Day In, Day Out
Written by: Rube Bloom (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics), 1939
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Billy May,1958
Surprisingly, considering how often he arranged for Sinatra, this is only the second Billy May arrangement to appear on one of Dylan’s standards albums (after 'It Had to Be You'). This is probably because May specialised in up-tempo swinging numbers, which Bob avoided altogether on Shadows in the Night and Fallen Angels. On Triplicate, however, Dylan steps outside his comfort zone by recording a number of ‘swingers’, including this one to open disc three. Before including 'Day In, Day Out' on 1959's Come Dance With Me, Sinatra had previously recorded a very different, much slower Nelson Riddle arrangement for the 1955 EP Melody of Love.
Written by: Rube Bloom (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics), 1939
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Billy May,1958
Surprisingly, considering how often he arranged for Sinatra, this is only the second Billy May arrangement to appear on one of Dylan’s standards albums (after 'It Had to Be You'). This is probably because May specialised in up-tempo swinging numbers, which Bob avoided altogether on Shadows in the Night and Fallen Angels. On Triplicate, however, Dylan steps outside his comfort zone by recording a number of ‘swingers’, including this one to open disc three. Before including 'Day In, Day Out' on 1959's Come Dance With Me, Sinatra had previously recorded a very different, much slower Nelson Riddle arrangement for the 1955 EP Melody of Love.
Also, just because I've never seen this mentioned anywhere else: I'm positive that the photo of Sinatra on the front of Come Dance With Me is the inspiration for the cover of Wolverine #1.
I Couldn’t Sleep a Wink Last Night
Written by: Jimmy McHugh (music) and Harold Adamson (lyrics), 1943
I Couldn’t Sleep a Wink Last Night
Written by: Jimmy McHugh (music) and Harold Adamson (lyrics), 1943
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Nelson Riddle, 1956
Sentimental Journey
Written by: Les Brown & Ben Homer (music) and Bud Green (lyrics), 1944
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Billy May, 1961
I can’t help but think of Ringo Starr when I hear this song. Ringo recorded 'Sentimental Journey' in 1969, as the title track for what turned out to be the first in a long line of Great American Songbook albums by rock and pop superstars not usually associated with the genre. The same year Ringo released his standards album, Sinatra recorded his first Beatles song: 'Yesterday', for the My Way album. Frank also went on to record 'Something' twice, in 1970 and 1979.
Somewhere Along the Way
Written by: Kurt Adams (music) and Sammy Gallup (lyrics), 1952
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Axel Stordahl, 1961
‘Kurt Adams’ is another alias for Jimmy Van Heusen. Sinatra recorded this song for his final album for Capitol, the appropriately titled Point of No Return, which reunited him with arranger Axel Stordahl for the first time since 1953. Stordahl was excited to work with Sinatra again, but was left dismayed when Frank – who was already recording for his newly-founded label Reprise – made no attempt to hide the fact that he wanted to get in and out of the studio as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, Sinatra’s lack of interest is never evident on the recordings, which are sublime.
When the World was Young
Written by: Philipe-Gerard (music), Angele Vanier (original French lyrics) and Johnny Mercer (English lyrics), 1950
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Axel Stordahl, 1961
Another song and arrangement from Sinatra’s Point of No Return. As was the case with 'Autumn Leaves', Johnny Mercer penned almost entirely new words for the English version of the song, taking just one phrase (“Ah, the apple trees”) from Angele Vanier’s French lyrics.
These Foolish Things
Written by: Jack Strachey (music) and Holt Marvell (lyrics), 1935/36 (Harry Link is also sometimes credited, but it’s not entirely clear what his contribution to the song was – Wikipedia suggests he might have written an alternative middle-eight.)
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Axel Stordahl, 1961
The third straight song from Point of No Return. While 'These Foolish Things' was eventually absorbed into the Great American Songbook, it was written by two Englishmen: Jack Strachey and Eric Maschwitz (writing as 'Holt Marvell'), for a show called, appropriately enough, Spread it Abroad. Besides being a songwriter, Maschwitz also happened to be Head of Variety at the BBC, and the song only began to gain traction when singer Leslie Hutchinson found the sheet music lying around in Maschwitz’s office and decided to record it.
Grenada-born Hutchinson, better known “Hutch”, had come to England from New York in 1927 and quickly become a huge cabaret star, with 'These Foolish Things' going on to be one of his biggest hits. Hutch’s life story - as a black man whose massive success was tempered by devastating racism in the Britain of the ‘20s and ‘30s - is fascinating, and is movingly told by historian David Olusoga in the fourth episode of his BBC documentary series Black and British: A Forgotten History. In the episode, Olusoga unveils a plaque in Hutch’s honour outside Quaglino’s restaurant in Mayfair, London, where Hutchinson often performed in his later years.
You Go to My Head
Written by: J. Fred Coots (music) and Haven Gillespie (lyrics), 1938
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Axel Stordahl, 1945
Sinatra recorded this song twice: first for Columbia in 1945, and then again in 1960 for the Nelson Riddle-arranged album Nice & Easy. Bob goes for the earlier Axel Stordahl arrangement. The same year Dylan released his version of the tune on Triplicate, another interpretation was released by Bob’s hero Chuck Berry, on his final, posthumous album Chuck.
Stardust
Written by: Hoagy Carmichael (music) and Mitchell Parish (lyrics), 1927
Artie Shaw and his Orchestra, 1940
Written by: Jack Lawrence (music & lyrics), 1939
Arrangement used by Bob performed by the Harry James Orchestra, 1939
Another of the very few songs on these albums (and across the Great American Songbook in general) written by just one person. ‘It’s Funny to Everyone but Me’ was first performed by the vocal group The Ink Spots, whose lead singer Bill Kenny had joined the group three years earlier after winning one of the Harlem Apollo Theatre’s famous Amateur Night contests. Bob adapts the version by the Harry James Orchestra (featuring Frank Sinatra), which was recorded just three months after the release of the Ink Spots' version.
Why Was I Born?
Written by: Jerome Kern (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics), 1929
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Axel Stordahl, 1947
'Why Was I Born?' was originally written for Broadway show Sweet Adeline, and went on to be performed by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Lena Horne. Sinatra recorded just one version of the song, for Columbia in 1947. The song’s refrain, “Why was I born to love you?”, makes an appearance in Bob Dylan’s 2006 song ‘Someday Baby'.
There are at least three different Sinatra versions of this song from the early 1940s alone: a studio version (recorded acapella with The Bobby Tucker Singers due to the 1942-1944 musician’s strike), a V-Disc for the Armed Forces, and a recording for the soundtrack of the film Higher and Higher (Sinatra’s second film role, and first starring role). Bob bypasses all of these in favour of Sinatra’s 1956 recording with the Hollywood String Quartet for Close to You.
Sentimental Journey
Written by: Les Brown & Ben Homer (music) and Bud Green (lyrics), 1944
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Billy May, 1961
I can’t help but think of Ringo Starr when I hear this song. Ringo recorded 'Sentimental Journey' in 1969, as the title track for what turned out to be the first in a long line of Great American Songbook albums by rock and pop superstars not usually associated with the genre. The same year Ringo released his standards album, Sinatra recorded his first Beatles song: 'Yesterday', for the My Way album. Frank also went on to record 'Something' twice, in 1970 and 1979.
Somewhere Along the Way
Written by: Kurt Adams (music) and Sammy Gallup (lyrics), 1952
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Axel Stordahl, 1961
‘Kurt Adams’ is another alias for Jimmy Van Heusen. Sinatra recorded this song for his final album for Capitol, the appropriately titled Point of No Return, which reunited him with arranger Axel Stordahl for the first time since 1953. Stordahl was excited to work with Sinatra again, but was left dismayed when Frank – who was already recording for his newly-founded label Reprise – made no attempt to hide the fact that he wanted to get in and out of the studio as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, Sinatra’s lack of interest is never evident on the recordings, which are sublime.
When the World was Young
Written by: Philipe-Gerard (music), Angele Vanier (original French lyrics) and Johnny Mercer (English lyrics), 1950
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Axel Stordahl, 1961
Another song and arrangement from Sinatra’s Point of No Return. As was the case with 'Autumn Leaves', Johnny Mercer penned almost entirely new words for the English version of the song, taking just one phrase (“Ah, the apple trees”) from Angele Vanier’s French lyrics.
These Foolish Things
Written by: Jack Strachey (music) and Holt Marvell (lyrics), 1935/36 (Harry Link is also sometimes credited, but it’s not entirely clear what his contribution to the song was – Wikipedia suggests he might have written an alternative middle-eight.)
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Axel Stordahl, 1961
The third straight song from Point of No Return. While 'These Foolish Things' was eventually absorbed into the Great American Songbook, it was written by two Englishmen: Jack Strachey and Eric Maschwitz (writing as 'Holt Marvell'), for a show called, appropriately enough, Spread it Abroad. Besides being a songwriter, Maschwitz also happened to be Head of Variety at the BBC, and the song only began to gain traction when singer Leslie Hutchinson found the sheet music lying around in Maschwitz’s office and decided to record it.
Grenada-born Hutchinson, better known “Hutch”, had come to England from New York in 1927 and quickly become a huge cabaret star, with 'These Foolish Things' going on to be one of his biggest hits. Hutch’s life story - as a black man whose massive success was tempered by devastating racism in the Britain of the ‘20s and ‘30s - is fascinating, and is movingly told by historian David Olusoga in the fourth episode of his BBC documentary series Black and British: A Forgotten History. In the episode, Olusoga unveils a plaque in Hutch’s honour outside Quaglino’s restaurant in Mayfair, London, where Hutchinson often performed in his later years.
You Go to My Head
Written by: J. Fred Coots (music) and Haven Gillespie (lyrics), 1938
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Axel Stordahl, 1945
Sinatra recorded this song twice: first for Columbia in 1945, and then again in 1960 for the Nelson Riddle-arranged album Nice & Easy. Bob goes for the earlier Axel Stordahl arrangement. The same year Dylan released his version of the tune on Triplicate, another interpretation was released by Bob’s hero Chuck Berry, on his final, posthumous album Chuck.
Stardust
Written by: Hoagy Carmichael (music) and Mitchell Parish (lyrics), 1927
Arrangements used by Bob performed by The Harry James Orchestra (1939), Artie Shaw & His Orchestra (1940), and Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (1940)
Possibly the most recorded song on all three of Dylan’s standards albums, it could be said that 'Stardust' is the tune that started the entire project. In 2015, Bob revealed that he had first been inspired to record a standards album after hearing Willie Nelson’s LP Stardust in 1978. Columbia Records chief Walter Yetnikoff was less enthusiastic. “You can go ahead and make that record,” he told Bob. “But we won’t pay for it, and we won’t release it. But go ahead and make it if you want to.” Ice cold.
Possibly the most recorded song on all three of Dylan’s standards albums, it could be said that 'Stardust' is the tune that started the entire project. In 2015, Bob revealed that he had first been inspired to record a standards album after hearing Willie Nelson’s LP Stardust in 1978. Columbia Records chief Walter Yetnikoff was less enthusiastic. “You can go ahead and make that record,” he told Bob. “But we won’t pay for it, and we won’t release it. But go ahead and make it if you want to.” Ice cold.
The Harry James/Frank Sinatra recording comes from an August 1939 live performance at New York’s Roseland Ballroom, and wasn’t released commercially until 1994. Coincidentally, 1994 was also the year Bob Dylan played a memorable residency at the same venue. Sinatra recorded another version of the song with Tommy Dorsey in 1941. (He also technically recorded 'Stardust' with Don Costa for Sinatra & Strings 1961, although this version consists only of the song's seldom-heard introductory verse)
While Bob's version seems to have been influenced by Sinatra's 1939 performance, it also bares a striking resemblance to Artie Shaw's instrumental recording of the tune from 1940 (the intro in particular). Meanwhile, the ending of Bob's version appears to have been borrowed from another instrumental recording by Glenn Miller, also from 1940.
(Both Shaw and Miller have Sinatra connections: Shaw was married to Sinatra's future wife, actress Ava Gardner, from 1945-6, while Sinatra recorded Miller's 'Moonlight Serenade' for his 1966 album Moonlight Sinatra)
The Harry James Orchestra featuring Frank Sinatra, 1939
Artie Shaw and his Orchestra, 1940
The ending of Glenn Miller's 1940 recording
It’s Funny to Everyone But Me
Written by: Jack Lawrence (music & lyrics), 1939
Arrangement used by Bob performed by the Harry James Orchestra, 1939
Another of the very few songs on these albums (and across the Great American Songbook in general) written by just one person. ‘It’s Funny to Everyone but Me’ was first performed by the vocal group The Ink Spots, whose lead singer Bill Kenny had joined the group three years earlier after winning one of the Harlem Apollo Theatre’s famous Amateur Night contests. Bob adapts the version by the Harry James Orchestra (featuring Frank Sinatra), which was recorded just three months after the release of the Ink Spots' version.
Why Was I Born?
Written by: Jerome Kern (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics), 1929
Arrangement used by Bob written by: Axel Stordahl, 1947
'Why Was I Born?' was originally written for Broadway show Sweet Adeline, and went on to be performed by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Lena Horne. Sinatra recorded just one version of the song, for Columbia in 1947. The song’s refrain, “Why was I born to love you?”, makes an appearance in Bob Dylan’s 2006 song ‘Someday Baby'.
SPECIAL BONUS TRACK:
He's Funny That Way
Written by: Neil Moret (music) and Richard Whiting (lyrics), 1929
Arrangements used by Bob performed by Gene Austin (1929), and Emmett Miller (1929)
Bob Dylan recorded 'He's Funny That Way' for Universal Love: Wedding Songs Reimagined, a 2018 EP celebrating LGBT marriage. It has been recorded many times as both 'He's Funny That Way' and 'She's Funny That Way', and even 'I'm Funny That Way' by Marion Harris in the 1931 film Gems of MGM.
As was the case with 'Stardust', Bob's interpretation is a combination of more than one arrangement. The strings intro of Dylan's version is taken from Gene Austin's hit 1929 recording of 'She's Funny That Way'. (This isn't the first time Bob has borrowed from Austin: 'Sugar Baby' from "Love and Theft" is adapted from Austin's 'The Lonesome Road').
Gracie Fields also recorded the same arrangement in 1929. Interestingly, where most female singers perform the song as 'He's Funny that Way', Fields sings it as 'She's Funny That Way', although she does change "I've got a woman, crazy for me" to "I've got a someone, crazy for me".
The intro to Dylan's version is, however, a red herring, as the rest of his take on the song is based on another 1929 recording of 'She's Funny That Way' by Emmett Miller. A blackface minstrel performer, Miller was a big influence on early country performers like Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams and Bob Wills, all of whom Dylan is known to adore.
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