Close to you

 


 


 

Recorded March 8, April 4-5, and

    November 1, 1956

Arranger/Conductor: Nelson Riddle

Producer: Voyle Gilmore

Original Release: January 21, 1957

 
 

After an album of driving rhythm and soaring strings, Sinatra and Riddle reconvened, this time at the new Capitol Tower, with a much smaller group.  Instead of a full string section, the recordings featured The Hollywood String Quartet, with assorted soloists and support players filling out the sound.  If any album can be described as “tender,” it is surely this one, yet it was a stroke of genius that was, sadly, never repeated. 


The sound achieved is textbook mid-1950s Capitol mono:  Warm vocal tone, each instrument captured at an appropriate distance, excellent blend, open dynamics, subtle use of reverb (a trait that would soon, regrettably and irreparably, disappear).  Mastering quality, of course, has varied wildly through the decades and formats.

 

Left: Siantra in concert at the Sands Hotel, with Shure SM33 microphone and navy blue suit, from the same set of photos as the Close to You cover shot;


Bottom left: The Hollywood String Quartet;


Right: Mr. Sinatra in studio at the new Capitol Records studio B, Hollywood, 1956.  The music on the stand? Close to You.

Elegance and Understatement: Close to You

 

Audio Clips from the Title Track To hear a brief clip, click the photos below.

Please note: All clips fall within the freely available 90-second iTunes window.  To access the 90-second published clips, click “VIEW” at the iTunes link (below left), then “View in iTunes” when prompted.

Above: Original D3#2 LP

Above: 1983 MFSL LP, mastered by Stan Ricker

Above: 1983 French LP

Above: 1984 UK LP

Above: 1984 Dutch DMM LP

Above: 1987 German Readers Digest 15-track Great Romantic Memories LP (12 Close to You tracks, plus 3 bonus tracks)

Above: 1980s Japanese LP, courtesy “stevelucille”

Above: 1987 CD, mastered by Larry Walsh

Above: 1998 EOTC CD, mastered by Robert Norberg, courtesy “stevelucille”

Above: 1998 UK CD, courtesy “stevelucille”

Above: Original D2 EP, courtesy “stevelucille”

Above: Original D4 LP, courtesy “stevelucille”

Above: Original UK LP, courtesy “stevelucille”

Above: Original N10 LP, courtesy “stevelucille”

Above: Original D2#2 LP, courtesy “arkoffs”

Above: Original D4#2 LP, courtesy “bozburn”

Above: 1963 UK Alternate cover LP (this one)

Audio Clips:

“I’ve Had My Moments”

and

“Blame It On My Youth”

To hear a brief clip, click the text below.

Please note: All clips fall within the freely available 90-second iTunes window.  To access the 90-second published clips, click “VIEW” at the iTunes link (below left), then “View in iTunes” when prompted.

•I’ve Had My Moments - Moments D3 Original LP.wav

•I’ve Had My Moments - Moments N5 Original LP.wav

•I’ve Had My Moments - Moments 1983 French LP  .wav

•I’ve Had My Moments - Moments 1983 MFSL LP.wav

•I’ve Had My Moments - Moments 1984 UK LP.wav

•I’ve Had My Moments - Moments 1984 Dutch LP.wav

•I’ve Had My Moments - Moments 1998 UK CD.wav

•I’ve Had My Moments - Moments 2014 HD.wav

•I’ve Had My Moments - Moments 2015 LP.wav


•Blame It On My Youth - Blame D3 Original LP.wav

•Blame It On My Youth - Blame N5 Original LP.wav

•Blame It On My Youth - Blame 1983 French LP.wav

•Blame It On My Youth - Blame 1983 MFSL LP.wav

•Blame It On My Youth - Blame 1984 UK LP.wav

•Blame It On My Youth - Blame 1984 Dutch LP.wav

•Blame It On My Youth - Blame 1998 UK CD.wav

•Blame It On My Youth - Blame 2014 HD.wav

•Blame It On My Youth - Blame 2015 LP.wav


Thanks to “stevelucille” for the N5 clips, “Old Coder” for the CD clips, and “AxeD” for the 2015 LP clips.

Let’s listen to some of the best of the best:

Above: Original D3#3 LP, courtesy “DaleH”

Above: 2014 HD download (at 16-bit)

Please note: All clips fall within the freely available 90-second iTunes window.  To access the 90-second published clips, click “VIEW” at the iTunes link (far right), then “View in iTunes” when prompted.

Above: 2015 LP, courtesy “AxeD”