Waiter, separate checks.Wednesday, March 09, 2005
This Frank Sinatra album, arranged by Billy May, features a lot of up tempo swinging songs, many of which are about dancing. The only ballad on the album is "The Last Dance", which fittingly was the closing song on the original album. This is an excellent album, with Sinatra singing at the top of his form. The CD adds four bonus tracks, all also arranged by Billy May. They include the two fun duets Sinatra recorded with Keely Smith, who was the wife of Louis Prima, the man she usually sang duets with. Sinatra fans will dig this album.
2 out of 3 people found the following review helpful:
"Put On Your Basie Boots!"Friday, June 25, 2004
Even considering his albums with Basie and Ellington, Sinatra's "Come Dance With Me" album remains his most sustained set of hard driven, relentless swing.
Billy May's charts (he doesn't give a soloist an even break on this one) are sensational and Sinatra sings with the pulse of a great drummer...listen, for example, to his second rendering of the bridge on "Just In Time" or the way he and May practically rewrite "I Could Have Danced All Night."
The remastered CD is top notch with bonus tracks that include two duets with the great Keely Smith and the tremendously underrated "Same Old Song and Dance"..
This is pop singing and arranging at its zenith!
Note "Come Dance With Me" won Sinatra and May Grammy awards (best arrangement and male vocal performance--sort of making up for the Academy moronically passing over Sinatra and Riddle's 'Only the Lonely' album the year before) and stayed on the charts for more than 2 years!
8 out of 8 people found the following review helpful:
Sinatra Swings (like always)Monday, May 31, 2004
"Come Dance With Me", is easily one of Sinatra's best, and most swinging albums. This album was originally released in 1959, and includes Sinatra, once again, with Billy May and his Orchestra.
This 1998 reissue to CD, includes four extra tracks, which were not on the original album: "It All Depends on You" which is a previously unreleased track. "Nothing in Common" and "How Are Ya' Fixed For Love?" with Keely Smith. Then also "Same Old Song And Dance". The last three mentioned are in mono, whereas the other tracks on this whole album are in stereo. The sound quality, as is the case with most Sinatra reissues, is great. They have been digitally remastered using 20-bit technology.
The highlights of mine on the album are: First of all, the title track "Come Dance With Me", "Something's Gotta Give", "Baubles, Bangles And Beads", "I Could Have Danced All Night". I do not feel though, that there is a dull track on this album. They are all good.
Sinatra was definately in his best voice during the 1950's, and always so great backed by the Billy May Orchestra. All this, and the excellent sound quality, make it an album that you need in your collection. Highly recommended.
3 out of 3 people found the following review helpful:
This recording should be required listening for all singers!Wednesday, November 12, 2003
Not only should it be required listening for all singers but for for all arrangers, orchestrators, conductors, recording engineers, band and orchestra players and finally ALL those people who purport that they are experts in being able to define the real definition of phrasing, syncopation, the difference in marcato, staccato, crescendo, climax (for non-musicians and journalists for that matter), you don't build to a crescendo. Crescendo means to build (crescendo) to a climax. Decrescendo means to relax or soften or diminish gradually from the climax...this album is an entire education in how to sing and swing this type of music. It's Perfect!! It should be used by Paramedics and E.R. Docs to restart failing hearts. It's too bad the pharmaceuticul houses can't bottle it. They'd make another fortune. Wonderful! Marvelous! Precious! Timeless! Irreplaceable! And in the the most simple terms....Excitingly Right!!!
2 out of 2 people found the following review helpful:
My all-time favorite Sinatra albumThursday, September 25, 2003
I grew up listening to Frank Sinatra. In fact, it wasn't Sunday morning without Frank serenading the family at breakfast. This CD is my favorite. It is swingin' Sinatra at his peak! I think I played this LP until the grooves wore out! A must for any Sinatra fan.