 1953
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Nelson Riddle, 1953
Despite Nelson Riddle arguably being Frank Sinatra’s most famous arranger, none of his arrangements appear on Shadows in the Night - the first Riddle appearance in Dylan’s standards project arrives here, with the opening track of Fallen Angels. 'Young at Heart' was written and recorded for the 1953 film of the same name, which starred Sinatra and Doris Day. Ten years later, Sinatra recorded the song again (in a slightly different Nelson Riddle arrangement) for Sinatra’s Sinatra – an album of Capitol-era hits re-recorded for his new label, Reprise.
Maybe You’ll Be There
Written by: Rube Bloom (music) and Sammy Gallop (lyrics), 1947
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Gordon Jenkins, 1957
Dylan returns to the Where Are You? album, which provided three of the arrangements on Shadows in the Night. While the arrangement Bob is using dates from 1957, Gordon Jenkins had arranged 'Maybe You'll Be There' once already, for a 1948 recording with his orchestra featuring Charles Lavere on vocals. His 1957 arrangement, while quite different, clearly draws from his earlier work, particularly the string section flourish after “Each time I see a crowd of people”.
Written by: Rube Bloom (music) and Sammy Gallop (lyrics), 1947
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Gordon Jenkins, 1957
Dylan returns to the Where Are You? album, which provided three of the arrangements on Shadows in the Night. While the arrangement Bob is using dates from 1957, Gordon Jenkins had arranged 'Maybe You'll Be There' once already, for a 1948 recording with his orchestra featuring Charles Lavere on vocals. His 1957 arrangement, while quite different, clearly draws from his earlier work, particularly the string section flourish after “Each time I see a crowd of people”.
Polka Dots and Moonbeams
Written by: Jimmy Van Heusen (music) and Johnny Burke (lyrics), 1940
Arrangement used by Bob performed by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, 1940
For the first time across the three Songbook albums, Bob dips into Sinatra’s 1939-42 tenure with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. I haven’t been able to find out who actually wrote this arrangement, but it’s very representative of the role singers played in large orchestras at the time – they were often just another instrument, and the long intro here (faithfully reproduced by Bob) makes it clear that trombonist Dorsey was the star of the show. Nevertheless, this was Sinatra’s first hit song. He re-recorded it, with an arrangement by fellow Dorsey alumnus Sy Oliver, for the 1961 Reprise album I Remember Tommy.
All the Way
Written by: Jimmy Van Heusen (music) and Sammy Cahn (lyrics), 1957
Arrangement used by Bob: Nelson Riddle, 1957
In the 1950s and well into the ‘60s, Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn served as a kind of in-house songwriting team for Sinatra, often tasked with penning songs for single releases and film soundtracks. 'All the Way' was written for the Sinatra vehicle The Joker is Wild, and then served as the title track on the fourth Capitol compilation of Sinatra singles in 1961. Like 'Young at Heart', this song was also re-recorded for the 1963 album Sinatra's Sinatra, with Nelson Riddle supplying a very-slightly-tweaked version of his earlier arrangement.
Skylark
Written by: Hoagy Carmichael (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics), 1941
Arrangement used by Bob performed by The Harry James Orchestra, 1942
Here it is: the first song on Bob’s Songbook albums that was never recorded by Sinatra. However, there is a strong Sinatra link here. Dylan is using an arrangement by the Harry James Orchestra, in which Frank served as vocalist between July-November 1939. The singer on this track is Helen Forrest, who, besides her work with Harry James, also sang in the orchestras of Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and Lionel Hampton. In another Sinatra connection, Forrest was touring with Frank Sinatra Jr at the time of the younger Sinatra’s kidnapping in 1963.
Nevertheless
Written by: Harry Ruby (music) and Bert Kalmar (lyrics), 1931
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Nelson Riddle, 1960
'Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)' was recorded by three artists in 1931: Jack Denny & his Orchestra, Ruth Etting, and The Radiolites. It was then forgotten about for the next two decades, before being featured in the 1950 Fred Astaire film Three Little Words, which was itself a biopic of songwriters Ruby and Kalmar. After that, everyone wanted to record it - including Sinatra, who recorded the song for Columbia in October 1950. Bob, however, goes for the arrangement Sinatra used when he revisited the song ten years later for the Capitol album Nice 'n' Easy.
All or Nothing at All
Written by: Arthur Altman (music) and Jack Lawrence (lyrics), 1939
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Andy Gibson, 1939
We’re back with the Harry James Orchestra again, and this time Frank is here too! Although the James/Sinatra recording of 'All or Nothing at All' was originally released in 1939, it only became a million-selling hit when it was reissued by Columbia in 1943. Unusually for the time period, this performance does not relegate the singer to a supporting role – Sinatra is front and centre all the way through. He would rerecord 'All or Nothing at All' in 1961 (arranged by Don Costa) for Sinatra and Strings, in 1966 (arranged by Nelson Riddle) for Strangers in the Night, and in 1977 (in a truly surreal disco version arranged by Joe Beck).
On a Little Street in Singapore
Written by Peter DeRose (music) and Billy Hill (lyrics), 1939
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Andy Gibson,1939
Another Harry James Orchestra arrangement. It’s fascinating how this era of Sinatra’s career has such a presence on Fallen Angels but doesn’t feature on Shadows in the Night at all. 'On a Little Street in Singapore' is a good example of a song that never quite caught on but has never gone away either: it was recorded a handful of times in 1939-40 (the Harry James version being the first) before disappearing, only to re-emerge in the '50s and '60s (often as an instrumental) before vanishing again. It had an unexpected comeback when it was released as a single by the Manhattan Transfer in 1978, but then went unrecorded for another 22 years. Bob's version is the third of the 21st Century, after Katya Gorrie (2004) and Marina Xavier (2010).
It Had to Be You
Written by: Isham Jones (music) and Gus Kahn (lyrics), 1924
Arrangement used by Bob written by Billy May, 1979
Transporting us from the earliest period of Sinatra’s recording career to the latest, Dylan’s version of 'It Had to Be You' uses the arrangement found on Sinatra’s 1980 album Trilogy: Past, Present, Future. An ambitious three-disc set (sound familiar?), this album was designed as Sinatra’s triumphant return to long-playing records after a six-year hiatus. 'It Had to Be You' appears on disc 1, a selection of standards arranged by Billy May. Disc two is comprised of contemporary songs arranged by Don Costa, while disc three is devoted to an experimental song suite written and arranged by Gordon Jenkins. The album received a mixed reception, but is well worth investigating.
Melancholy Mood
Written by: Walter Schuman (music) and Victor Knight (lyrics)
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Andy Gibson, 1939
The fourth Harry James Orchestra arrangement on Fallen Angels. James’ instrumental intro on this track (faithfully transposed to guitar on Dylan's version) is great, as is the outro. This is one of the most obscure songs on any of Bob’s songbook albums: according to secondhandsongs.com, Dylan was first the person to record it since 1959.
That Old Black Magic
Written by: Harold Arlen (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics), 1942
Arrangement used by Bob performed by Louis Prima and Keeley Smith, 1958
This is probably the most left-field arrangement choice on all five discs of Dylan’s songbook albums. Bob had a choice between Sinatra’s 1946 Columbia recording, which appeared on the album Songs by Sinatra the following year, and the more famous 1961 recording that was featured on the Capitol album Come Swing With Me!. He chose …. neither of them, instead opting to adapt the arrangement performed by Louis Prima and Keely Smith on their hit version of the tune from 1958.
But wait! There are Sinatra connections to be found. The most obvious one is that Sinatra, Prima and Smith were all on the same label, Capitol, at the time. But there’s more: 'That Old Black Magic' apparently had a huge fan in none other than John F. Kennedy. When Kennedy was elected President of the United States in 1962, Prima and Smith were invited to perform their version of the song at the Pre-Inaugural Gala, an event that was produced and hosted by … Frank Sinatra. Some sources report that Sinatra also performed his version of the tune at the event, while Wikipedia alleges that Sinatra and Prima performed it together.
Keely Smith also holds the distinction of being the only singer to record duets with Sinatra during the Capitol era ('Nothing in Common' and 'How Are Ya Fixed for Love'). Smith released a Sinatra tribute album in 2001 entitled Keely Sings Sinatra.
Come Rain or Come Shine
Written by: Harold Arlen (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics), 1946
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Axel Stordahl, 1946
'Come Rain or Come Shine' was originally written for the Broadway musical St Louis Woman. The more famous Sinatra recording of the song is probably the one that appears on the 1962 album Sinatra and Strings, arranged by Don Costa. Bob, however, adapts Sinatra’s 1946 Columbia recording, which was released as a 'V-Disc' for the armed forces serving in World War II.
'Come Rain or Come Shine' was originally written for the Broadway musical St Louis Woman. The more famous Sinatra recording of the song is probably the one that appears on the 1962 album Sinatra and Strings, arranged by Don Costa. Bob, however, adapts Sinatra’s 1946 Columbia recording, which was released as a 'V-Disc' for the armed forces serving in World War II.
Thanks so much for these great posts!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, thanks for reading 👍
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