Customer Reviews

World We Knew

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

 

 

I had this collection on LP, and as I did then, smiled over some of the song selections. This was 1967, afterall, the musical year of emergence for psychadelic rock, Hendrix, Joplin, etc...Sinatra was, in his way, trying to connect with this zeitgeist by mixing some contemporary compositions into his conventional catalog of material. The results are interesting, and certainly tuneful, even if not distinguished in the accustomed Sinatra way. "Something Stupid" proved to be a #1 hit, which must have tickled Ol' Blue Eyes for no other reason than this duet provided additional momentum to daughter Nancy's singing career. "This Town," a simple diddy written by Lee Hazlewood, is delivered with exuberant punch---strangely enjoyable for this alone. The only stinker of the bunch is "Don't Sleep in the Subway," which simply should have been discarded from the project. But this album has several winning entries in it. The title track is given a gently rolling, lilting treatment, and Gordon Jenkins' signature layered strings mark a fine rendition of "This is My Love," a revisitation of this song (with the same arranger) from a decade earlier. "Some Enchanted Evening" is a song which, sung as a straight ballad, reveals the sappy quality that crept into many of Rogers & Hammerstein's later compositions---but Sinatra revives it here at finger-snapping pace---my favorite recorded version by far. However, easily the best track here is "Drinking Again," which stands on par with Sinatra's best saloon-inspired odes to broken hearts and dreams. In sum, the unevenness of song quality and a multiplicity of arrangers (Billy Strange, Jenkins, and Ernie Freeman all write charts here) makes for a collection that sounds like the montage it is...still, Sinatra produces enough winners here to make the purchase of this CD worthwhile.

This album was Frank's third attempt at connecting with the 1960s' flower generation. His first, "Strangers In The Night" was a great record that yielded and a smash singles and sold quite well. Next was "That's Life," which, though holding a major hit single in the title track, is today widely regarded as his worst album. After returning to his roots for his masterful collaboration with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Frank unleashed "The World We Knew." The result was a somewhat mixed but overall very enjoyable record.

The album begins with its title track, a moody ballad with a darkly textured guitar line and a beautiful, lilting melody lifted by Gordon Jenkins' edgy arrangement. Frank gives an intense, passionate reading of this track and it is one of his best attempts at modernizing his sound.

Next comes his classic duet with daughter Nancy, "Somethin' Stupid." It's not a great song by any means, but it's so sweet and beautifully sung that you can't help but love it. The song went to Number One and was Frank's last Top 10 hit.

Frank follows this with an updating of his 1959 recording, "This Was My Love." The song has been retitled "This Is My Love," and has been given a positive spin lyrically. The 1959 version is one Frank's saddest and most powerful ballads, but this "happy" version isn't a bad reworking, with a sparkling arrangement and soulful reading by Frank.

"Born Free" is a missed opportunity, a very brief runthrough of the song with a somewhat dispassionate Frank vocal. Like "That's Life's" version of "The Impossible Dream," this could've benefitted from a more powerful arrangement and punchier Sinatra vocal.

Petula Clark's "Don't Sleep In The Subway" is great. Given a very 1960s' arrangement complete with female Go-Go dancer backing vocals, Frank does this one with real swagger and the arrangement bounces along joyfully. It's a great job on what could've been a total embarassment for Frank.

"This Town" is a bluesy rocker with Frank at his best. His reading is cool and cocky, and the arrangment is very soulful and edgy. This was recently used to close "Ocean's 13," and it worked very well. Frank really gets into the song and it's a gem.

Another Petula Clark cover follows with "This Is My Song." It features a gently swaying arrangement and a lovely vocal by Frank. It's a bit trite, but Frank makes it work.

Next comes one of Frank's most underrated performances and one of his most beautiful and haunting. "You Are There" was used as the theme to his 1967 film "The Naked Runner." The eerie Gordon Jenkins arangement is paired with a dark, soulful Frank vocal, beautifully phrasing each line with passion and dignity. A great performance by Frank that hopefully more people will discover.

Next comes Johnny Mercer's wonderful "Drinkin' Again." A great saloon ballad in the same league of "One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)" and "Angel Eyes," it is widely regarded as the album's high point, and Frank performs it beautifully. A masterpiece that only Frank can provide.

The album's closes with a swinging updating of "Some Enchanted Evening" from "South Pacific." This is a ball to listen to, and Frank really has fun with it. A great way to close the album.

"The World We Knew" is not a masterpiece, but it is definitely worth seeking out.

Recorded in 1967, this is a Typical Mid 60's Sinatra. Many arrangements were written by Ernnie Freeman, which means a lot of Easy Listening pop with strings, drums and electric bass that may have worked fine in Nancy's "Something Stupid". Luckly, there are some tracks arranged by Gordon Jerkins, in his typical lush strings style. For those who admire "September of My Years" (1965), it may be a interesting complement.
Alghough there are some good songs, it is hard to bare the whole sound approach. The classic "Some Enchanting Evening" can be found in a much superior version on "Reprisse Musical Repertory Theater", recorded in 1963.
I only recomend this one to anyone who has ALL THE CLASSIC sinatra albuns from the 50's and 60's. Which means that should be your 40th Sinatra Cd. If it is not your case, you'd better try somewhere else...
No wonder why they didn't issue this cd in America.

In the mid 60's when top 10 hits began to come his way, Sinatra's album releases divided themselves into two distinct categories--the traditional Sinatra and Sinatra The Flower Child..............

The World We Knew had its release late in the Summer of Love (sandwiched between the issues of the sensational Jobim lp and the Duke Ellington sessions).

In some strange enjoyable way "The World We Knew," though far from vintage Sinatra, holds up remarkably well after 40 years..........

The title song, complete with fuzz guitar intro has Sinatra tackling a difficult Kaempfert melody with hardly any strain whatsoever--his 2nd handling of the bridge.............'and the sun and moon seemed to be ours' in typical Sintraesque, fashion is still semi-haunting.

Also memorable is the little known love theme from his terrible spy film 'Naked Runner'--arranged by Gordon Jenkins in typical Jenkins-kitsch fashion...Sinatra gives a beautiful reading of the somewhat tired lyric--"Are you real..or an illusion I embrace?"

The standout is Johnny Mercer's "Drinking Again", a more than worthwhile addition to the Sinatra saloon song cannon and FS sings it with just enough inhebriated slur to make it a torch song classic (Sinatra recorded "Drinking" at the very end of the Jobim sessions and no one knows for sure if it was intended for some future project simply because nothing was recorded immeidately before or after resembling it in terms of mood or arrangement.

It's been rumored that Sinatra recorded the hilarious HB Barnum chart on "Some Enchanted Evening" just to tick off the overly pompous Richard Rodgers--true or not, it's still a blast to listen to...a musical put on in which Sinatra alters the lyric 'YOU gonna dream all alone..."

"Don't Sleep In The Subway" complete with Riddle like trombone riffs in\s only hampered by the 'go go chorus' singing in unison with the brass....Sinatra's reading of the line "it hurts---when your ego's deflated" still brings a smile....Sinatra could have eliminated the tacked on coda "I got flowers--I got candy--I got kissin...."


Like a number of the other CDs of the era, Warners has deleted "The World We Knew" from the American Rerpise catalog....is it worth the 60 bucks to buy the import? If you're a Sinatra fan, the question answers itself.

Listening to this record is like seeing your Dad hanging out and trying to sound 'cool' with the kids. Your first reaction will be one of embarassment, and then fascination (at least, that's how I approach Frank's Reprise stuff).

I'll admit it: I bought this one for two songs prominently featured in a couple of movies ('This Town' in Matchstick Men, and 'Something Stupid' in Ratcatcher)...and that was oddly prophetic, as this is easily the most soundtrack-y of Frank's records.

That all said, I now love this album. I came into Frank's world via the Capitol years, and used to feel that the later stuff wasn't worth my while. But there's a good maturity here, even in the dorky 'rock n' roll' of something like 'Don't Sleep in the Subway'. Those backup singers get me every time! Who knows what he was thinking, but he shows here that he could take any tired tune and make it his own (were he alive today, I'm sure he could do a thing or two with the Britney songbook).

The other highlights? Drinking Again, definitely...probably the closest this gets to sounding like 'Wee Small Hours', and the title track. Dig that dark, intense guitar line in the intro! And maybe he was trying to emulate Lee Hazelwood (as he does cover Lee's great 'This Town' later).

Some Enchanted Evening is left in shreds by the time Frank is done with it. Is it actually good? Well, kind of like my introduction to this review, it depends on your point of view. Are you fascinated by train wrecks? Or do you cringe in horror at the sight? Suffice to say this is a good introduction to late-period Frank and its many ups and downs. I look forward to the ride.

This album has too few really good , worthwhile , emotionally affecting performances - those things are the reasons many people listen to Frank .

The tracks I return to are the title track and "You Are There " for the melodies , "Drinking Again" for the arrangement , atmosphere and delivery , as well as "This Town" which is tough and punchy . As for the rest , it is really disappointing .
I suggest you find a friend who has this CD and somehow make up your own compilation . Some songs you will not need to hear again .
There's something weird about hearing a bad album from a person who recorded their fair share of masterpieces .
I hope this review helps you to make the right decision for you as a listener .

this record is a gem! ranks right up there with the Three cd set Sinatra the Columbia years which is sensational. the title track is wonnderful, the duet with his daughter Nancy Something Stupid is a delight, don't sleep on the subway station is a hoot. yet the mecedes benz goes to you are there it's simply a lovely song! if this record ever comes back on print I would get it ina heartbeat it's just that good!