Softly, as I Leave You is a 1964 studio album by American singer Frank Sinatra. Arranged by Ernie Freeman, several tracks such as "Softly, as I Leave You", "Then Suddenly Love" and "Available" departed from Sinatra's signature vocal jazz style by flirting with a more contemporary pop sound. The rest of the album is pieced together with leftovers from various early 1960s sessions, from many different arrangers and conductors.
The title track was the first of at least four attempts to mimic the chart success of Dean Martin's number 1 hit "Everybody Loves Somebody", using a driving beat, heavy strings and choral tracks. Sinatra, arranger Ernie Freeman and producer Jimmy Bowen would incorporate the same sound to songs like "When Somebody Loves You", "Tell Her You Love Her (Each Day)" and "Somewhere in Your Heart" with only minor chart success.
Track listing "Emily" (Johnny Mandel, Johnny Mercer) – 2:58 "Here's to the Losers" (Robert Wells, Jack Segal) – 3:05 "Dear Heart" (Jay Livingston, Ray Evans, Henry Mancini) – 2:43 "Come Blow Your Horn" (Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen) – 3:07 "Love Isn't Just for the Young" (Bernard Knee, Herb Miller)Sinatra, Frank. "Love Isn't Just for the Young". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/Love%20Isn't%20Just%20For%20the%20Young – 2:57 "I Can't Believe I'm Losing You" (Don Costa, Phil Zeller) – 2:43 "Pass Me By" (Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh) – 2:25 "Softly, as I Leave You" (Hal Shaper, Antonio DeVita, Giorgio Calabrese) – 2:50 "Then Suddenly Love" (Roy Alfred, Paul Vance) – 2:15 "Available" (Cahn, Ned Wynn, L.B. Marks)Sinatra, Frank. "Available". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/Available – 2:47 "Talk to Me Baby" (Robert Emmett Dolan, Mercer) – 3:00 "The Look of Love" (Cahn, Van Heusen)Sinatra, Frank. "The Look of Love". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/The%20Look%20of%20Love – 2:43
Notes Tracks 1, 3 and 7 recorded on October 3, 1964 Tracks 8, 9 and 10 recorded on July 17, 1964 Uncredited background singers perform on tracks 1, 3 and 7–10Sinatra, Frank. "Emily". Frank Sinatra Sessionography.Sinatra, Frank. "Dear Heart". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. The Orchestra on tracks 1, 3 and 6–7 includes 9 ViolinsSinatra, Frank. "I Can't Believe I'm Losing You". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/I%20Can't%20Believe%20I'm%20Losing%20YouSinatra, Frank. "Pass Me By". https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/Pass%20Me%20By Tracks 2 and 5 recorded on July 31, 1963Sinatra, Frank. "Here's to the Losers". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/Here's%20to%20the%20Losers The Orchestra on Tracks 2, 5 and 8–10 includes 12 ViolinsSinatra, Frank. "Softly As I Leave You". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/Softly%20As%20I%20Leave%20YouSinatra, Frank. "Then Suddenly Love". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/Then%20Suddenly%20Love "Come Blow Your Horn" recorded on January 21, 1963Sinatra, Frank. "Come Blow Your Horn". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/Come%20Blow%20Your%20Horn Jimmy Van Heusen is also known as James Van Heusen The Orchestra on Tracks 4 and 12 includes 10 Violins "I Can't Believe I'm Losing You" recorded on April 8, 1964 Tracks 8–10 recorded on July 17, 1964 "Talk to Me Baby" recorded on December 3, 1963 The Orchestra on "Talk to Me Baby" includes 14 ViolinsSinatra, Frank. "Talk to Me Baby". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/Talk%20to%20Me%20Baby Robert Emmett Dolan is also known as Robert Dolan "The Look of Love" recorded on August 27, 1962
Personnel Frank Sinatra - vocals (2, 4–6, 11–12, lead on 1, 3, 7–10) Don Costa - arranger (6, 11), conductor (11) Ernie Freeman - arranger, conductor (8–10) Neal Hefti - conductor (12) Billy May - arranger (7) Marty Paich - arranger, conductor (2, 5) Nelson Riddle - arranger (1, 3–4, 6, 12), conductor (1, 3–4, 6–7)
Charts Chart (1964) Peakposition
References