Sinatra Frank - Sessions with Sinatra: Frank Sinatra and the art of recording

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Granata, Charles, L.

Sessions with Sinatra : Frank Sinatra and the art of recording/

Charles L. Granata.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references, discography, and index.

ISBN 1-55652-356-4 (cloth)

1-55652-509-5 (paper)

1. Sinatra, Frank. 1915-1998. Criticism and interpretation.

1. Title.

ML420.S565G73 1999

782.42164092dc21

99-27871

CIP

The author has made every effort to secure permissions for all the material quoted in this book. If any acknowledgment has inadvertently been omitted, please contact the author.

All photographs courtesy of Charles L. Granata unless otherwise noted.

Lyric excerpts used by permission:

April in Paris by E. Y. Yip Harburg and Vernon Duke. Published by Glocca Morra Music (ASCAP). Administered by Next Decade Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved.

April in Paris by Vernon Duke and Ey Harburg 1932 BMG Songs, Inc. (ASCAP), Kay Duke Music (ASCAP), and Polygram International. All rights on behalf of Kay Duke Music (ASCAP) administered by BMG Songs, Inc.

Bewitched words by Lorenz Hart, music by Richard Rodgers, 1941 (renewed) Chappell & Co. Rights for extended renewal term in U.S. controlled by WB Music Corp. o/b/o The Estate of Lorenz Hart and The Family Trust u/w Richard Rodgers and The Family Trust u/w Dorothy F. Rodgers (administered by Williamson Music). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Body and Soul words by Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, and Frank Eyton, music by John Green, 1930 Warner Bros. Inc. (renewed). Rights for the extended renewal term in the United States controlled by Warner Bros. Inc., Herald Square Music an Druropetal Music, Canadian rights controlled by Warner Bros. Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Bye Bye Baby (from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) words by Leo Robin, music by Julie Styne, copyright 1949 (renewed) Dorsey Bros. Music, a division of Music Sales Corporation (ASCAP). International copyright secured. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Close to You words and music by Al Hoffman, Jerry Livingston, and Carl G. Lampl, 1943 by Barton Music Corp. Copyright renewed 1970 and assigned to Barton Music Corp., Hallmark Music Co., Inc., and Al Hoffman Songs, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Close to You by Al Hoffman, Jay Livingston, and Carl G. Lampl. Copyright 1943 (renewed) Al Hoffman Songs, Inc./Hallmark Music Co./Barton Music Corp. All rights for Al Hoffman Songs, Inc., administered by Music Sales Corporation (ASCAP). International copyright secured. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Guess Ill Hang My Tears Out to Dry words by Sammy Cahn, music by Jule Styne. Copyright 1944 by Chappell & Co. and Producers Music Publishing Co., Inc. Copyright renewed. All rights administered by Chappell & Co. International copyright secured. All rights reserved

How Deep Is the Ocean (How High Is the Sky) words and music by Irving Berlin, Copyright 1932 by Irving Berlin. Copyright renewed. International copyright secured. All rights reserved.

It Was a Very Good Year by Ervin Drake, 1961, copyright renewed 1989 by Ervin Drake and assigned to Lindabet Music Corporation, administered by the Songwriters Guild ofAmerica.

Ive Got You Under My Skin words and music by Cole Porter, copyright 1936 by Chappell & Co. Copyright renewed. Assigned to John F. Wharton, trustee of the Cole Porter Musical and Literary Property Trusts. Chappell & Co. owner of publication and allied rights throughout the world. International copyright secured. All rights reserved.

(Love Is) the Tender Trap lyrics by Sammy Cahn, music by James Van Heusen, 1955 (renewed) by Barton Music Corp. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Lush Life by Billy Strayhorn. Copyright 1949 (renewed) Tempo Music, Inc./Music Sales Corporation (ASCAP). All rights administered by Music Sales Corporation (ASCAP). International Copyright Secured. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Moonlight in Vermont by John Blackburn and Karl Suessdorf and copyright 1944 renewal 1972 by Michael H. Goldsen, Inc.

Nice N Easy words by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, music by Lew Spence, 1960 by Eddie Shaw Music Co., copyright renewed and assigned to Threesome Music and Lew Spence Music. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Ol Man River words by Oscar Hammerstein, music by Jerome Kern, 1927 Universal-PolyGram International Publishing, Inc. Copyright renewed. All rights reserved.

Put Your Dreams Away (75%) lyric by Ruth Lowe, music by Stephan Weiss and Paul Mann. TRO-Copyright 1942 (renewed), 1943 (renewed) Cromwell Music, Inc., New York, NY and Chappell & Co., Los Angeles, CA. International copyright secured. All rights reserved including public performance for profit. Used by permission.

Ring-A-Ding-Ding! lyric by Sammy Cahn, music by James Van Heusen, 1961 by Maraville Music Corp., copyright renewed and assigned to Maraville Music Corp. and Cahn Music Company. All rights on behalf of Cahn Music Company administered by WB Music Corp. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Say It (Over and Over Again) by Frank Loesser and Jimmy McHugh, copyright 1940 by Famous Music Corporation. Copyright renewed by Famous Music Corporation.

Something Stupid by C. Carson Parks, 1967 Greenwood Music Co.

Theres a Flaw in My Flue by Johnny Burke and James Van Heusen, 1948, 1958 Bourne Co./Music Sales Corporation (ASCAP). International copyright secured. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Quotation from Me and My Music by Frank Sinatra, first published in LIFE magazine, April 1965. 1965 by Frank Sinatra. Used by permission, Sheffield Enterprises, Inc.

2004 by Charles L. Granata

All rights reserved

A Cappella Books

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814 North Franklin Street

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ISBN 1-55652-509-5

Printed in the United States of America

5 4 3 2 1

For Barbara, Kate, and Alex,

with love

and for Mom and Dad,

who nurtured my love for music, and

encouraged me to follow my dreams.

In memory of Frank Sinatra

19151998

Frank Sinatra and Phil Ramone.

F rank Sinatra has always been a part of my life. From the time I was three, Sinatra always seemed to be the common thread that ran through my musical development. As I grew, I got hip to that finger-poppin sound of his early Capitol records, and by the end of the 1950s, I knew inside out every disc that he made. When I was in my teens, I would even conduct the Billy May band in the same way that kids today play air guitar.

As I began to think about the process of recording, I knew that Frank Sinatras albums set the industry standard. When I became an engineer, I studied those album covers that showed him in the studio (like