Maps of Music

My Way (1969)

Where the lyrics of My Way take you, and where it was really made.

The title song 'My Way' became Sinatra's theme for this stage of his career, yet most of the album is made up of other contemporary pop songs.

Key places

Recorded and mixed at EastWest Studios (1968)

Recording site EastWest Studios — My Way was recorded and mixed at EastWest Studios in Los Angeles on December 30, 1968. The studio was then called Western Recorders. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• My Way is an album by American singer Frank Sinatra
• Released in 1969 on Sinatra's own Reprise label
• Mainly a collection of then-contemporary pop songs
• Includes Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" and The Beatles' "Yesterday"
• Also includes French songs such as "If You Go Away"
• The title song "My Way" effectively became Sinatra's theme song at this stage of his career
• Standard edition lists ten tracks

Background

• The album reflects the material Sinatra was singing in this period of his career
• Its anthemic title song became closely identified with him
• Later reissued in 2009 by Concord Records to mark the album's 40th anniversary

Recording

• Recorded and mixed on December 30, 1968 in Los Angeles
• The session took place a few hours before the New Year 1969 celebration
• Studio: EastWest Studios, then called Western Recorders

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born December 12, 1915 in Hoboken, New Jersey, to Italian immigrants.
• Began singing professionally as a teenager with the Hoboken Four, winning Major Bowes Amateur Hour.
• Joined Harry James's band in 1939, then Tommy Dorsey's band, before going solo in 1942.

Career

• Signed with Columbia Records in 1943 and became a major star of the bobby-soxer era.
• Signed with Capitol Records in 1953; collaborated with arranger Nelson Riddle on albums such as In the Wee Small Hours and Songs for Swingin' Lovers!.
• Founded Reprise Records in 1960, releasing albums including September of My Years and the hit single "My Way".
• Won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for From Here to Eternity (1953).
• Estimated to have sold around 150 million records worldwide.
• Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1985 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1997.
• Died May 14, 1998 in Los Angeles.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Released in 1969 on Reprise, Sinatra's own label
• A set of then-contemporary pop songs rather than standards alone
• Covers included Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" and The Beatles' "Yesterday"
• French material such as "If You Go Away" was included alongside the English-language songs
• The title song "My Way" is described as effectively becoming Sinatra's theme song in this stage of his career

Reappraisal

• In 2009 Concord Records remixed and reissued the album to mark its 40th anniversary
• The reissue included two bonus tracks and new liner notes from Bono
• The bonus tracks were a 1969 studio rehearsal of "For Once in My Life" and a live 1987 performance of "My Way" at the Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas
• Bono's liner notes had first appeared as his New York Times Op-ed column on January 9, 2009
• The column discussed Bono's personal relationship with Sinatra and Sinatra's thoughts on Miles Davis, and also touched on Sinatra's performances of "My Way" and the new year

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Bono's liner notes for the 2009 reissue had first appeared as his New York Times Op-ed column on January 9, 2009.
• The column discussed Bono's personal relationship with Sinatra and Sinatra's thoughts on Miles Davis.
• The 2009 reissue added two bonus tracks: a 1969 studio rehearsal of "For Once in My Life" and a 1987 live "My Way" from Dallas.
• The title song was recorded at the same session that produced the album, a few hours before the New Year 1969 celebration.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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