Frank Sinatra - Come Fly With Me

I wanted to celebrate my addiction to travel, so "Come Fly With Me" by Frank Sinatra seemed the obvious choice.

Frank Sinatra blazed the trail for the Beatles, from the teenage hysteria of the Bobbysockers to the mature recording artist. "Sgt Pepper" is often cited as the first concept album, but Sinatra was releasing themed albums like "In the Wee Small Hours" and "Songs for Swinging Lovers" 15 years earlier.

One of the most enduring is the "Come Fly with Me" album, provided a phonographic trip around the world, taking in New York, Chicago, Paris, London, Brazil and Mandalay, at a time when travel was more exclusive.

The title track is an intoxicating tribute to the golden age of air travel, when it was an aspirational luxury, the preserve of very  wealthy. Glamorous people on magnificent planes jetting to exotic locations. So the stylish and raffish Sinatra was the natural to perform it.

Composed by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics from Sammy Cahn, specifically for Sinatra (like  "High Hopes" and "Love And Marriage"), it was recorded in one December 1957 session. Arranger Billy May guided the big band, with the emphasis on the great brass sound, while Sinatra swung, carefree and effortlessly.

A beautiful and beguiling love song, inviting a loved one for a special trip together. An adventurous itinerary could included India ("If you can use some exotic booze / There's a bar in far Bombay"), Peru ("llamaland") and Acapulco Bay. However the attraction is not just the destinations, but the flight itself. A different era when flight was exciting and mysterious ("air is rarefied"). He is not inviting her for trip on Ryanair or Easyjet !

Such an appealing song and notion, "Come Fly With Me" was very popular with the public, recorded by many, a fixture in his concerts, and even lent its name to a 1963 film.

We may not be able to travel from some time, but Sinatra can help us remember past glories.

Hear Now - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmQq6yLe2ww

Hear Next -  The essential Sinatra albums are from the 1950s, but a newcomer may prefer one of the many compilations.