Ring a Ding Ding [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Frank Sinatra | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 26, 1998)
• Original Release Date: 1991
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000006OBO
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #189,005 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Ring-A-Ding Ding

2. Let's Fall in Love

3. Be Careful, It's My Heart

4. A Foggy Day

5. A Fine Romance

6. In the Still of the Night

7. The Coffee Song (They've Got an Awful Lot of Coffee in Brazil)

8. When I Take My Sugar to Tea

9. Let's Face the Music and Dance

10. You'd Be So Easy to Love

11. You and the Night and the Music

12. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This 1961 album was Sinatra's first release for his own label, Reprise. Not coincidentally, there's an obvious air of exultation running throughout the entire record. Sinatra is in impeccable voice as he swaggers through Johnny Mandel's arrangements with confidence to spare, delivering unforgettable versions of "A Foggy Day," "When I Take My Sugar to Tea," "Let's Face the Music and Dance" and "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm." This is prime "Rat Pack"-era Sinatra, as rakish as the tilt of his hat on the album's cover. Sadly, too few of his subsequent Reprise releases managed to measure up to the standard set by this album. --Dan Epstein

Product Description

The 50th Anniversary edition of The Chairman of the Board's remarkable first album for his very own Reprise record label. Recorded at a time when he was running the Rat Pack, it's no coincidence that the album is named after one of his favorite phrases of the era. Ring-a-Ding Ding perfectly captures the atmosphere of Sinatra in 1961, but it is a joy and completely fascinating to listen to at any time, in any era. FEATURES TWO BONUS TRACKS! --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Johnny Mandel Fits Sinatra Like a Glove..., January 5, 2005

By 

W. S. Ferguson "KingPinHead" (Des Moines, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ring a Ding Ding (Audio CD)

A major reason Sinatra peeled away from Capitol Records in 1961 to form his new Reprise label was to work with a variety of arrangers with innovative styles. "Ring-a-Ding-Ding" was the maiden album he recorded for his new enterprise, and what a debut it was! Johnny Mandel's jazz-infused arrangements proved a perfect foil for Sinatra, who at this point was still at his peak of vocal abilities. As was their custom for a number of Sinatra's albums over these years, Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn composed the title track for their long-time buddy, and it certainly sets the tone for this varied and very swinging program. Old standards such as Irving Berlin's "Be Careful, It's My Heart" and "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" are revitalized with Mandel's winning charts, while a pair of Cole Porter gems, "In the Still of the Night" and "Easy to Love" find Sinatra and Mandel in full sympathy, producing results that are at once swinging and sophisticated. The light-heartedness continues with the witty "Coffee Song" and intoxicating readings of Harold Arlen's "Let's Fall in Love" and the Kern/Fields classic "A Fine Romance." During the same session, they also recorded an excellent rendition of "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart," which was cut from the final album release, since it was a thirteenth and "odd man out" track. Thankfully, it survived the intervening years and was included in several of Sinatra's Reprise retrospective collections. It is unfortunate Sinatra collaborated with Mandel for just this single occasion. They display real rapport here, and produced one of Sinatra's best albums of his Reprise era...actually, one of his best...period...

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outrageously good, July 29, 2000

By 

Candace Scott (Lake Arrowhead, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ring a Ding Ding (Audio CD)

This record launched Frank's Reprise years and what a debut! Five stars isn't sufficient for an album that contains some of the great vocal tracks ever sung by Sinatra. This is an album where you can put it on, hit play and never fast forward, all the songs are eminently Sinatraesque and exuberant. "The Coffee Song" is fantastic, "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" is another sleeper but as catchy as anything Sinatra ever sang. The highlight of this album is undoubtedly the title track, "Ring a Ding Ding," it's a never-ending joy to listen to this song, it will always make you happy.

If you love Sinatra, you will already have had this on vinyl and cassette (maybe even eight track). If you're new to Frank, don't hesitate one moment: grab it and listen to it for the rest of your life.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Frank sold these songs without even trying--he was THAT good !!!, May 16, 2008

By 

Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Ring a Ding Ding (Audio CD)

Ring-a-Ding Ding! is yet another fine album from The Chairman Of The Board, Mr. Frank Sinatra. This is, as you may already know, Frank's first record for his own label called Reprise Records; and he certainly is in excellent form throughout! The quality of the sound is excellent and the artwork is great! This is sure to be a great CD for any Frank Sinatra fan.

The album begins with the title song, "Ring-A-Ding-Ding." Frank sounds absolutely upbeat and even joyous on this tune; and he delivers this tune with sensitivity and lots of positive energy at once! The musical arrangement uses that big band `60s style that works so well for numbers like this one; and I'm sure you're going to love this terrific tune. "Let's Fall In Love" features Frank squarely in the spotlight--and that's completely for our benefit! Frank sings this very well with a lot of happiness in his voice; his excellent diction enhances his performance and the natural beauty of this ballad as well. "Be Careful, It's My Heart" shines brighter thank both silver and gold together as Frank sings this out with panache; I'm very impressed--what a strong beginning for Frank on his own record label!!!

"A Foggy Day" sounds fresh and new when Frank delivers this so sensitively; and the melody is very pretty and rather upbeat again! Listen also for "In The Still Of The Night;" "In The Still Of The Night" has Frank belting this one straight out of the ballpark and that's all right by me! This tune was made for Frank to sing it and the big band arrangement uses the brass and the percussion very well.

"When I Take My Sugar To Tea" gets a sublime rendition from The Chairman; and there's a wonderful tune called "Let's Face The Music & Dance" which, I believe, was first sung by Fred Astaire in an old Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers musical. "Let's Face The Music & Dance" has a fine arrangement and I'm sure Fred Astaire must have been proud of Frank's delivery of this classic pop number! Similarly, "You'd Be So Easy To Love" has Frank swinging brightly as he sings this with all the style and grace of the ultimate champ that he always was! The album also ends very strong with Frank Sinatra performing the wonderful ballad "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm." Many artists have performed this number but when Frank sings it his rendition easily becomes your favorite without a doubt.

Frank Sinatra was one of the greatest male vocalists of all time; and albums like this one prove it. This is a must have for Frank's fans; and this is also a wonderful starter CD for newcomers to Frank's artistry. People who enjoy the "oldies" and classic pop vocals will want this for their collections, too.