September of My Years
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| Release Date: |
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| Label: |
Warner Brothers |
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5.0 |
Description: From the evocative cover painting to the impeccably chosen songs within, this 1965 album harkens back to Sinatra's great Capitol-era concept albums like
In the Wee Small Hours and
Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely. The theme revolves around a man approaching his 50s, looking back with a mixture of nostalgia, regret, and uncertainty; given Sinatra's age at the time (he was 49 when this was recorded) and the way he invests himself in the material, it's impossible to interpret the record as anything but autobiographical. Wistful numbers such as "Don't Wait Too Long," "It Was a Very Good Year," "September Song," and the title track all hit the emotional bull's-eye, but everything here is excellent. Unquestionably his finest Reprise-era achievement.
--Dan Epstein
Tracklist of September of My Years
Reviews:
A STIRRING AND HAUNTING MASTERPIECE.
MY FIRST SINATRA ALBUM WAS "STARNGERS IN THE NIGHT", WHICH I WON, ON THE SEASIDE HEIGHTS BOARDWALK, AT THE JERSEY SHORE, IN 1966, AT THE AGE OF 11. I FIRST BOUGHT SEPTEMBER OF MY YEARS" 3 YEARS AGO, AFTER MY DAD WAS DIAGNOSED WITH TERMINAL CANCER.I HAD ALWAYS HEARD ABOUT HOW GREAT THIS ALBUM WAS, SO I JUST HAD TO BUY IT FOR DAD AND ME.ONE OF MY MOST PRECIOUS MEMORIES WILL ALWAYS BE LISTENING TO THIS CD WITH DAD, ON HIS DEATH BED.HE AND I BOTH SHED TEARS, NOT ONLY OF SADNESS INTERSPERSED WITH JOY, BUT ALSO OF A REVELATORY COMRADERIE,THAT WE SHARED WITH THE LATE SINATRA.HE WAS ABLE TO PLUCK AT OUR HEARTSTRINGS AND MASSAGE OUR MEMORIES,IN A WAY THAT SEEMS ALMOST ILLEGAL.I WAS APPROACHING 50, DAD NEARING HIS 82ND BIRTHDAY, AND BOTH OF US SPELLBOUND BY THE SHEAR POWER AND GUT PIERCING PENETRABILITY OF THIS MASTERPIECE."A MAN AND HIS MUSIC, "IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS OF","ONLY THE LONELY" "SONGS FOR SWINGIN` LOVERS", AND "STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT" ARE THE BEST OF SINATRA."SEPTEMBER OF MY YEARS" IS THE BEST OF THE BEST.
Best of the Reprise years.
This is without a doubt, and almost by leaps and bounds, the best Sinatra effort of the Reprise record label years. This cd holds it's own with the classics In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning(which is my personel favorite) and Frank Sinatra sings for Only the Lonely. Outside of those two sets, it may be better than any other of his Capital work, which is a very bold statement. Sadly, the only other dics which are on the Reprise label that are almost as good as this one are Ring a Ding Ding and Ol Blue Eyes is Back. If you can get these three dics on Reprise and then buy the Reprise Colection box set, then you will have all the Reprise you need. The Columbia Years box set is great if you enjoy really dated, but beautiful music. Almost anything from the Capital years is essential.
Completes the trilogy of melancholy masterpieces...
If you, as I do, heartily like Frank's "In the Wee Small Hours" and "Only the Lonely" albums, then add this one to your shelf as soon as you can. There are wee differences among the three discs, and each is fine. Here, Frank is older, wiser, less devastated by love gone wrong, although still wistful. Definitely NOT for only the lonely, this CD can be enjoyed even if you are in a good relationship. Nobody has done these kind of lyrics and moods better than Sinatra.
