"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 ...
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
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* Popular science
* Populace, the total ...
song written by
Dolores "Vicki" Silvers. The song was originally recorded by Philadelphia singer
Joe Valino, along with the Gene Kutch Orchestra.
Frank Sinatra versions
In 1955, "Learnin' the Blues" was recorded by
Frank Sinatra 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 t ...
) 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