Customer Reviews

Moonlight Sinatra

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is my favorite Sinatra album and the favorite Sinatra album of many people. Nelson Riddle never so lushly arranged as he did for this classically-inspired album. The woodwinds are moody, the strings both hushed and soaring and a glimmery melodic moon hangs over Sinatra's rich winery of vocals. This is a deep, deep album, not a gaily romantic fling. It reminds me of a moon sailing across a clouded sky with a storm brewing. Never was Sinatra as mysteriously thrilling as on this masterpiece. For the cover they were sure to do a masculine take because the theme here is really terribly romantic. But Frank was terribly romantic, too, though always in a very manly way. A great achievement to be enjoyed over and over and over again.

One wonders why this 1966 album seems to have disappeared from the scene, and is so scarce these days. True, it was never a big Frank album, and in 1966, the youth set practically ruled the air waves as it continues to do. This may not be essential Frank,but when you've heard all the great and familiar FS numbers,this will be a pleasant surprise. This is Frank and Nelson mining some gems from Bing Crosby's days, and for me, is a really fresh-sounding album, with four scarce diamonds, and where every song is first rate. The diamonds are REACHING FOR THE MOON with it's own mysterious sound, including a terrific counterpoint string-based solo;O YOU CRAZY MOON, one of my all-time faves,even with the silly lyrics. The flowing rhythms and trumpet/sax swing make this one.MOON LOVE, a take-off on Tchaikovsky, as good as the original IMHO; and THE MOON WAS YELLOW, a Spanish flamengo close to perfection all the way. If you can find it, and like a different sound, go for it...BTW, Frank's vocals here are just about the top,right before the inevitable cragginess which really begins in the late 60's.

Some of Sinatra's best. Frank's definately at his peak. If you have the chance to buy this title - RUN DON'T WALK before it's out of print. Soft, romantic but not sleepy. You will enjoy it and play it over and over and over.....

One wonders why this 1966 album seems to have disappeared from the scene, and is so scarce these days. True, it was never a big Frank album, and in 1966, the youth set practically ruled the air waves as it continues to do. This may not be essential Frank,but when you've heard all the great and familiar FS numbers,this will be a pleasant surprise. This is Frank and Nelson mining some gems from Bing Crosby's days, and for me, is a really fresh-sounding album, with four scarce diamonds, and where every song is first rate. The diamonds are REACHING FOR THE MOON with it's own mysterious sound, including a terrific counterpoint string-based solo;O YOU CRAZY MOON, one of my all-time faves,even with the silly lyrics. The flowing rhythms and trumpet/sax swing make this one.MOON LOVE, a take-off on Tchaikovsky, as good as the original IMHO; and THE MOON WAS YELLOW, a Spanish flamengo close to perfection all the way. If you can find it, and like a different sound, go for it...BTW, Frank's vocals here are just about the top,right before the inevitable cragginess which really begins in the late 60's.

This is sinatra at his peak. The delivery, the diction and the phrasing are impeccable. I remember I read in the sixties that during this album Sinatra sang the word moon x amount of times and never once made it sound like moo moo. I put the album on immediately and lo and behold it was true. I had listened to the beautiful arrangemants and the first class choice of material without noticing this technical issue. It only enhanced my listening pleasure.
He was at his peak at this time and he was great.

"I stand at your gate and the song that I sing is of moonlight
I stand and I wait for the touch of your hand in the June night
The roses are sighing . . . a moonlight serenade." ~ "Moonlight Serenade" ~ Beautiful Music and Lyrics by Glenn Miller and Mitchell Parish

The great Nelson Riddle and the legendary Frank Sinatra were perfectly made for each other . . . musically, that is. Together they have recorded the best Sinatra music that we enjoy listening to always and forever. Whatever it was that Mr. Sinatra elicited on all his recordings, it must be a real magic to one's ears. He had a special ability to interpret songs passionately and make them his own and leave lasting impressions on them. Thus, making these songs charming and timeless like the repertoire in this lovely and romantic CD, songs about the moon and moonlight, which are synonymous to love.

Just like the Chairman who once told an interviewer that his favorite kind of music was "all the great Glenn Miller things," my absolute favorite of course is Glenn Miller and Mitchell Parish's classic, "Moonlight Serenade." I set it up on a 'repeat' mode so I could listen to it eternally. That's how I love this gem of a song. Mr. Riddle's lavish strings arrangement is simply superb and Mr. Sinatra's perfect-in-every-way style of singing is simply spellbinding.

I also like his renditions of Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke's "Moonlight Becomes You" and "Oh, You Crazy Moon," ("you broke my heart!"), Irving Berlin's "Reaching For The Moon" and Harold Adamson and Peter De Rose "Moonlight Mood."

Another remarkable track is a song based on a composition by the great classical master, Peter Tchaikovsky's "Fifth Symphony: Second Movement" and written by Mack David, Mack Davis and Andre Kostelanetz, "Moon Love."

Listen to this wonderful CD and let Mr. Sinatra "stand at your gate" and serenade you with these 'moon' songs on a June night such as this. How lovely!

This is a very romantic but not corny album. It has depth when it comes songs, arranging and singing.

I think this is a great album to listen to in the car, over dinner or while relaxing but NOT sleeping.

Nelson's charts are some of the best he did for Frank.

One of the great CD's of the Sinatra colllection. This album to me like a great bottle of wine, very smooth and relaxing with a lot of great conversation and love. Moonlite Seranade is one of my favorite songs of all time, it is very beautiful and sets the mood for the evning. I think it's one of the best albums I ever heard and I recommend it for a wonderful dinner and night on the town.

Many people think of Sinatra's best work as being "New York, New York" and assume he was mostly Vegas and schmaltz. I can't think of another album that has more earnest feeling than this coming from a tough guy like Sinatra. It's full of romance, broken dreams and sad lamentations that anyone with a heart, even a cold one, can relate to. However, Sinatra sings in such a way that it's not only OK to feel that way, but almost enjoyable. It's hard to describe enjoying being blue, but when I put this on I'm truly moved. But there's no forced sentimentality; just a guy who has had his dreams and heart broken by various girls and too much moonlight. Anyone who has experienced heartbreak and angst over love will relate to this...and somehow still feel swell!

These ballads, all with "moon" themes, include the best arrangements of some titles that Sinatra recorded more than once. The recordings are older than the CD release, and represent the artist at his finest. As we know, no singer of love songs did it better; this collection is golden. Two of my favorite tracks: "The Moon Was Yellow" and "Moonlight Becomes You."