"Learnin' the Blues" is a

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

popular Popularity or social status is the quality of being well liked, admired or well known to a particular group. Popular may also refer to: In sociology * Popular culture * Popular fiction * Popular music * Popular science * Populace, the total ...

song written by Dolores "Vicki" Silvers. The song was originally recorded by Philadelphia singer

Joe Valino Joseph Paolino Jr. (March 9, 1929 – December 26, 1996), who performed as Joe Valino, was an American singer who had a chart hit in 1957 with "The Garden of Eden". Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, the son of Mary and Joseph Paoli ...

, along with the Gene Kutch Orchestra.

Frank Sinatra versions

In 1955, "Learnin' the Blues" was recorded by

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...

with Nelson Riddle & his Orchestra.Capitol Records (1955), ''Learnin' the Blues (Dolores Vicki Silvers). Frank Sinatra with Nelson Riddle & his Orchestra'', Capitol #3102. Initially published on the B side of the EP ''Session With Sinatra'' (Capitol Records EAP 1-629), ''Learnin' the Blues'' was subsequently re-released in June 1955 as a single with Sinatra's ''If I Had Three Wishes'' on the B side (Capitol 3102). In 1962, Frank Sinatra recorded a longer version in collaboration with Count Basie & his orchestra for the '' Sinatra–Basie: An Historic Musical First'' album.

Chart performance

In the weeks of 3-9 and 24–30 July 1955, Sinatra's rendition was briefly the most frequently played song on U.S. radio.. The single's sales peaked at #2 on the

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

British charts in August 1955, and at #1 on the Australian charts for the week of 13–19 November 1955. In cumulative year-end charts for 1955, ''Learnin' the Blues'' ranked #14 (

Billboard Year-End ''Billboard'' Year-End charts are cumulative rankings of entries in '' Billboard'' magazine charts in the United States in any given chart year. Several hundred Year-End charts are now published by ''Billboard'', the most important of which are ...

) in the United States and #17 (NME Year-End) in the United Kingdom. Sinatra re-recorded the song in 1962 for the album '' Sinatra-Basie''.

Sources

Frank Sinatra songs 1955 singles {{1950s-pop-song-stub