 |
 |
During (and after) World War II, the military saw the need to boost morale for our soldiers in strange lands. What better way to make them feel less homesick than to bring the good ole USA to them. Starting with Shortwave broadcasts and then through the transcription of network radio shows (who better to make a GI feel at home than Bob Hope), the Armed Forces Radio Service shipped cartons of these discs to remote (and local) stations. The Unit would have a week or so to listen (& broadcast), then ship it on to the next outfit.
Soon, AFRS was producing live star-studded shows specifically setup for the soldiers. Command Performance USA! and it's similarily formated shows, like GI Journal and Mail Call, brought the greatest Hollywood and recording stars to the far reaches of the earth.
Record request shows, like GI Jive and Sound Off, were also assembled and shipped to troops at military locations. Most network radio (and later TV shows) were recorded, edited, and shipped.
The following lists provide as complete a record of Sinatra's involvement in the AFRS program as has can be determined. Most of the paper trail of the various AFRS programs has been lost over the years. Based primarily on two book by Harry Mackenzie (see below), and other material, this list can be considered as accurate as is humanly possible. The dates after the programs are the dates of recording, with the broadcast on AFRS generally a few months later.
Please also see the The V-Discs section of this website for information on Sinatra's other military-related recordings.
| Opening Theme |  |
#80 8/21/43
Starring: Ginger Rodgers
With: Frank Sinatra, Alice Faye, Mel Blanc
43rd Army Air Forces Orchestra
Embraceable You
Night And Day
#104* 2/1/44
Starring: Dinah Shore
With: Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby
John Scott Trotter Orch
Speak Low
People Will Say We're In Love (w/ Bing Crosby)
#106 2/12/44
Starring: Bob Hope
With: Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland
The Song Is You
Embraceable You (w/ Judy Garland)
#110 3/11/44
Starring: Dinah Shore
With: Frank Sinatra, Ginny Simms
Kiss Me Again
Dancing In The Dark
"Frankie & Ginny" skit
#122 6/3/44
Starring: Bob Hope
With: Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Lena Horne,
Connie Haines, Frances Langford, Shirley Ross
AFRS Orch, conducted by Maj. Meredith Willson
All The Things You Are
Medley: You Are My Sunshine (w/ Bing Crosby) / Sonny Boy / You're The Top
(w/ Bing Crosby & Bob Hope)
#123 - All Female Program 6/3/44
Starring: Connie Haines
With: Lena Horne, Shirley Ross, Frances Langford
Surprise Guests: Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope
AFRS Orch, conducted by Maj. Meredith Willson
If I Had My Way (w/ Bing Crosby, Bob Hope & Jerry Colonna)
#126 - All Western Program 6/24/44
Starring: Bob Hope
With: Frank Sinatra, The Andrews Sisters, Roy Rogers & The Riders Of
The Purple Sage, Cottonseed Clark, Carole Landis, Johnny Mercer
AFRS Orch, conducted by Maj. Meredith Willson
San Antonio Rose (w/ The Riders Of The Purple Sage
#159 - In Sir Sanctum in B-Flat* 12/17/44
Starring: Frank Morgan
With: Frank Sinatra, Nelson Eddy, The Andrew Sisters, Roy Rogers
Unidentified Orch
Saturday Night (Is The Loneliest Night Of The Week)
#162 - Dick Tracy in B-Flat 2/15/45
Starring: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Dinah Shore, Judy Garland,
Jerry Colonna, The Andrew Sisters, Jimmy Durante, Cass Daley
AFRS Orch, conducted by Maj. Meredith Willson
You Are A Brute [All The Things You Are] (w/ Bing Crosby)
We Three Pin Up Boys [Sunday, Monday Or Always] (w/ Crosby & Hope)
#165* 3/8/45
Starring: Frank Sinatra
With: Frances Langford, Elizabeth Taylor, The Crosby Kids, Roddy McDowell
The Trolley Song
Brahms' Lullaby
#189* 8/30/45
Starring: Frank Sinatra
With: Laureen Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, Victor Borge, The Pied Pipers
What Makes The Sunset
Nancy (With The Laughing Face)
#190
Previously shown as an original show, this is a repeat of #122
#205 1/3/46
Starring: Bob Hope
With: Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, Van Johnson
Nancy (With The Laughing Face)
It Ain't Necessarily So (w/ Dinah Shore)
#217 - Awards Ceremony 4/14/46
Starring: Bob Hope
With: Ray Milland, Joan Crawford, Frank Sinatra, George Murphy, Ingrid
Bergman, Charles Boyer, Bing Crosby
Johnny Gray Orchestra
Broadcast from Grauman's Chinese Theater
#241 12/1/46
Starring: Judy Garland
With: Phil Silvers, Frank Sinatra, André Previn
The Girl That I Marry
#247 1/12/47
Starring: Frank Sinatra
With: Joan Edwards, Gene Kelly
AFRS Orch
The Coffee Song
Lost In The Stars
#254 12/26/46
Starring: Carole Landis
With: Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante, Clark Dennis
Unidentified Orch
I Got A Gal I Love (In North And South Dakota)
The Things We Did Last Summer
#272 5/7/47
Starring: Marilyn Maxwell
With: Johnny Mercer, Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman Sextet
Unidentified Orch
Ol'Man Crosby
#300 10/21/47
Starring: Frank Sinatra
With: Doris Day, Jim Backus
AFRS Orch, conducted by Michel Perriere
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now
The House I Live In
#331 7/13/48
Starring: Beryl Davis
With: Frank Sinatra
AFRS Orch, conducted by Michel Perriere
All Of Me
#375 5/3/49
Starring: Gloria DeHaven
With: Frank Sinatra, The Phil Moore Four
Unidentified Orch
Bop Goes My Heart
When Is Sometime
Note: Command Performance programs above #415 were assembled from commercially
available recordings, and as such are not detailed here.
Command Performance Special Programs ---------
Command Performance Victory Extra 8/14/45
Starring: Bing Crosby
With: Jimmy Durante, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, Johnny Mercer,
and many other stars
Medley: You Are My Sunshine / Sonny Boy / You're The Top (w/ Bing Crosby)
The House I Live In
Note: Two 30 minute extracts of this 2-hour show were broadcast on network radio
Special V-J Day Program 9/2/45
Starring: Bob Hope
With: Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Pres. Harry S Truman
The House I Live In
Army Day rec 4/6/46
Starring: Bob Hope
With: Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Gen. Dwight D Eisenhower, others
Oh, What It Seemed to Be
You're the Top (parody) (w/ Bing Crosby & Bob Hope)
Medley: Aura Lee (Chorus) / What Do You Do in the Infantry? (Sinatra) /
This Is the Army, Mr. Jones (Shore) / Caisson Song (Crosby)
Note: The above programs were probably assembled from other Command Performance USA!
shows, but are shown here for completeness.
Mail Call -----------------------------------
Another live program transcribed for servicemen overseas.
| Opening Theme | |
#104 - Tribute To The State Of Maine* 8/9/44 Starring: Rudy Vallee With: Frank Sinatra, Gloria DeHaven, Fred Allen AFRS Orch Begin The Beguine Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are (w/ Gloria DeHaven) #117 11/9/44, NYC Starring: Gertrude Neisen With: Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman Quintet New York Port of Embarkation Band, cond by Harry Salter I Love You #142* 4/25/45 Starring: Betty Hutton With: Frank Sinatra, The King Sisters, Vivian Blaine I Can't Give You Anything But Love Dream #266 10/1/47 Starring: Chili Williams With: Frank Sinatra, Frances Langford, Page Cavanaugh Trio AFRS Orch Tea For Two Home On The Range #274 11/26/47 Starring: Chili Williams With: Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Tito Guizar AFRS Orch, cond by Michel Perriere Stella By Starlight Tea For Two (w/ Doris Day) #277 Winter 1947 Starring: Chili Williams With: Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, Eugenie Baird, The Pied Pipers AFRS Orch You Can't See The Sun When You're Crying Ain'tcha Ever Comin' Back? #283 1/28/48 Starring: Chili Williams With: Frank Sinatra, Four Blazes, Jo Stafford AFRS Orch, cond by Michel Perriere The Anniversary Song Begin The Beguine
| Opening Theme | |
#65* 10/20/44, NYC Starring: Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy With: Frank Sinatra, Hildegarde, Paula Kelly & The Modernaires New York Port of Embarkation Band, cond by Harry Salter Mighty Lak' A Rose #77 1/25/45 Starring: Ginger Rodgers With: Fibber McGee & Molly, Frank Sinatra Possible songs: My Ideal Shine On Harvest Moon #105 7/31/45 Starring: Bing Crosby With: Frank Sinatra, Claudette Colbert AFRS Orch, cond by Seaman 1Class Alvino Rey Good, Good, Good Madamoiselle From Armentiers (w/ Bing Crosby, Claudette Colbert)
#172 2/12/46
The House I Live In (w/ Earl Robinson, g)
How Cute Can You Be (w/ Jimmy Mundy All Star Band)
#157 Show with Dinah Shore
Network Sinatra Shows: Your Hit Parade, Songs By Sinatra, Light Up Time, To Be Perfectly Frank, The Frank Sinatra Show (TV edition) Record Request Shows: GI Jive (which later became Jill's Juke Box), Sound Off
#31 11/2/42 Arr/Con by Axel Stordahl Velvet Mood Just As Though You Were Here Everything I Have Is Yours Can't Get Out Of This Mood This Love Of Mine #769 ? The Charm Of You Oh Bess, Where's My Bess? It Might As Well Be Spring The House I Live In #? c. Oct/Dec 42 Arr/cond: Axel Stordahl Everything I Have Is Yours I Can't Get Out Of This Mood
The US government also got into the act of recording special programs and those shows are indicated below. Unfortunately, data from these programs is as spotty at best. Maybe someday...
#40* 8/1/47 Host: Les Tremayne Great Day You'll Never Walk Alone (both w/ Axel Stordahl Orch) #91* 12/19/48 [5/3/53?] Host: Frank Sinatra Harry Sosnick Defense Band Why Try To Change Me Now? Birth Of The Blues Note: An original Guest Star program Note: Most Guest Star programs were assembled from other shows, except for the two shown above
David Broekman Treasury Ensemble Small group arrangements, c. 11/42 #65 Daybreak #67 There Are Such Things Every Night About This Time #68 There Will Never Be Another You #69 I Only Have Eyes For You #91 Rose Ann Of Charing Cross #93 How Deep Is The Ocean #94 Please Think Of Me #121 Moonlight Mood #123 Weep No More My Lady #125 She's Funny That Way #127 Starlight Sonata #161 That's My Affair #163 It Started All Over Again #165 I Don't Believe In Rumours #167 As Time Goes By
David Broekman Treasury Ensemble Large group arrangements, c. Spring 43 #337 In The Blue Of Evening #338 You'll Never Know #339 Kiss Me Again #340 Embraceable You #? (There'll Be A) Hot Time In The Town Of Berlin If Loveliness Were Music I've Had This Feeling Before #? 11/1/42? Please Think Of Me There Will Never Be Another You #? 4/12/43? Close To You That Old Black Magic
March Of Dimes 12/43 Night And Day The Music Stopped My Heart Tells Me Speak Low I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night Manpower Commission Transcription 2/43 Mark Warnow & His Famous Orchestra Close To You It Can't Be Wrong Embraceable You Hollywood Bowl Academy Night 8/4/45 Tribute concert transcribed by AFRS Arr/cond: Axel Stordahl Long Ago And Far Away I Should Care What Makes The Sunset? If I Loved You Ol' Man River 4th Annual Music For The Wounded Concert 8/5/48 Recorded at the Hollywood Bowl by AFRS Arr/cond: Axel Stordahl Time After Time The Girl That I Marry Soliloquy
