I Remember Tommy

Frank Sinatra

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 13, 1993)
• Original Release Date: May 1, 1961
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000002MJU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #140,015 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Sinatra's first post-Capitol release was this salute to Tommy Dorsey, the legendary bandleader and trombonist who did so much to advance the singer's career in the early '40s. Dorsey had already been dead for five years at the time, so Sinatra engaged fellow Dorsey alumnus Sy Oliver to arrange and conduct the tracks, many of which are remakes of songs Sinatra performed with Dorsey. If the tracks don't quite match up to the quality of Dorsey's versions, they certainly capture their spirit; new interpretations of "I'll Be Seeing You," "Polka Dots and Moonbeams&qout; and "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" are easily the highlights of the record. --Dan Epstein

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars give this guy a spotlight !!!, May 17, 2008

By	Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This review is from: I Remember Tommy (Audio CD)

I Remember Tommy is a fine Frank Sinatra album that almost all of his fans should have in their collections. The quality of the sound is excellent and the artwork is really nice. Frank's voice is in excellent form--although, then again, Frank's voice was always in excellent form!

The CD starts so well with Frank Sinatra singing a very sensitive rendition of "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You." "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" gets a slower tempo than I'm used to--but it enhances the natural beauty of this romantic, nostalgic tune that will forever remain one of the great ones. Frank handles subtle tempo changes like the pro he always was and the strings sound great with the rest of the musical accompaniment.

"Imagination" features Frank Sinatra squarely in the spotlight--which is quite naturally right where he belongs! Frank massages the lyrics to this song and when he delves into it the end result is a sublime interpretation of this ballad. I predict that you'll enjoy "Imagination" if you haven't heard this tune before; it's definitely a major highlight of this album. "East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon)" gets a fine treatment from Frank and the band; they sing and play this tune without a flaw and when Frank sings this you know you're listening to a great master! This is truly one of the best tributes to Tommy Dorsey I've ever had the pleasure of hearing.

"Without A Song" continues the hits as Frank swings and sways gently to make this number shine brighter than silver and gold! The big band style arrangement bolsters Frank's singing performance and it all works very well. I'm impressed! In addition, there's also the charming tune entitled "I'll Be Seeing You." I always loved this tune and when Frank Sinatra sings it with the band it really brings out the nostalgic, sentimental qualities of this ballad.

Moreover, Frank Sinatra also does "It's Always You" with panache; and "Polka Dots And Moonbeams" is another major highlight of this album. This tender love song about a love that blossoms moves me with its beauty; and it tugs at my heartstrings as well. Great!

"The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else" again showcases the incredible qualities of Frank Sinatra's voice; and he sings this out like the champ he always was and still remains! This number swings gently to make it a fantastic hit and I really like "The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else." The CD also gives us a bonus track entitled the reprise of "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You;" this ballad seems to have some subtle changes to the first version we heard on the opening track--but, in any case, changes or not, it makes a great number that you just can't get enough of even if it were an exact copy!

Frank Sinatra does a superlative job on this tribute to the great Tommy Dorsey. I highly recommend this for Sinatra fans, fans of Tommy Dorsey and the big band era; and people who like the "oldies" will be charmed by this album as well.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good Sinatra album, but just short of greatness..., April 3, 2004

By	William E. Adams (Hobbs, NM USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: I Remember Tommy (Audio CD)

Of the eight reviews prior to mine, about half think this 1961 release is superb, and the rest agree with me that it does not quite equal his best. I'd say there are at least 10-15 of Frank's original albums which satisfy the fan more, but "I Remember Tommy" would rank somewhere between 15th and 20th on the list. As to why it did not achieve the rapport with fans Sinatra hoped for, my guess is that the record buyers interested in Frank's work on Reprise, his own label, in the first year of John Kennedy's presidency were looking forward, and not in a nostalgic mood. Frank put out this record, with songs 20-30 years old, and arrangements in the style of two decades earlier, at a moment in American life when JFK had us interested in outer space, "The New Frontier". Nothing wrong with his singing, or the band assembled by Sy Oliver...but some of the songs chosen by Frank and Sy were not really top rank. Also, the album as a whole is mid-tempo: the swinging tracks are not particularly bold or forceful, and the ballads are not reflective of real pain. It's all pleasant, and I'm glad I own it, and I will play it every once in a while...but not as often as "Come Swing With Me" or "Sinatra with Swingin' Brass" or "In the Wee Small Hours" or "Only the Lonely." I have not heard the original Sinatra/Dorsey recordings, which are now available on CD, but a couple of prior reviewers think those work better than this tribute to Tommy does. I suspect they are correct, but back in '61, those old 78's were not available in the LP format, and Frank's idea of the Dorsey material resurrection was not a bad one for those fans who recalled the old days.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Smasher-His Best Swinger on Reprise!!!, December 4, 2001

By	S. Henkels (Devon, Pa United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: I Remember Tommy (Audio CD)

Yes,this one does seem underrated.Take it from me,if you like bouncy,brassy arrangements of really good tunes,this is tough to top. In fact,I think this far surpasses "Ring A Ding" ,and even the Basie collaborations.Why?? Simple. Here are seven all time great Frank efforts on one disc. All right,the ballads here are border line second rate,but who wants to hear them anyway,when you have such amazing smashers!! "Imagination",once it gets going,is the first to get under your skin.Catch the whimsy in the entire number,not uncommon in Frank,but mostly a vanishing act in pop(rock) music from 1960-2001. And he really belts out "East of the Sun",practically shouting the lyrics on the second finale. "Without a Song" is far superior to the original ballad with Dorsey,but then again,that's true with every song here.Along with "The Song is You" (not included here,but on the the even better "Come Dance With Me"),it's lyrics summarize the vocal career of the world's all time popular singer!!I'll be Seeing You" is simply stupendous,and will knock off more than your socks! I never heard "It's Always You",until I played this CD. Talk about a great marriage between melody and lyrics."If a breeze caresses me,It's really you strolling by.If I hear a melody,it's really the way you sigh." And more. A hidden gem! "Polka Dots" at first hearing may seem a little silly,but sounds better each time (even the corny story). And "The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else" with the brassiest brass ever,plus the bantoring between Frank and Sy Oliver ("boo hoo"). 40 years old and still going strong. Strongly recommended for any college frat men reading this.Yes,I wish I had heard this CD(then 33rpm) back in my college days! Just a whale of a good time!!!