She Shot Me Down
Encyclopedia
She Shot Me Down is a 1981 album by Frank Sinatra
.
This was the final album Sinatra recorded for the record label he founded, Reprise Records
and generally considered an artistic triumph that evokes the best of Sinatra during this stage of his career. The album, however, was not a commercial success.
In essence, She Shot Me Down harks back to the triumphs of Sinatra's Capitol years, a thought-provoking set of torch songs with soaring strings, lyrics fraught with loss and regret, and heart-wrenching, world-weary vocals.
Of the recordings chosen for the album, the only remake of a previous recording by Sinatra himself is the medley of Harold Arlen
's and Ira Gershwin
's "The Gal that Got Away
" with Rodgers and Hart
's "It Never Entered My Mind
". Sinatra would bring this medley to his concert set-list with much success, evident especially during the live concerts filmed in The Dominican Republic for Concert for the Americas
.
Of the album, Sinatra himself said: "A complete saloon album... tear-jerkers and cry-in-your-beer kind of things."
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
.
This was the final album Sinatra recorded for the record label he founded, Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
and generally considered an artistic triumph that evokes the best of Sinatra during this stage of his career. The album, however, was not a commercial success.
In essence, She Shot Me Down harks back to the triumphs of Sinatra's Capitol years, a thought-provoking set of torch songs with soaring strings, lyrics fraught with loss and regret, and heart-wrenching, world-weary vocals.
Of the recordings chosen for the album, the only remake of a previous recording by Sinatra himself is the medley of Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
's and Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
's "The Gal that Got Away
The Man that Got Away
"The Man that Got Away" is a popular song, published in 1953 and was written for the 1954 version of the movie A Star Is Born. The music was written by Harold Arlen, and the lyrics by Ira Gershwin...
" with Rodgers and Hart
Rodgers and Hart
Rodgers and Hart were an American songwriting partnership of composer Richard Rodgers and the lyricist Lorenz Hart...
's "It Never Entered My Mind
It Never Entered My Mind
"It Never Entered My Mind" is a show tune from the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical Higher and Higher , where it was introduced by Shirley Ross.-Notable recordings:...
". Sinatra would bring this medley to his concert set-list with much success, evident especially during the live concerts filmed in The Dominican Republic for Concert for the Americas
Concert for the Americas
The Concert for the Americas was a music festival held on August 20, 1982 in the Dominican Republic. It was held at the Altos de Chavón Amphitheater, a 5000-seat open-air Greek-style amphitheater located about two hours east of Santo Domingo, that was inaugurated by the festival.Performers...
.
Of the album, Sinatra himself said: "A complete saloon album... tear-jerkers and cry-in-your-beer kind of things."
Track listing
- "Good Thing Going (Going Gone)Merrily We Roll Along (musical)Merrily We Roll Along is a musical with a book by George Furth and lyrics and music by Stephen Sondheim. It is based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart....
" (Stephen SondheimStephen SondheimStephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
) – 3:53 - "Hey Look, No Crying" (Jule StyneJule StyneJule Styne was a British-born American songwriter especially famous for a series of Broadway musicals, which included several very well known and frequently revived shows.-Early life:...
, Susan BirkenheadSusan BirkenheadSusan Birkenhead is an American lyricist.Birkenhead made her Broadway debut as one of a team of songwriters contributing to Working , for which she received her first Tony Award nomination. Her second was earned for Jelly's Last Jam , which won her the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics and a...
) – 4:27 - "Thanks for the MemoryThanks for the Memory"Thanks for the Memory" is a popular song, with music composed by Ralph Rainger and lyrics by Leo Robin. It was introduced in the 1938 film The Big Broadcast of 1938 by Shep Fields and His Orchestra with vocals by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross...
" (Leo RobinLeo RobinLeo Robin was an American composer, lyricist and songwriter. He is probably best known for collaborating with Ralph Rainger on the 1938 Oscar-winning song "Thanks for the Memory," sung by Bob Hope in the film The Big Broadcast of 1938.-Biography:Robin was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and...
, Ralph RaingerRalph RaingerRalph Rainger was an American composer of popular music principally for films.-Biography:Born Ralph Reichenthal in New York City, Rainger embarked on a legal career before escaping to Broadway where he became Clifton Webb's accompanist...
) – 4:25 - "A Long Night" (Alec WilderAlec WilderAlec Wilder was an American composer.-Biography:...
, Loonis McGlohon) – 3:44 - "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)"Bang Bang " is the second single by singer-actress Cher from her second studio album The Sonny Side of Chér. The song was written by Sonny Bono and released in 1966. The song reached number three in the UK Singles Chart and number two on the Billboard Hot 100...
" (Sonny BonoSonny BonoSalvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono was an American recording artist, record producer, actor, and politician whose career spanned over three decades.-Early life:...
) – 3:24 - "Monday Morning Quarterback" (Don CostaDon CostaDon Costa was an American pop music arranger and record producer, best known for his work with Frank Sinatra.-Career:...
, Pamela Phillips-Oland) – 4:38 - "South - To a Warmer Place" (Wilder, McGlohon) – 3:45
- "I Loved Her" (Gordon JenkinsGordon JenkinsGordon Hill Jenkins was an American arranger, composer and pianist who was an influential figure in popular music in the 1940s and 1950s, renowned for his lush string arrangements...
) – 4:04 - Medley: "The Gal that Got AwayThe Man that Got Away"The Man that Got Away" is a popular song, published in 1953 and was written for the 1954 version of the movie A Star Is Born. The music was written by Harold Arlen, and the lyrics by Ira Gershwin...
"/"It Never Entered My MindIt Never Entered My Mind"It Never Entered My Mind" is a show tune from the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical Higher and Higher , where it was introduced by Shirley Ross.-Notable recordings:...
" (Harold ArlenHarold ArlenHarold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
, Ira GershwinIra GershwinIra Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
)/(Lorenz HartLorenz HartLorenz "Larry" Milton Hart was the lyricist half of the famed Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart...
, Richard RodgersRichard RodgersRichard Charles Rodgers was an American composer of music for more than 900 songs and for 43 Broadway musicals. He also composed music for films and television. He is best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II...
) – 5:05
Personnel
- Frank SinatraFrank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Gordon JenkinsGordon JenkinsGordon Hill Jenkins was an American arranger, composer and pianist who was an influential figure in popular music in the 1940s and 1950s, renowned for his lush string arrangements...
- arrangerArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble... - Don CostaDon CostaDon Costa was an American pop music arranger and record producer, best known for his work with Frank Sinatra.-Career:...
- arranger, conductor - Nelson RiddleNelson RiddleNelson Smock Riddle, Jr. was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid 1980s...
- arranger - Vincent Falcone, Jr - conductor
Recording dates
- April 8, 1981 - "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)"Bang Bang " is the second single by singer-actress Cher from her second studio album The Sonny Side of Chér. The song was written by Sonny Bono and released in 1966. The song reached number three in the UK Singles Chart and number two on the Billboard Hot 100...
", "The Gal that Got AwayThe Man that Got Away"The Man that Got Away" is a popular song, published in 1953 and was written for the 1954 version of the movie A Star Is Born. The music was written by Harold Arlen, and the lyrics by Ira Gershwin...
"/"It Never Entered My MindIt Never Entered My Mind"It Never Entered My Mind" is a show tune from the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical Higher and Higher , where it was introduced by Shirley Ross.-Notable recordings:...
" - July 20, 1981 - "Thanks for the MemoryThanks for the Memory"Thanks for the Memory" is a popular song, with music composed by Ralph Rainger and lyrics by Leo Robin. It was introduced in the 1938 film The Big Broadcast of 1938 by Shep Fields and His Orchestra with vocals by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross...
", "A Long Night", "I Loved Her" - July 21, 1981 - "South - To a Warmer Place"
- August 19, 1981 - "Good Thing Going (Going Gone)"
- September 10, 1981 - "Hey Look, No Cryin'", "Monday Morning Quarterback"