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On Frank Sinatra's 1958 Capitol concept album masterwork, he sang for Only the Lonely. But now, 60 years on, that classic is being revisited for everyone in a new 2-CD anniversary edition. Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely: 60th Anniversary Deluxe Edition will arrive on October 19 from Capitol Records, UMe, and Frank Sinatra Enterprises. The reissue will feature the original 1958 mono album mix, a new 2018 stereo remix by Larry Walsh, and four mono bonus tracks. The release will also be available in 1-CD and 180-gram, 2-LP iterations featuring Walsh's remixed stereo album only.
Recorded in May and June 1958 at Capitol Studios with producer Dave Cavanaugh, Only the Lonely was arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle in one of his most devastating (and devastatingly sublime) collaborations with Sinatra. A Grammy nominee for Album of the Year - and a Grammy winner for its striking cover painting by Nicholas Volpe of a Pagliacci-like Sinatra - Only the Lonely featured the vocalist taking on some of the most moving repertoire in the American songbook including Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's "One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)" and "Blues in the Night," Matt Dennis and Earl Brent's "Angel Eyes," Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne's "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry," and Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's "Spring is Here." Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen penned the tailor-made title song. All were performed with piercing honesty and striking vulnerability as only Sinatra could, while Riddle's intuitive arrangements further brought out the complex emotional colors of each song.
Only the Lonely struck a chord with anyone who had ever suffered heartbreak - in other words, with everyone. It reached No. 1 in the U.S., remaining on the Billboard chart for a staggering 120 weeks, and in 1962, it was certified Gold. The 1987 CD release appended two bonus tracks recorded by Sinatra and Riddle for singles in September 1958, "Sleep Warm" and "Where or When." As these are unrelated to the Only the Lonely sessions, they have not been reprised here. The new reissue presents the 1958 mono album mix on CD 1, with an alternate take of "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry" from May 5 and previously unreleased alternate takes of "Angel Eyes" from the same date. The second disc has Walsh's stereo remix plus, in mono, the June 24 "test track" of "One for My Baby" and previously unreleased session takes of Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" from May 29, 1958. This marks the first time that Sinatra's attempt at "Lush Life" has received an official release.
Larry Walsh explains in the press release, "'Only the Lonely' was recorded as both a mono and stereo presentation. The mono was the focus as that was the chief format of the day. The stereo was recorded with two microphones suspended high over the studio orchestra. Frank Sinatra's voice was recorded onto a third track. With the stereo recording being mid-side decoded, the depth of the studio is revealed." Ron McMaster has remastered all audio at Capitol Studios.
The 60th Anniversary edition of Only the Lonely arrives on October 19. Look for it at the links below!
Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely: 60th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Capitol W 1053, 1958 - reissued Capitol/UMe/FSE, 2018)
2-CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Links TBD
1-CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Links TBD
2-LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Links TBD
2CD:
CD 1: Original 1958 Mono Mix + Bonus Tracks
- Only The Lonely
- Angel Eyes
- What's New?
- It's A Lonesome Old Town
- Willow Weep For Me
- Good-Bye
- Blues In The Night
- Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
- Ebb Tide
- Spring Is Here
- Gone With The Wind
- One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
- 13. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry (Alt. take - May 5, 1958) (Mono)
- 14. Angel Eyes (Alt. session takes - May 5, 1958) (Mono) (previously unreleased)
CD 2: New 2018 Stereo Mix + Bonus Tracks
- Only The Lonely
- Angel Eyes
- What's New?
- It's A Lonesome Old Town
- Willow Weep For Me
- Good-Bye
- Blues In The Night
- Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
- Ebb Tide
- Spring Is Here
- Gone With The Wind
- One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
- Lush Life (Session takes - May 29, 1958) (Mono) (previously unreleased)
- One For My Baby (Test track - June 24, 1958)
Expanded Digital Album (Mono)
Original 1958 Mono Mix + Bonus Tracks
- Only The Lonely
- Angel Eyes
- What's New?
- It's A Lonesome Old Town
- Willow Weep For Me
- Good-Bye
- Blues In The Night
- Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
- Ebb Tide
- Spring Is Here
- Gone With The Wind
- One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
- Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry (alt take - May 5, 1958)
- Angel Eyes (alt session takes - May 5, 1958) - previously unreleased
- Lush Life (session takes - May 29, 1958) - previously unreleased
- One For My Baby (test track - June 24, 1958)
1CD; 2LP Vinyl; Digital Album (Stereo)
New 2018 Stereo Mix
Side A:
- Only The Lonely
- Angel Eyes
- What's New?
Side B:
- It's A Lonesome Old Town
- Willow Weep For Me
- Good-Bye
Side C:
- Blues In The Night
- Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
- Ebb Tide
Side D:
- Spring Is Here
- Gone With The Wind
- One For My Baby
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Will the vinyl be 45RPM ?
Your writing about the mono and stereo versions seems to imply they are different takes? Are indeed the mono and stereo versions the same track recordings (but in mono or stereo), or are they actual different takes?
Thanks.
I think the confusion is stemming from Larry Walsh’s quote. Sinatra’s vocals are identical for both the mono and stereo versions. Different microphones were used and placed for the orchestra on the stereo and mono versions; hence, there are different elements to be heard in each. Hope this helps.
So, just to be clear, when you refer to different microphones for the different stereo and mono versions, there is only one vocal track?
Correct. There’s a bit more information on the technical end at this Variety piece:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/variety.com/2018/music/news/frank-sinatra-only-the-lonely-deluxe-reissue-1202929100/amp/
Joe, in your comments you list the contents of "expanded Digital Album" is this a third cd to be included with the 2 cd version? Please advise. Thank you.
The digital album will have all four of the CD bonus tracks available for download/streaming.
Will the 2 cd set include the "digital material"?
Thank you.
I think it's bonkers and a wasted opportunity to have the whole 2018 mix over 4 sides of the vinyl. I wonder why they didn't have the mono mix on one record and the new mix on the second. And it's not like they wouldn't have been able to fit the four extra tracks onto that much vinyl 'real estate'.
As such, the vinyl (which I prefer) sale is lost to me, in favour of the CD/digital.
Ben, I agree with you about the wasted opportunity lost on the vinyl releases. But that is the wasted vision in the Estate planning for this and many Sinatra reissues.
I am correct is saying that the single CD version has only 12 tracks, while the double CD version has 14? And that earlier CD versions had 14 songs?
The single disc version has 12 tracks: the new 2018 stereo remix. The 2-CD version has 28 tracks: the original mono mix (12 tracks), the new stereo mix (12 tracks), and the bonus songs (4 tracks). The earlier single CD had 14 songs...but its two bonus tracks are NOT reprised among the bonus material here. Hope this helps!
My two CDs were glued into the paper sleeves, ugh. You’d think Capitol would know how to do QC tests by now. Blerrrg.