The Lost Albums of Frank Sinatra

When we see the word "album," we think of the 12" vinyl discs that reigned supreme between 1955 and the late 1980s. But, the term "album" dates to the mid-20s, when record companies began issuing classical music in four and five disc sets. They added artwork to the front cover and some liner notes about the artist or work on the inside.

For popular artists, the record labels began to package collections of these artists' 78s into albums in the mid-40s. Most (but not all) of these "albums" were collections of previously-released 78 singles (or compilations).

As Will Friedwald has documented in his essay "The Complete Columbia Session" (in The Columbia Years: 1943-1952 box set), Sinatra was the first artist to plan an album that would have consistent tempos and instrumentation. This album, The Voice of Frank Sinatra, was issued as a 78 album (C-112) in March, 1946 (a 10" LP version [CL-6001] would be issued in June, 1948). Friedwald also notes that Sing And Dance With Frank Sinatra (released simultaneously as a 78 album [C-197] and a 10" LP [CL-6096] in March, 1950) was the other concept album recorded during his tenure with Columbia.

There were other 78 albums that were issued while Sinatra was recording for Columbia. What about them? Most fans discount them as merely collections of old singles. None of the Columbia 78 sets have been documented as what they really were: albums of new or previously unissued material (see note 1).

It struck me odd that a song like "Embraceable You," long regarded as one of Sinatra's hits from the late 40s did not have a Billboard chart number that would indicate it's supposed hit status.

When I began to look into this further, it appeared that the 78 catalog number 37259 was preceded by three other discs in numerical sequence. These discs, it turns out, belonged to the 78 album Songs By Sinatra, Vol 1 (C-124), released in April, 1947. "Embraceable You" never was a single! It had been sold only as part of this 78 album. No wonder there was no Billboard chart number!

But, "Embraceable You" has always been listed in discographies simply by it's 78 catalog number, with no reference to it's actual place in the 78 album. Therefore, continuing the myth that it was a 78 single.

What about the other 78 albums? Christmas Songs By Sinatra (78 album C-167, Oct, 1948): half were new recordings; Frankly Sentimental (78 album C-185, June, 1949): all previously unissued; and Dedicated To You (78 album C-197, March, 1950): all previously unissued.

Here, then, are four Sinatra albums that have been lost over the years. Although their 10" LP counterparts have been listed in previous discographies, the history behind them has not be highlighted.
 

These "lost" albums are as important to the development of Sinatra's career as any other album issued in his long career. Finding the original 78 albums is extremely difficult, the 10" counterparts very hard. But no collection would be complete without them.

For completeness in documenting the 78 albums, here are the details of the other two "bookend" 78 albums:

Note 1: What do I mean by previously unissued? Most Columbia 78s were issued within a few months of the recording session. If there appears to be a gap of more than six months from the recording date to the issue date, I consider it previously unissued. For whatever reason, they did not come out in the normal cycle time frame. Not only were some of these selections on the 78 albums previously unissued, quite a few of the single 78s can be placed in this category.

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Updated July 31, 2000