Having recorded 59 studio albums, Frank Sinatra has one of the most extensive back catalogues to explore and while I implore you to take the time to listen to all his releases, outside of his most successful 50s era recordings, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point you in the direction of Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back for it is a recording that lives up to its name.
Despite Sinatra’s short-lived retirement in 1971, by 1973 he had returned to the studio and was in fine form, sounding the best he had in years. While the orchestral elements are spectacular in their own right, Sinatra’s vocal soars above and beyond the musicality with a mix that is utterly perfect. While Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back may have flown under the radar, especially in recent years, it is one of Sinatra’s greatest works.
Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back, I believe, would have sounded magnificent on vinyl, but there, unfortunately, hasn’t been a vinyl reissue of this masterpiece in decades. Hence, modern music lovers will need to track down a copy on CD or stream it via a service such as Apple Music. While the Apple Music stream is delivered via a lossy codec, it sounds magnificent and if you close your eyes and simply enjoy the music, you’ll quickly forget that you’re listening to a streaming version for the overall recording and mastering is nothing short of spectacular with a warm analog-like soundstage that will encapsulate you in the performance.
You Will Be My Music is a lovely opener that sets the tone for the entire album, even if the song is a little slow to get started. That said, the closing moments are spectacular, signalling that Blue Eyes is most certainly back!
You’re So Right (For What’s Wrong In My Life) is such a relaxing tune and while it isn’t anything to write home about, it is one song that works well within the creative body of work that is Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back.
Winners showcases Sinatra in fine form and while his voice was a little sibilant on You’re So Right (For What’s Wrong In My Life), it is crystal clear here and is simply beautiful with an impressive orchestral element.
Nobody Wins is easy listening 101; sometimes that is all you need.
Send In The Clowns (From ‘A Little Night Music’) is one of the greatest songs ever written and Sinatra performs it masterfully. I could listen to it on repeat indefinitely and as beautiful as I consider Barbra Streisand’s rendition to be, no-one does it better than Sinatra.
Dream Away is a lovely tune with a beautiful story to tell. Without a doubt, it’s one of Sinatra’s greatest recordings and is a simply stunning song from the songwriting duo of John Williams and Paul Williams.
Let Me Try Again (Laisse Moi le Temps) is an incredible song and I don’t know about you, dear reader, but as lovely as the A-Side’s are on Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back, the B-Side’s are simply spectacular.
There Used To Be A Ballpark is another easy listening tune that, while not a standout, is thoroughly enjoyable.
Noah closes out the album perfectly, and while it could be suggested that it is overproduced, especially for a Sinatra song, it is thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless and compels me to listen to the album again.
Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back is fantastic from start to finish; an absolute musical masterpiece that feels fresh and inviting and while it may not be seen as a Sinatra classic, I consider it to be one of his greatest.