Perfectly Frank playlist

Today I heard Here Comes The Night by Frank Sinatra and the Harry James Orchestra. It was Sinatra's third single, released in October 1939, and it wasn't on the list – until now. Harry James played trumpet with Ben Pollack's Orchestra in 1935-36 and Benny Goodman's orchestra in 1937-38 and formed his own orchestra in January 1939. None of Sinatra's recordings with Harry James became hits. In January 1940, Sinatra became a featured vocalist with the Tommy Dorsey orchestra. In 1943, after Sinatra had several hits, Columbia re-released his 1939 recording of All Or Nothing At All and it went to number one!

 
Here is another Sinatra song to add to the list. Frank recorded Why Should I Cry Over You with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra on December 8, 1953. In February 1955, Capitol released it as the B-side of Don't Change Your Mind About Me (which featured Betty Hutton & The Pied Pipers and failed to chart) and on the four-song EP Session With Sinatra. The song was written by Chester Conn and Nathan "Ned" Miller. In November 1922, a version by Billy Jones reached #3 and an instrumental version by the Virginians (featuring pianist Ferde Grope, who would compose The Grand Canyon Suite 1931) got to #15.

 
Perfectly Frank played Sinatra's version of Cole Porter's Begin The Beguine, with music by the Alex Stordahl Orchestra. It reached #23 on Billboard's "Best Sellers In Stores" chart in November 1946. The song was first sung by June Knight in the 1935 Broadway musical Jubilee. The first recorded version was by Xavier Cugat & His Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra with vocalist Don Reid, September 1935. An instrumental version by Artie Shaw & His Orchestra was number one for six weeks in November-December 1938.

The beguine, a dance and style of music similar to the rhumba or fox trot, originated in Martinique. The word means "white woman" in Creole and is the female form of beke or begue ("white person").

 
Thanks Channel 98
I've been a Frank Sinatra fan for years. My enjoyment of Sinatra music and the Great American Songbook goes way back to Bob Luce Chicago Wrestling in the 70's
where he would play those songs, showing clips of old Crusher and Brusier wrestling matches
 
Whispering was written by Richard Coburn and Vincent Rose (words) and John Schonberger (music). (The copyright credited John's brother Malvin as the lyricist.) An instrumental version by Paul Whiteman & His Ambassador Orchestra was number one for 11 weeks, late October 1920 to January 1921. Perfectly Frank just played a version by Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra & The Pied Pipers. It was released as a single on June 28 1940 but failed to chart. This features Dorsey on trombone, Bunny Berigan on trumpet and Buddy Rich on drums.

 
Four more additions:

As Time Goes By – Frank Sinatra (LP/1962)
Pennies From Heaven – Frank Sinatra/Count Basie (LP/1962)
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To – Frank Sinatra (LP/1957)
You're Driving Me Crazy – Frank Sinatra (LP/1966)

Pennies From Heaven, written by Johnny Burke (words) and Arthur Johnston (music), was first recorded by Lew Sherwood & the Eddy Duchin Orchestra and reached #2 on Billboard's Best Sellers chart in January 1937. A version by Bing Crosby was number one for ten weeks, from late November 1936 through January 1937. There were also hit versions by Hildegarde, Hal Kemp/Maxine Gray, Jimmy Dorsey/Bob Eberly and Teddy Wilson/Billie Holiday. A version by the Skyliners reached #24 on the Hot 100 in July 1960. Here is the Sinatra/Basie version, from an album cleverly titled Sinatra-Basie:

 
Bonjour, mes amis! We can add C'est Magnifique from the movie version of the Cole Porter musical Can-Can. This appeared on the 1960 soundtrack album and on the albums Screen Sinatra (1996), Frank Sinatra Sings The Select Cole Porter (1996) and Sinatra At The Movies (2008). Here is the song as performed in the movie. Frank is a defense lawyer. Check out his "lovely clients"!

 
It's easy to add another song to the list. You'd Be So Easy To Love was one of many songs written by Cole Porter for the Broadway musical Anything Goes.. It was not included in original 1934 production but has been included in various revivals. The song was sung by James Stewart and Marjorie Lane in the 1936 musical film Born To Dance. (Lane dubbed in the singing voice of Eleanor Powell.) Three versions of the song were top-20 hits in 1936: Frances Langford, Dick Robertson & The Shep Fields Orchestra and Al Bowlly & The Ray Noble Orchestra. Frank Sinatra recorded You'd Be So Easy To Love for his 1961 album Ring-A-Ding-Ding!

 
Another one to add: The Boys' Night Out, written by Sammy Cahn (words) and Jimmy Van Heusen (music). It was the title song of a 1962 movie starring James Garner, Tony Randall, Howard Duff, Howard Morris and Kim Novak. Patti Page, who also appeared in the movie, had a #49 hit with the song, backed by the Merry Melody Singers. Frank Sinatra and the Billy May Orchestra recorded the song in 1962 but it was not released until 1995 when it appeared on the 20-disc box set The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings. It was included on Reprise Rarities Volume 5 in 2021.

 
Here goes Here Goes. The song was written by Sammy Cahn (words) and Otto Cesana (music). Frank Sinatra & the Billy May Orchestra recorded Here Goes on March 3, 1958, It remained unreleased until 1990 when it appeared on The Capitol Years, a three-disc 75-song compilation released to coincide with Sinatra's 75th birthday – but Sinatra's birthday is December 12 and the CD set came out on December 13! Here is take 1, which was cut short, and take 2, which is complete:

 
Today I heard One Note Samba by Frank Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim from the 1971 Sinatra & Company album. No, it's not on the list. I guess it is now. The song was written as Samba De Uma Nota Só by Jobim, Jon Hendricks and Newton Mendonça and was first recorded in 1960 by João Gilberto. It's been recorded by more than 500 artists including Peggy Lee, Nancy Wilson, Cliff Richard, Eydie Gormé, Mel Tormé, Sandie Shaw, Rosemary Clooney, Ella Fitzgerald, Joanie Sommers, John Pizzarelli, Herbie Mann, Quincy Jones, Michael Legrand and Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66.

 
Today the channel played The Sunshine Of Your Smile by Tommy Dorsey and Frank Sinatra. It was released October 24 1941 as the B-side of Embraceable You by Tommy Dorsey, Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers. Neither song charted. "F.T." on the label means "fox trot."

 
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