Non-Album Tracks, 1955

Thank you to SHTV’s “Bob F” for his invaluable assistance in compiling this information.

Ongoing discussion at the Steve Hoffman Music Forum (LINK)           

Album Index     <---- 1954 Sessions     1955 Singles:  March 4                                  March 7   March 23   July 29    August 19      September 13     October 17   October 31 ----> 1956 Sessions

 

March 23, 1955

Learnin’ the Blues

Recommended top choices, all very good, but in distinct flavors:


A hair brighter: UK 1985 This is Sinatra LP +

Middle-ground: Collectors Series/Capitol Years CD +

Middle-ground, slighly warmer: UK This is Frank Sinatra 1953-1957 CD +


Best version without dropout:

•1980s Japan This is Sinatra LP.


See additional notes at right.


A little darker, a little less dynamic, but not bad:

•2014 editions (LP slightly better than HD)

Not as Good:

•UK This is Sinatra CD - Compressed, mildly bright

The Hit Maker LP (tone off)

Mr. Success LP (tone off)

•D1 LP (dull tone)


Avoid:

•Norberg Capitol Singles CD

The Sinatra Touch - Compressed, hard sound.

Supreme Jazz + is a misguidedly EQd and processed clone of the Collectors Series release.

•All-Time Classics and The Works LPs- fake stereo

NOTES


•It appears as though minor tape damage occurred sometime after 1969, as most releases that come after that point have a dropout/flaw around 2:49.  Editions with the dropout are marked “+” in the list at far left.


Japan Hit Collection CD: stereo playback, an odd “blurp” sound (tape slipping out of alignment?) at 0:02.  These qualities keep this very nice sounding version off the “top choices” list on technicalities only.  With some minor tinkering, this CD is arguably the best choice, but “off the shelf,” it’s flawed.


•Japan’s Hit Collection CD set is an expanded version of The Hit Maker Japanese LP, but different tapes were used for each set, at least partially, as evidenced by the presence of the 2:49 dropout on the CD, but lack of dropout on the LP.  (The CD sounds better than the LP.)


•Australia’s The Frank Sinatra Collection CD takes the excellent Furmanek/Walsh mastering, but adds bass and mild compression.


•There is a wealth of very good options for this title.  Any version that is not listed as “Not as Good” or “Avoid” is at least quite nice.

Above: 1998 UK Songs for Young Lovers CD, courtesy “rangerjohn.”

Above: 1996 Complete Capitol Singles CD, mastered by Bob Norberg, courtesy “rangerjohn”.

Above: 1994 UK This is Frank Sinatra 1953-1957 CD.

Arranger/Conductor: Nelson Riddle

Original Release: #3102, April 18, 1955

Original LP Release:

    Today’s Top Hits, Vol. 13, 1955

Original CD Release:

    Japan All the Way: Hit Collection, 1989


Releases sampled for this comparison:

1955 D5 45

•1955 Session with Sinatra EP

•1956 This is Sinatra LP

•1967 Star Line This is Sinatra LP

•1968 The Sinatra Touch mono LP

•1973 The Works LP

•1980s Japan This is Sinatra LP

•1980s(?) Australia Mr. Success LP

•1983 Japan The Hit Maker LP

•1983 Capitol/Pair All-Time Classics LP

•1985 UK This is Sinatra LP +

•1985 Time-Life Legendary Singers LP +

•1989 Collectors Series CD +

•1989 Japan Hit Collection CD +

•1990 The Capitol Years CD +

•1994 UK This is Frank Sinatra 1953-1957 CD +

•1995 Sinatra 80th: All the Best CD +

•1996 Complete Capitol Singles CD +

•1998 Australia Frank Sinatra Collection* CD +

•1998 UK This is Sinatra CD

•2006 Supreme Jazz unlicensed SACD +

•2014 This is Sinatra HD download

•2014 This is Sinatra LP


BLUE = Shared mastering

*Same as BLUE, but with boosted bass and slight compression

+Tape defect around 2:49

Audio Clips

SAMPLE AUDIO CLIPS


All clips posted here mirror those freely available via iTunes.  To access the 90-second iTunes free samples, click

“View,” then “View in iTunes.”

Above: This is Sinatra D1 pressing, courtesy eharmonica.

Above: 1967 This is Sinatra Star Line LP.

Above: 1985 UK This is Sinatra LP.

Above: This is Sinatra D6 pressing, courtesy “Arkoffs.”

Above: Session with Sinatra D2 EP.

Above: 1968 The Sinatra Touch mono LP

SAMPLE AUDIO CLIPS


All clips posted here mirror those freely available via iTunes.  To access the 90-second iTunes free samples, click “View,” then “View in iTunes.”

Above: 1980s Japan This is Sinatra Star Line LP, courtesy “Dr. Robert”

Above: 1980s Australia Mr. Success LP

Above: 1983(?) Japan The Hit Maker LP

Above: 1985 Time-Life Legendary Singers half-speed mastered LP.

Above: 1989 Japan Hit Collection CD, courtesy “progrockfan”

Above: 1989 Collectors Series CD, reused in The Capitol Years, Sinatra 80th: All the Best, etc. (see NOTES above)

Above: 2006 unlicensed Supreme Jazz SACD, courtesy OldCoder.

Above: D5 45, courtesy “bozburn”

Above: 2014 This is Sinatra HD download (at 16/44.1 resolution)

Above: 2014 This is Sinatra LP, courtesy “AxeD”