Published on Jun 12, 1998
So you think you know Frank Sinatra’s music? Do you picture some
old man from some bygone era wearing a tuxedo, holding a microphone
in one hand and a martini in the other, performing swinging, big
band tunes? Well, then think again, because if this is your image
of Sinatra, then you have never heard
Only The Lonely.
This is what is known as a mood album, consisting of songs
chosen because they deal with the pain of lost love. They say an
artist has to suffer in order to create great art. I do not know if
this is true, but it does make sense in the context of
Only The Lonely, because it was recorded in 1958 immediately
after Sinatra’s painful breakup with his second wife, Ava
Gardner.
The album starts off with the title track, and immediately you
can hear the pain in Sinatra’s voice. None of the swagger
associated with Sinatra can be found here or anywhere on the album.
The tempo is slow, and the song is loneliness personified,
describing in great detail the feeling of losing a love. The song
has great words from lyricist Sammy Cahn, and a wonderful melody
from composer Jimmy Van Heusen.
The next song, “Angel Eyes” is the logical follow-up, where the
jilted lover decides to tell anyone who will listen about the loss
of his angel. After telling his story, he ends with the haunting
line: “Excuse me while I disappear.” Next up is “What’s New?” which
you may know as a hit for Linda Ronstadt in the 1980’s. Sinatra’s
version crushes her’s like a grape. The difference is that while
Ronstandt may sing it well, Sinatra sings it like he means it.
Here, the main character bumps into his old flame and tries to put
up a brave front for her. As you can see this album tells a story.
Who said
Sargeant Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band was the first
concept album?
One of Sinatra’s strengths is his impeccable taste in choosing
songs, and
Only The Lonely is certainly no exception. Here are some
highlights: “Willow Weep For Me” is a deceptively simple tune, but
it has a great minor chord melody and Sinatra’s stoic singing.
“Blues In The Night” shows that Sinatra can indeed sing the blues.
It may not have the grittiness of many blues performances, but the
feeling is definitely there. “Ebb Tide” cleverly compares romance
with the flow of the tide, with the orchestra imitating that tide,
and Sinatra capably handling the wide range in the vocals.
And finally, “One For My Baby” starts off with a rickety piano
part as the jilted lover is in a saloon drinking his problems away.
Sinatra effectively expresses the weariness of the situation. This
is the perfect song to end this album, but for the CD, Capitol
decided to add two extra tracks from another session. “Sleep Warm”
and “Where Or When” are both very pretty, but do not belong on this
album.
Nelson Riddle does a wonderful job arranging the songs. He
worked on some of Sinatra’s more swinging albums, but here he knows
that a subtle, understated touch is needed and allows the orchestra
to color, not overpower the material. He uses mostly string
arrangements with an occasional muted horn or piano accompaniment
when needed. He wisely lets Sinatra’s voice tell the story.
I consider
Only The Lonely to be one of Sinatra’s best and most
important albums. If you are a fan, then this is an absolute
must-have album, and even if you are not (but enjoy listening to
ballads), you might want to check this out, becuase it may change
your mind about the singer.