Search - Frank Sinatra :: Come Fly With Me

As Atmospheric And Exciting As A Round Trip Through Europe.

Anthony Nasti | Staten Island, New York United States | 10/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In all honesty, the cover of "Come Fly With Me" is enough to get you to purchase the album. Who can resist the image of Frank, standing against the backdrop of a clear blue sky, sporting his trademark tilted hat and fine pressed tux, a sly look in his eye, inviting you to take his hand and take to the sky to "get away from it all."



Of course, there's more to "Come Fly With Me" than beautiful artwork, as the music is just as if not more beautiful and equally warm and inviting. Frank's sixth(!) album of 1957, "Come Fly With Me" was Frank's first collaboration with Billy May. Whereas Gordon Jenkins (who worked with Frank for the first time earlier in the year on the woefully underrated "Where Are You?") specialized in moody, string driven ballads, and the legendary Nelson Riddle represented somewhat of a middle ground between lushly orchestrated ballads and heavy swingers, Billy May mastered big, loud, brassy numbers. The result was a fatter, fuller sound than previous efforts that nonetheless suited Frank's style to a T.



The album begins with its timeless title track, a breezy Cahn-Van Huesen composotion that features a soaring Frank vocal and elegant, propulsive May chart that shoots down any doubt about how well the duo's collaboration would turn out. This song alone makes the album worth the purchase.



The rest of the album is excellent. "Around The World", "Moonlight In Vermont," and especially the stunning "Autumn In New York" (one of Frank's most delicate and powerful vocal performances) all show May could handle a ballad (something some doubted due to the generally swingier natur of his music). "Let's Get Away From It All" is charming and fun, as are "Isle Of Capri" and the thrilling "On The Road To Mandalay". "April In Paris" has some of Frank's best singing, stretching his vocal range to new heigts and putting great emphasis on his legato. "London By Night" goes down ever so smoothly, while "Brazil" swings gently. "Blue Hawaii" never sounded this beautiful when Elvis did it, and lastly, "It's Nice To Go Trav'ling" is a perfect closer and a true gem of a song.



To augement the original 12 track are 3 bonus songs done with Nelson Riddle. The first is the classic "Chicago", done for the film "The Joker Is Wild". The arrangement here is fantastic and Frank's vocal is amazing, with his diction skills on especially full display. "South Of The Border" comes Frank's first session with Nelson in 1953. A propulsive, heavy hittting swinger, this song was long though to indeed be arranged by May. It just goes to show how great and diverse Riddle could be. Lastly, there's the great "I Love Paris," recorded fro Frank's 1960 film "Can-Can".



"Come Fly With Me" is classic Frank the whole way through, a light as the breeze masterpiece that only Frank can provide."

Sinatra Sounds The Best On Vinyl

Christopher Rizzo | 11/10/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 180gram reissue sounds fantastic! Sounds way better than any cd out there. Sinatra actually sounds like Sinatra something that is missing from the cds. Capitol did an incredible job on these three Lps. Capitol needs to reissue all his Capitol albums on 180gram vinyl!"