The Chairman semi-retires.

This was Sinatra's last important album, and the last good one (the Quincy Jones-led 'L.A. is My Lady' and the ill-advised 'Duets' projects came afterward). This is a classic saloon album, filled with themes of heartbreak, nostalgia, lost youth and the cares of old age. However it is hardly a downer; in fact it is at times a riveting listen, as Sinatra takes posession of these songs and gives them an authenticity and cachet that no other singer could have matched. His voice, although obviously past its prime, still carried the authority and magnetism at this time that made him a star and an icon. A fine late-period Sinatra album, one not to miss.



This title is out of print in the U.S. but can be ordered through Amazon UK.

A Great Album - but an impossible to find CD

I love this album, and the songs on it are great. It is almost the end for Sinatra albums. In short just look at the number of stars that others have given it. I think this is a must for the Sinatra fan!



However, it is impossible to find, and the price is hovering at $100 for the cd (I only have the album). Will this ever be re-released? We will have to wait and see!

Sinatra's last great album.

Frank Sinatra was, quite simply, the greatest interpreter of the American popular song who ever lived. His singing style is the subject of musicological doctoral dissertations in addition to being something that makes life a little more worth living. For those wonder what makes Sinatra such an important artist, "She Shot Me Down" provides ample evidence of his brilliance, passion, and unparalleled ability to turn a melody into a deeply personal statement.

This album, released in 1981, is centered around the themes of lost love, break-ups, and romantic desolation. A mere 38 minutes in duration and containing only nine songs, "She Shot Me Down" is nevertheless one of the finest albums of Sinatra's stellar career.

Much of the material here is new or obscure. "Good Thing Going" is a great song, but the arrangement (courtesy of Don Costa) is so bad it nearly kills it--but not quite. Even in this schmaltzy atmosphere, Sinatra manages to inject some of his trademark icy passion into an otherwise pedestrian version of this Sondheim classic.

After the disheartening beginning, the album takes off, with nary a weak note to come. My personal favorites are: "Hey Look, No Crying," where Frank examines the end of a romance with deceptive stoicism; "Thanks for the Memory," in which the cute Bob Hope standard is turned instead into a chilling remembrance of a halcyon love gone terribly wrong (this is one of the best lyrics I've ever encountered); "Monday Morning Quarterback," written by Costa and featuring a fine lyric by Pamela Phillips, in which Frank's tough guy image can't hide his bewilderment at losing again; and the magnificent "I Loved Her," with words and music by Gordon Jenkins. Sinatra's vocal on this last track is one of the finest he ever committed to vinyl, and shows why his musical legacy remains so imposing. Despair and regret don't get more enticing than this.

The other songs are all excellent as well. With only one weak track ("Good Thing Going"), "She Shot Me Down" is a superb and worthy slice of late Sinatra. Check it out.