Sinatra / Capitol Sound Quality and General Discussion: Songs for Swingin' Lovers - Released 1956*

Wow. Photos from the SFSL sessions! Gives me the same chills as seeing pics from the Revolver or Pepper sessions. Staggeringly important musical history.

 

That's great Matt - thanks! I've seen those pictures before, but never knew what session they were from. I sort of had a hunch they were from this album, but wasn't sure.

That should have been the last time Frank recorded there - off-hand, I don't there there were any Capitol sessions between this and TONE POEMS...

 

Great catch, Matt! Here's the un-cropped photo (by Ken Veeder), showing a glimpse of Nelson and a better view of those power supplies. Unlike many of their Sinatra photos, mptv lists the correct 1956 date for this one:

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There are a number of other photos in this series, including the following. (Click on images for mptv pages.)

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And here are some more from January 16, 1956:

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Hehe. For some reason that photo puts an amusing image in my mind of Frank on the way to the studio, walkin' across a busy street and signaling the traffic to halt whilst he's going over his music sheets.

 

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(I'm sure this is the one you meant to quote, Chris.)

BTW, contrary to the claim (made elsewhere recently) that all such studio photos are staged, this one sure looks to me like a candid shot taken during actual recording. You can just hear Sinatra saying, "Whoa! There was a clam in there. Next take..."

 

I think he's saying "Hold it, Nelson. This sounds like a different album!".

 

To which Nelson replied, "You hold it; I'm not gonna hold it!"

 

FWIW, last night I pulled out my Alan Dell '84 LP and played it instead of playing the usual MoFi. I was really surprised at how good it sounds! Matt has rated it as good but a tad harsh sounding. I will admit it has a tad of an "edge" to it, but it is the correct tapes and it really played nicely.

 

Nancy Sinatra had started a thread about this on the Sinatra Family Forum - it's another great "Classic Tracks" article from SOUND ON SOUND magazine, this one about the recording of "I've Got You Under My Skin":

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec12/articles/classic-tracks-1212.htm


Right now the article needs to be purchased to view it in full, but it is very good, and has further insights than have previously been published from John Palladino on the session.

 

I just bought a mint copy of this record at an antique store and someone asked me to post the stamper number here. It is machine prrinted in block letters W1 - 653 - D9 and side 2 is stamped W2 - 653 - D2 and has a dark gray or blackish lable. Oh, there is a little house stamped too.


I gave this copy a hard listen yesterday. Side one must never have been played. It's pretty much dead silent and clean. Side 2 though must have been the purchasers side of voice.the first four ones are completely clean and noiseless, but the last three tracks a ver, very slight inner groove distortion. Must hVe played those ong a few times. Broke my heart. I was sure I has NM record. So I guess one side is NM and the other VG plus plus to just VG. Rats.

 

It sounds fantastic. Smooth as silk. Dynamic. Great sense of presence!

 

Matt,

He bought it for....sit down....$6.00!!!! Is he not blessed for the New Year?????

 

A blessing from the Chairman, for sure!