By Jerry Pearce

Sinatra fanatics will most likely notice that the title of this week’s edition of “The Sinatra File” takes its name from the well-known second track of Frank’s 1984 (and final solo) album “L.A. Is My Lady,” a swingin, stompin’ arrangement by then-current musical director Joe Parnello of a song written by Fred Ebb and John Kander, two songwriters that Sinatra was happy to announce in concert were the “same two cats who wrote “New York, New York.” Indeed, over the years, Sinatra was fortunate enough to record “the best of everything” from the greatest songwriters of the day, individuals who were quite eager to hear the Chairman of the Board interpret their compositions to the sounds of musical arrangements written by the likes of, but not limited to, Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Gordon Jenkins, and Don Costa.

Like other editions of this column, we are gearing towards the Sinatra beginner, and with that in mind, a comprehensive die-hard like myself feels compelled to share what he considers “the best of everything.” In the context of this article, I share with you a series of “top ten” lists that ventures beyond the typical Sinatra in an attempt to help make the beginner more well-versed in the less than common material.

For this series, we will focus on a few main areas: music, books, film, and television. In terms of the latter three, they are listed in the order at which I feel are the greatest. Of course, every Sinatra product has quality about it, but I’ve enjoyed some more than others. My opinion is communicated as such. Because I plan to focus on the Columbia side of Sinatra’s career in a future article, that era of his recordings has been skipped in the music section. To the deep Sinatra fan, I doubt you’ll be reading anything new here, but to the beginner, I hope you are encouraged to check out some of this material after reading the following lists. Happy hunting!

Sinatra’s Greatest Capitol Songs

“Just One Of Those Things” (1953)
“In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning (1954)
“I Thought About You” (1955)
“Close To You” (1956)
“On The Road To Mandalay” (1957)
“Willow Weep For Me” (1958)
“Something’s Gotta Give” (1959)
“Blue Moon” (1959)
“Fools Rush In” (1960)
“Somewhere Along The Way” (1961)

Sinatra’s Greatest Reprise Songs

“A Fine Romance” (1960)
“Come Rain or Come Shine” (1961)
“Goody Goody” (1962)
“I Have Dreamed” (1963)
“I Believe In You” (1964)
“Oh, You Crazy Moon” (1965)
“On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever)” (1966)
“Change Partners” (1967)
“Cycles” (1968)
“Elizabeth” (1969)

Sinatra’s Should’ve-Been-Greatest Hits

“Watertown” (1969)
“Goodbye (She Quietly Says)” (1969)
“The Look Of Love” (1964)
“Softly, As I Leave You” (1964)
“Drinkin’ Again” (1967)
“Blue Lace” (1968)
“Didn’t We?” (1969)
“You Will Be My Music” (1973)
“By The Time I Get To Phoenix” (1968)
“A Day In The Life Of A Fool” (1969)

Sinatra Songs You Should Listen To

“In The Shadow Of The Moon” (1969)
“Love Makes Us Whatever We Want To Be” (1982)
“Say Hello” (1981)
“It’s Sunday” (1983)
“All The Way Home” (1983)
“Anytime (I’ll Be There)” (1975)
“Rain In My Heart (1968)
“My Foolish Heart” (1988)
“My Sweet Lady” (1971)
“It’s Time For You” (1981)

Television Specials (in favorite order)

“Sinatra” (1969)
“A Man And His Music + Ella + Jobim” (1967)
“Sinatra: The Man And His Music” (1981)
“A Man And His Music” (1965)
“Sinatra And Friends” (1977)
“Francis Albert Sinatra Does His Thing” (1968)
“Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back” (1973)
“A Man And His Music Part II” (1966)
“Frank Sinatra Timex Show: Welcome Home Elvis” (1960)
“In Concert: Royal Festival Hall” (1970)

Books On The Chairman (in favorite order)

“Sinatra! The Song Is You!” by Will Friedwald
“Sessions with Sinatra” by Chuck Granata
“Sinatra: The Life” by Anthony Summers & Robyn Swan
“Sinatra: The Man and His Music” by Ed O’Brien
“The Sinatra Scrapbook” by Gary Doctor
“Frank: The Voice” by James Kaplan
“Sinatra: The Chairman” by James Kaplan
“Sinatra’s Century” by David Lehman
“Cent’anni: The Sinatra Legend at 100” by Richard Muti
“The Sinatra Treasures” by Charles Pignone

His Best Films (in favorite order)

“Von Ryan’s Express” (1965)
“Ocean’s Eleven” (1960)
“The Detective” (1968)
“Young At Heart” (1954)
“The House I Live In” (1945)
“From Here To Eternity” (1953)
“Suddenly” (1954)
“Contract on Cherry Street” (1977)
“The First Deadly Sin” (1980)
“Tony Rome” (1967)

Until next time, Sinatra lovers!

Jerry Pearce is an amateur singer in the vein of Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, and Dick Haymes and has released two discs of standards music, Crossroads in 2010, and One Summer Night in 2016. Samples of his music can be heard on his YouTube Channel. To purchase his CDs use the form box below.

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