''Swing Easy!'' is the eighth studio album by Frank Sinatra. It was released in 1954 as a 10" album (Capitol H-528) and consisted of only eight songs, as each side of the record only allowed approximately fourteen minutes of music. In 2000 it was voted number 368 in

Colin Larkin Colin Larkin (born 1949) is a British writer and entrepreneur. He founded, and was the editor-in-chief of, the ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music'', described by ''The Times'' as "the standard against which all others must be judged". Along wit ...

's ''

All Time Top 1000 Albums ''All Time Top 1000 Albums'' is a book by Colin Larkin, creator and editor of the ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music''. The book was first published by Guinness Publishing in 1994. The list presented is the result of over 200,000 votes cast by th ...

''.

Background

The album was Sinatra's second for Capitol and the first to feature arrangements by Nelson Riddle (Riddle had merely conducted on '' Songs for Young Lovers''). As its title implies, the record concentrates on up-tempo swingers done with a light touch. Again, the songs were all standards -- "Just One of Those Things," "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams," "All of Me"—which the singer felt benefited from the new thematic setting, new arrangements, and his increasingly playful and textured vocal style. In 1955, the eight songs were combined with the eight songs from the 10" album '' Songs for Young Lovers'' on a new, 16 song, 12" LP (Capitol W-587) called ''Swing Easy!'', featuring the ''Swing Easy!'' cover but including a miniature inset of the ''Songs for Young Lovers'' cover. In 1960, the 1954, 8 song, 10" album was re-released as a 12 song, 12" LP (Capitol W-1429) with four additional songs added to expand the running time: "Lean Baby", "I Love You", "How Could You Do A Thing Like That To Me?", and "Why Should I Cry Over You?".

Original album track listing

Side one

#" Just One of Those Things" ( Cole Porter) #" I'm Gonna Sit Right Down (And Write Myself a Letter)" ( Fred E. Ahlert, Joe Young) #" Sunday" (

Chester Conn Chester Conn ''(né'' Master Chester Cohn; April 14, 1894 in San Francisco, California – April 4, 1973 in Flushing, Queens) was an American composer of popular music and music publisher. Early life and career Chester was born to David Cohn and ...

Benny Krueger Benny Krueger (June 17, 1899 – April 29, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist. After a short stint with Ross Gorman's band, Krueger's joined the Acme Sextette in New York, which included Miff Mole on trombone, Ernie Holst on violin, and Edw ...

Ned Miller Henry Ned Miller (April 12, 1925 – March 18, 2016) was an American country music singer-songwriter. Active as a recording artist from 1956 to 1970, he is known primarily for his hit single " From a Jack to a King", a crossover hit in 1962 whi ...

, Jule Styne) #" Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" (

Harry Barris Harry Barris (November 24, 1905 – December 13, 1962) was an American popular singer and songwriter. He was one of the earliest singers to use "scat singing" in recordings. Barris, one of Paul Whiteman's Rhythm Boys, along with Bing Crosby an ...

Ted Koehler Ted L. Koehler (July 14, 1894 – January 17, 1973) was an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972. Life and career Koehler was born in 1894 in Washington, D.C. He started out as a photo-engraver, but w ...

Billy Moll Billy may refer to: * Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name) Animals * Billy (dog), a dog breed * Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945 * Billy (pygmy hippo), a pet of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge * Billy, a yo ...

)

Side two

Taking a Chance on Love "Taking a Chance on Love" is a popular song from the 1940 Broadway musical '' Cabin in the Sky''. It was introduced by Ethel Waters playing the role of Petunia Jackson both on Broadway and later in the 1943 MGM musical Cabin in the Sky (film). ...

" (

Vernon Duke Vernon Duke ( 16 January 1969) was a Russian-born American composer/songwriter who also wrote under his birth name, Vladimir Dukelsky. He is best known for " Taking a Chance on Love," with lyrics by Ted Fetter and John Latouche (1940), "I Can' ...

Ted Fetter Theodore Fetter (June 10, 1906 – March 13, 1996) was a Broadway lyricist who contributed material to such revues as ''The Show Is On'' (1936) and ''Billy Rose's Aquacade'' (1939), but is best remembered for co-writing the song "Taking a Cha ...

, John Latouche) #" Jeepers Creepers" ( Harry Warren, Johnny Mercer) #" Get Happy" (

, Harold Arlen) #" All of Me" (

Gerald Marks Gerald Marks (October 13, 1900 – January 27, 1997) was an American composer from Saginaw, Michigan. He was best known for the song " All of Me" which he co-wrote with Seymour Simons and has been recorded about 2,000 times. He also wrote the s ...

Seymour Simons Seymour Simons (January 14, 1896 – February 12, 1949) was an American pianist, composer, orchestra leader, and radio producer. Biography Simons born in Detroit, Michigan, was originally trained in engineering and went to work as a researc ...

)

Expanded LP track listing

#" Jeepers Creepers" ( Harry Warren, Johnny Mercer) #"

" (

, John Latouche) #" Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" (

) #"Lean Baby" (

Roy Alfred Roy Alfred (May 14, 1916 – 2008) was an American Tin Pan Alley lyricist whose successful songs included " The Hucklebuck", "Rock and Roll Waltz", " Who Can Explain?", and " Let's Lock the Door (And Throw Away the Key)". His first major succe ...

, Billy May) #"I Love You" ( Harry Archer,

Harlan Thompson Harlan Thompson (24 September 1890 – 29 October 1966) was an American theatre director, screenwriter, lyricist, film director, and film and television producer. He wrote the Broadway hit '' Little Jessie James'' (1923–24), and several oth ...

) #" I'm Gonna Sit Right Down (And Write Myself a Letter)" ( Fred E. Ahlert, Joe Young) #" Get Happy" (

, Harold Arlen) #" All of Me" (

) #"How Could You Do a Thing Like That to Me" (

Tyree Glenn Tyree Glenn, born William Tyree Glenn (November 23, 1912, Corsicana, Texas, United States, – May 18, 1974, Englewood, New Jersey), was an American trombone and vibraphone player. Biography Tyree played trombone and vibraphone with local Texas ...

, Allan Roberts) #"Why Should I Cry Over You?" (

Nathan "Ned" Miller Nathan "Ned" Miller (August 2, 1899 – January 26, 1990) was a British-born American songwriter, composer, music publisher, and actor who wrote the hit songs, "Why Should I Cry Over You", (a waltz ballad) in 1922, "Sunday" (a jazz standard) in 1 ...

) #"Sunday" (

, Jule Styne) #" Just One of Those Things" ( Cole Porter)

Certifications

Complete personnel

* Frank Sinatra –

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...

* Nelson Riddle – arranger, conductor Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4: Harry Edison (tpt); Tommy Pederson, Ray Sims (tbn): George Roberts (b-tbn); Skeets Herfurt, Mahlon Clark (alt); Babe Russin, Eddie Miller (ten/cit); Joe Koch (bar); Bill Miller (p); Allan Reuss (g); Joe Comfort (b); Alvin Stoller (d); Frank Flynn (vib). Tracks 5, 6, 7, 8: Harry Edison (tpt); Tommy Pederson, Ray Sims (tbn); George Roberts (b-tbn): Skeets Herfurt, Abe Most (alt); Babe Russin, Eddie Miller (ten/cit); Joe Koch (bar); Bill Miller (p); Bob Bain (g); Joe Comfort (b); Alvin Stoller (d); Frank Flynn (vib). Put Your Dreams Away: A Frank Sinatra Discography

References

{{Authority control Frank Sinatra albums Capitol Records albums 1954 albums Albums produced by Voyle Gilmore Albums arranged by Nelson Riddle Albums conducted by Nelson Riddle Albums recorded at Capitol Studios