Last Friday, Frank Sinatra Enterprises and UMe released Reprise Rarities Vol. 3, the third of five planned digital-only collections of material previously available only in a physical format.  Its 15 new-to-streaming tracks were recorded between 1960-1977.  Much of the set finds the venerable artist coming to terms with the changing sound of popular music…and, of course, doing it his way.  (Read about Vol. 1 here and Vol. 2 here.)

The collection opens with the Reprise remake of “The Last Dance” from Sinatra’s frequent and prolific collaborators Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, recorded in 1960 but not released until 1990.  It continues with a more familiar item from the team, 1961’s “The Second Time Around” (introduced by Bing Crosby in the motion picture High Time) and then spotlights two more film themes: Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer’s “Moment to Moment” from the movie of the same name and Earl Brown and Heinz Kiessling’s “In the Shadow of the Moon” from the West German television film Romeo Und Julia ’70.  Arrangements were provided by Nelson Riddle (“The Last Dance,” “The Second Time Around,” “Moment to Moment”) and Don Costa (“In the Shadow of the Moon”).

Vol. 3 then moves onto a track which languished in the vaults until 1995: “The Game Is Over,” adapted by  John Denver from Jean-Pierre Bourtayre & Jean Bouchéty’s score to the 1966 film of that name.  Denver recurs as composer-lyricist of 1976’s A-side “Like a Sad Song,” arranged by Claus Ogerman (Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim).  Sinatra also championed the work of Joe Raposo, best known for “Bein’ Green” and his classic catalogue of Sesame Street songs.  Raposo is represented on this set by “The Hurt Doesn’t Go Away” (1973).

While Frank Sinatra never recorded a Bob Dylan song, he did tackle one from leader of The Band and Dylan associate Robbie Robertson.  The dramatic “Dry Your Eyes” was penned by Robertson and Neil Diamond for the latter’s Beautiful Noise album and famously reprised by Diamond with The Band on The Last Waltz.  Sinatra’s rendition was released on a Reprise single in 1976, one of a number of Diamond’s songs he would cut in the studio including “Song Sung Blue,” “Sweet Caroline,” and “Stargazer.”  Jimmy Van Heusen teamed with Johnny Mercer for the ballad “Empty Tables,” presented here in both its orchestra and piano-and-vocal versions; Stephen Sondheim’s poignant A Little Night Music showstopper “Send in the Clowns” (which Sinatra played a key role in popularizing) is also heard in its piano-only version featuring Bill Miller at the keys.

The collection closes with three distinctly pop-flavored outings.  Charlie Calello (Four Seasons, Laura Nyro, Bruce Springsteen) arranged and conducted Paul Anka’s bright “Everybody Ought to Be in Love” for a smooth 1977 A-side.  On its flip was Joe Beck’s disco makeover of Cole Porter’s “Night and Day,” a song Sinatra had first recorded in 1942.  At the same session, Beck helmed another Sinatra favorite, Arthur Altman and Jack Lawrence’s “All or Nothing at All” (first recorded by FS in 1939) in disco style.  That one, alas, didn’t see release until 1995.

In case you missed any of these tracks on CD, Frank Sinatra’s Reprise Rarities Vol. 3 is available now at Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. or wherever you stream music.  Looking for more digital news?  Check back Saturdays for new installments of our latest feature, The Weekend Stream!

Frank Sinatra, Reprise Rarities Vol. 3 (Frank Sinatra Enterprises/UMe, 2021)

1. The Last Dance (December 21, 1960 – first issued on The Reprise Collection, 1990)
2. The Second Time Around (December 21, 1960 – Reprise single A-side, 1961)
3. Moment to Moment (October 21, 1965 – Reprise single B-side, 1965)
4. In the Shadow of the Moon (March 25, 1969 – Reprise (Germany) single, 1969)
5. The Game Is Over (November 2, 1970 – first issued on The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings, 1995)
6. The Hurt Doesn’t Go Away (June 5, 1973 – Reprise single B-side, 1974)
7. Walk Away (June 22, 1973 – first issued on The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings, 1995)
8. Empty Tables (May 7, 1974 – Reprise single A-side, 1976)
9. Empty Tables – piano only (February 5, 1976 – Reprise single B-side, 1976)
10. Send In The Clowns – piano only/spoken intro (February 5, 1976 – Reprise single B-side, 1976)
11. Like A Sad Song (September 27, 1976 – Reprise single A-side, 1976)
12. Dry Your Eyes (September 27, 1976 – Reprise single B-side, 1976)
13. Everybody Ought To Be In Love (February 16, 1977 – Reprise single A-side, 1977)
14. Night and Day (February 16, 1977 – Reprise single B-side/promo single A-side, 1977)
15. All or Nothing At All (February 16, 1977 – first issued on The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings, 1995)