My Way

Performer: Frank Sinatra
Engineer: Larry Walsh; Lee Herschberg
Producer: Don Costa; Sonny Burke; Hal Gaba (Reissue); Charles Pignone (Reissue)
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Arranged and conducted by Don Costa. Personnel: Frank Sinatra (vocals). Audio Mixer: Larry Walsh. Audio Remasterers: Leon Smith J. III; Dan Hersch. Liner Note Author: Bono . Arranger: Don Costa. Although it follows the same patterns and approach as Cycles, My Way is a stronger album, with a better, more varied selection of material and a more focused, gutsy performance from Frank Sinatra. Built around the hit single "My Way," the album again alternates between rock covers ("Yesterday," "Hallelujah, I Love Her So," "For Once in My Life," "Didn't We," "Mrs. Robinson"), a couple of adapted French songs, and a handful of standards. This time out, Don Costa has written more engaging charts than the previous Cycles. The Beatles' "Yesterday" is given an affecting, melancholy treatment that brings out the best in Sinatra, as does the new arrangement of "All My Tomorrows," which is lush and aching. If Sinatra doesn't quite pull off the R&B of "Hallelujah, I Love Her So," he does sing the light Latin stylings of "A Day in the Life of a Fool" beautifully, and he has fun with Paul Simon's "Mrs. Robinson," changing the lyrics dramatically so they become a tongue-in-cheek, swinging hipster tribute. For that matter, most of the record is successful in creating a middle ground between the traditional pop Sinatra loves and the contemporary pop/rock that dominated the charts in the late '60s. My Way doesn't have the macho swagger of his prime Rat Pack records, but its reflective, knowing arrangements show that Sinatra could come to terms with rock & roll at some level. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Arranger Don Costa's style, simultaneously modern and classic, was the sparkplug of Sinatra's late-'60s/early '70s releases, and MY WAY is the album that raised the bar for the recordings that followed. Throughout, Sinatra shows off so many different sides of his talent that it's hard to get past the admiration of his diversity, beyond which there's a whole separate level of enjoyment to be had in the individual performances. On Ray Charles's "Hallelujah, I Love Her So" he's eminently soulful and swinging. He plumbs the depths of his soul for the bittersweet touch of "Yesterday" and Jacques Brel's "If You Go Away." Sinatra delivers his manifesto on the epic title track, in which he looks back on a life of determined individualism with both pride and a harsh sense of reality.

CD Review - Perf 10 / Sound 9 Negative

An icon of American music, Frank Sinatra defined sophisticated pop singing of the post-war era and spent more than 50 years in the limelight. After formative stints with Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, and others, Sinatra shot to worldwide fame through hit records and Hollywood movies. His hip, laid-back delivery defined cool, yet he also had a down-to-earth manner that connected easily with audiences. Ups and downs would follow him throughout his career--the details of his private life were not always fit for public consumption--but right up till the end, every comeback strengthened the intense loyalty of his fans.

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