This post is dedicated to the memory of Norm Macdonald
Triplicate Disc 2: 'Devil Dolls'
Braggin’
Written by: Artie Manners, Jimmy Shirl and Robert Marko, 1940
Arrangement used by Bob performed by: The Harry James Orchestra, 1941
Disc two of Triplicate opens with another arrangement performed by The Harry James Orchestra, and one that, like 'Skylark', was recorded after Sinatra had left the band. The singer here is Dick Haymes, who went on to replace Sinatra again in The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra in 1942. 'Braggin’' is such an obscure song that it’s almost impossible to find any information about it – the only other version I could track down was recorded by Tony Pastor and His Orchestra, also from 1941.
As Time Goes By
Written by: Herman Hupfield (music & lyrics), 1931
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Axel Stordahl, 1962
From a very obscure song to a very famous one. 'As Time Goes By' was written for the Broadway show Everybody’s Welcome in 1931, but didn’t really take off until it appeared in the film Casablanca 1942, sung by Dooley Wilson. Since then, it has never stopped being recorded. Sinatra didn’t get around to tackling the song until his 1962 album Point of No Return, which, appropriately enough, was his final album for Capitol. Dylan chooses to adapt this version, making this the first Axel Stordahl arrangement he’s used since Shadows in the Night.
Imagination
Written by: Jimmy Van Heusen (music) and Johnny Burke (lyrics), 1940
Arrangement used by Bob performed by The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, 1940
According to Wikipedia, 'Imagination' was one of the earliest compositions of Jimmy Van Heusen, who had been carrying the tune around since he was a teenager before finally allowing Johnny Burke to write lyrics for it in 1940. Sinatra released two versions of this song, 21 years apart: first in 1940 with Tommy Dorsey, and again in 1961 for his Dorsey tribute album I Remember Tommy. Dylan chooses the earlier arrangement.
How Deep is the Ocean?
Written by: Irving Berlin (music and lyrics), 1932
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Nelson Riddle, 1960
This is another case where Dylan seems be to combining the musical backing of one Sinatra performance with the vocal stylings of another: the arrangement is from the version found on Sinatra’s Nice & Easy album, while the vocal sounds like it was heavily influenced by Frank’s 1946 recording for Columbia. Sinatra also recorded another version of the song for the 1951 film Meet Danny Wilson.
P.S. I Love You
Written by: Gordon Jenkins (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics), 1934
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Nelson Riddle, 1956
'P.S. I Love' You shares a title with an early Beatles song, and also a 2007 film, which stars Gerard Butler as a dead man who communicates with his wife from beyond the grave (this sounds like the premise for a horror film, but apparently it’s a ‘romantic drama’). The Sinatra album this song appears on, 1957’s Close to You, is notable for Frank being backed by the Hollywood String Quartet as opposed to the usual large orchestra.
The Best is Yet to Come
Written by: Cy Coleman (music) and Carolyn Leigh (lyrics)
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Quincy Jones, 1964
‘The Best is Yet to Come’ features on the 1964 album It Might as Well Be Swing, Sinatra’s second album with the Count Basie Orchestra (after 1962’s Sinatra-Basie) and first to be arranged and conducted by Quincy Jones, who would later perform the same role on Sinatra at the Sands in 1966, and return to conduct and produce L.A. is My Lady in 1984. A few of the songs on this album – 'Fly Me to the Moon', 'I Wanna Be Around', 'The Good Life', and, indeed, 'The Best is Yet to Come' – either already were or went on to become signature tunes for the great Tony Bennett.
Aside from recording this arrangement of ‘The Best is Yet to Come’, Bob Dylan has crossed paths with Quincy Jones several times. Jones produced the ‘We Are the World’ single in 1985 (which featured Bob), conducted the band at Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993 (where Bob performed 'Chimes of Freedom'), and also gave Dylan a warm introduction to the stage at the 2012 Montreux Festival.
But Beautiful
Written by: Jimmy Van Heusen (music) and Johnny Burke (lyrics), 1947
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Axel Stordahl, 1947
Another Jimmy Van Heusen song written for a film, but not for one that starred Sinatra: 1947's Road to Rio featured Sinatra’s idol-turned-friendly-rival Bing Crosby, who performed ‘But Beautiful’ in the film. Wasting no time, Sinatra recorded the song for Columbia later that year.
Here’s That Rainy Day
Written by: Jimmy Van Heusen (music) and Johnny Burke (lyrics), 1953
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Gordon Jenkins, 1959
'Here’s That Rainy Day' was originally written for the 1953 Broadway musical Carnival in Flanders. Sinatra recorded it just once - the 1959 recording for No One Cares, which Bob adapts - but someone who enjoyed a much longer association with the song was legendary Tonight Show host Johnny Carson. According to former Tonight Show guitarist Gene Bertoncini on a 2015 episode of the Classical Guitar Insider podcast, Carson fell in love with the tune when he saw jazz singer Ethel Ennis sing it on the show. This performance inspired Carson to learn the guitar*, with the goal of playing and singing 'Here’s That Rainy Day' live in front of his audience. And guess what? He did! That old Simpsons gag about Johnny Carson being able to do anything was obviously true.
Johnny performed the song again as a duet with Bette Midler on the second-to-last edition of his show in 1992, and his former musical director Doc Severinson led a performance of the song on The Late Show with David Letterman after Carson’s death in 2005.
* In another random Sinatra link, the guitarist who taught Carson to play 'Here’s That Rainy Day' was Tony Mottola (also a Tonight Show band member), who recorded with Sinatra in 1949, and went on to become a permanent member of Sinatra's band in 1980.
Where is the One?
Written by: Eddie Finckel (music) and Alec Wilder (lyrics), 1947
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Gordon Jenkins, 1957
Sinatra recorded this song twice: once in 1949 for Columbia and again in 1957 for Where Are You?, which is the arrangement Bob chooses to adapt. Interestingly, the 1957 recording was also the second attempt at the song for Gordon Jenkins, who had also released a version in 1949 with his orchestra, featuring Dick Haymes on vocals.
Written by: Eddie Finckel (music) and Alec Wilder (lyrics), 1947
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Gordon Jenkins, 1957
Sinatra recorded this song twice: once in 1949 for Columbia and again in 1957 for Where Are You?, which is the arrangement Bob chooses to adapt. Interestingly, the 1957 recording was also the second attempt at the song for Gordon Jenkins, who had also released a version in 1949 with his orchestra, featuring Dick Haymes on vocals.
There’s Flaw in My Flue
Written by: Jimmy Van Heusen (music) and Johnny Burke (lyrics), 1956
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Nelson Riddle, 1956
This is a comedy song that Sinatra recorded to see if the quality control department at Capitol were paying attention. They weren’t, because no one raised an eyebrow or said anything. Frank was forced to admit that it was a joke, and the recording remained on the shelf until 1978, when it was released on an album of Capitol-era outtakes and rarities called The Rare Sinatra. A 1990 article in The New York Times Magazine revealed that Sinatra had originally heard the song being performed by Bing Crosby on Crosby’s radio show; the only recording I could track down is Crosby singing the tune with Ethel Merman, which may be the performance Sinatra was referring to.
Written by: Jimmy Van Heusen (music) and Johnny Burke (lyrics), 1956
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Nelson Riddle, 1956
This is a comedy song that Sinatra recorded to see if the quality control department at Capitol were paying attention. They weren’t, because no one raised an eyebrow or said anything. Frank was forced to admit that it was a joke, and the recording remained on the shelf until 1978, when it was released on an album of Capitol-era outtakes and rarities called The Rare Sinatra. A 1990 article in The New York Times Magazine revealed that Sinatra had originally heard the song being performed by Bing Crosby on Crosby’s radio show; the only recording I could track down is Crosby singing the tune with Ethel Merman, which may be the performance Sinatra was referring to.
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