By Jerry Pearce

We’re fast approaching the end of August, and Christmas items are arriving in stores (just in time), which means, yes, you guessed it. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. For those gentlemen looking to set the mood with the finest in romantic music, we look at three Sinatra compilations released over the past years with just that theme in mind. If you’re planning on an evening filled with good food, heavily scented roses and decadent chocolates (not to mention a glass or bottle of fine wine), the following collections of love songs will compliment them well. Jokes aside, these picks are giving you one hell of a head start. Head out to your local retailer after reading this article and be sure to pick up one of these titles. I’m almost sure you’ll be sending me a note of thanks after this coming February 14th.

Sinatra: Greatest Love Songs (2002)

The first collection of love songs released following the singer’s untimely passing features a wonderful pink-tinged photograph of a smiling Sinatra dancing with third wife Mia Farrow on the cover, hinting at the delightful musical program contained within. Spanning the years 1953 to 1966 (along with a 1999 digital duet) from Capitol to Reprise Records. Beginning with four tracks arranged by Nelson Riddle at Capitol, the album soon gives way to the exciting sounds of Sinatra’s work with Johnny Mandel, represented by four tracks (“Let’s Fall In Love,” “You’d Be So Easy To Love,” “In The Still of the Night,” and “You and The Night And The Music”) as well as a rare song from his 1961 session with Don Costa (“Don’t Take Your Love From Me,” recorded during “Sinatra & Strings”) as well as a 1962 big band smash reading of “You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me” arranged by Neal Hefti, far triumphing over an earlier version recorded some years before at Capitol.

Other notable inclusions include the classic “The Way You Look Tonight” as well as the classic “Strangers in the Night.” Most attractive to this release is the inclusion of a 1999 digital duet of “All The Way” featuring the voice of Frank (lifted from his 1964 reading of the Cahn-Van Heusen song) with noted singer Celine Dion in a beautiful new arrangement echoing the work of Riddle. Dion and husband Rene Angelil were married to the sound of the tune and Dion has since performed the song with the voice of Frank in concert, including the occasion of a televised tribute for Frank’s 100th birthday. 5/5.

Seduction: Sinatra Sings of Love (2009)

“Seduction,” a worthy collection of Sinatra’s romantic hits while at his own Reprise Records, is an attractive looking compact disc packaged in slipcase and featuring extensive embossed liner notes. The Valentine followup to the greatest hits collection “Nothing But The Best,” released the year before to commemorate the issue of Sinatra’s postage stamp in the eve of the tenth anniversary of his passing, the disc features a lovely musical program spanning (in no order) the years 1961 to 1984. Beginning and ending with two masterful 1961 string arrangements (“Prisoner of Love” and “That’s All), this title also features a classic 1964 reading of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” an alternate 1962 version of “My Funny Valentine,” a remastered version of his 1984 vocal on “Teach Me Tonight,” as well as the inclusion of a rare single recorded in 1983, the beautiful “All The Way Home.” Dedicated to recently passed arranger Neal Hefti, whose work with Sinatra is represented on this album by his arrangements of “I Get A Kick Out Of You” and “At Long Last Love,” this album is also available in a deluxe version featuring ten additional tracks. 4/5.

Sinatra With Love (2014)

The most recent collection of Sinatra love songs released features a resplendent color cover of Sinatra in character from the movie “Pal Joey” (1957) and also featurs a back cover photo of Sinatra and new wife Ava Gardner walking on the beach after their wedding in 1951. “Sinatra With Love” is another quaint varying collection of 16 tracks that mixes songs recorded both at Capitol Studios and Reprise Records, spanning the years 1954 to 1988. Capitol Records is represented by the inclusion of “Our Love Is Here To Stay,” “Just One Of Those Things,” “It Could Happen To You,” “Nice n’ Easy,” as well as “Love Is The Tender Trap,” all arranged beautifully by Nelson Riddle. Also featured are the wonderful Riddle arrangements of (once again, for good measure) “The Way You Look Tonight,” followed by “Moonlight Becomes You,” as well as the rare single “The Look of Love,” all three from the Reprise era.

Keeping this collection from being an entire Riddle affair include Don Costa’s wistful 1961 arrangement of “Misty” as well as Neal Hefti’s bouncy 1962 chart of the standard “I Love You.” Most interesting to the extreme Sinatra fan in this collection is the sixteenth and final track of the collection,” a (third) alternate take of Billy May’s big band arrangement of “My Foolish Heart,” recorded in 1988, this being Sinatra’s final studio session before the Duets albums. While this album is available for digital download, I recommend buying the CD itself. It now retails for less than $10 at most retailers. 4/5.

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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