Sinatra Sings Great Songs from Great Britain is one of the oddest albums in Sinatra's catalog. Recorded in the summer of 1962 and available only in the U.K. for a number of years, the album consists of songs by British composers, performed with British musicians, and recorded in Britain, while Sinatra was on tour. As it happened, Sinatra was tired and worn out during the sessions, and arranger/conductor Robert Farnon had written a set of charts that were ambitious, lush, ornate, and sweeping. Although the arrangements are provocative - occasionally they are more interesting than the actual songs - Sinatra was simply not in good shape for the sessions, which is clear from his thin, straining singing. As such, Great Songs from Great Britain isn't much more than a curiosity.

1962 was without question the finest year for Sinatra's voice, the balance of warmth, strength, agility and ease of note hitting was never better, listen to the great albums from this year if you are in any doubt (Sinatra and Swingin' Brass, Sinatra and Strings, All Alone). Sinatra's concerns about his voice being tired after a long concert tour are ill founded, and if anything, these ballads are in fact bettered by that slightly weary tone. He also graces us with a wonderful more rounded diction on certain phrases, see his annunciation of the lyric "humble" in "if I had you" for an clear example.

The song selection on this album is wonderful, we see what is to my mind, the finest rendition of "The Very Thought of You", "London By Night" and "If I had you" that have ever been recorded, with "If I had you" being different, yet in my opinion, better than previously very good Sinatra recordings of this song. The charm of the album in my opinion is "a Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square", a beautiful song which Sinatra outdoes himself on. I heard it yesterday when I got the album for the first time and smiled to myself in sheer awe of the performance. A very Crosby like performance of this great standard, however a better, or at least equal, version than either Crosby or Nat King Cole achieved.

The quality of the album is very high, we saw a few iffy reprise recordings in regard to sound quality, however this is among the best of any Sinatra album. We get a wonderful projected feel from Sinatra, as if he is right in the forefront. This gives the album a strong and clear vocal, with a romantic and moody accompaniment from the arrangements.

The arrangements themselves are a real delight, with the trombone solo in "a Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" being a particular favourite of mine.

For me the real charm of this album is the circumstance in which it was born in. As a patriotic Englishmen this touches me on a deep level, and I find it a great token of respect that Sinatra would choose England as the only place outside of the U.S to ever record. I think it is a sign of his great respect for English musical talent and above all, these songs resonate with an Englishman on a deep level, with each song evoking memories of home.

A triumph on every level. Don't be deceived by rumours, I have listened to every album Sinatra ever recorded and I give you my word that this is among the best of them. A quality album from a man in his prime.



Tracklist:

01. The Very Thought of You (03:34)
02. We'll Gather Lilacs in the Spring (03:15)
03. If I Had You (04:07)
04. Now Is the Hour (02:51)
05. The Gypsy (03:21)
06. Roses of Picardy (03:01)
07. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (03:54)
08. A Garden in the Rain (03:24)
09. London by Night (03:20)
10. We'll Meet Again (03:44)
11. I'll Follow My Secret Heart (03:16)