Expanding on the concept of Songs for Young Lovers!, In the Wee Small Hours was a collection of ballads arranged by Nelson Riddle.
The first 12" album recorded by Sinatra, Wee Small Hours was more focused and concentrated than his two earlier concept records.
It's a blue, melancholy album, built around a spare rhythm section featuring a rhythm guitar, celesta, and Bill Miller's piano, with gently aching strings added every once and a while.
Within that melancholy mood is one of Sinatra's most jazz-oriented performances -- he restructures the melody and Miller's playing is bold throughout the record.
Where Songs for Young Lovers! emphasized the romantic aspects of the songs, Sinatra sounds like a lonely, broken man on In the Wee Small Hours.
Beginning with the newly written title song, the singer goes through a series of standards that are lonely and desolate.
In many ways, the album is a personal reflection of the heartbreak of his doomed love affair with actress Ava Gardner, and the standards that he sings form their own story when collected together.
Sinatra's voice had deepened and worn to the point where his delivery seems ravished and heartfelt, as if he were living the songs.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | In the Wee Small Hours of the MorningBob Hilliard, David Mann | Frank Sinatra | Play | 03:01 | 6 MB | 36 MB |
| 2 | Mood IndigoBarney Bigard, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills | Frank Sinatra | Play | 03:31 | 8 MB | 41 MB |
| 3 | Glad to Be UnhappyLorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:36 | 5 MB | 30 MB |
| 4 | Deep in a DreamEddie DeLange, James Van Heusen | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:49 | 6 MB | 32 MB |
| 5 | I See Your Face Before MeHoward Dietz, Arthur Schwartz | Frank Sinatra | Play | 03:24 | 7 MB | 39 MB |
| 6 | When Your Lover Has GoneEinar A. Swan | Frank Sinatra | Play | 03:11 | 7 MB | 35 MB |
| 7 | Last Night When We Were YoungHarold Arlen, E.Y. "Yip" Harburg | Frank Sinatra | Play | 03:18 | 7 MB | 39 MB |
| 8 | I'll Be AroundAlec Wilder | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:59 | 6 MB | 35 MB |
| 9 | Ill WindHarold Arlen, Ted Koehler | Frank Sinatra | Play | 03:46 | 8 MB | 44 MB |
| 10 | It Never Entered My MindLorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:42 | 6 MB | 30 MB |
| 11 | Dancing on the CeilingLorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:57 | 6 MB | 33 MB |
| 12 | I'll Never Be the SameGus Kahn, Matty Malneck, Frank Signorelli | Frank Sinatra | Play | 03:05 | 7 MB | 35 MB |
| 13 | This Love of MineHenry W. Sanicola, Jr., Sol Parker, Frank Sinatra | Frank Sinatra | Play | 03:39 | 8 MB | 40 MB |
| 14 | I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes) | Frank Sinatra | Play | 03:42 | 8 MB | 42 MB |
| 15 | Can't We Be Friends | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:48 | 6 MB | 31 MB |
| 16 | What Is This Thing Called Love | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:34 | 5 MB | 30 MB |
| 50 mins | 114 MB | |||||
| 50 mins | 579 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harold Arlen | Composer |
| 2 | Barney Bigard | Composer |
| 3 | Hoagy Carmichael | Composer |
| 4 | William Claxton | Photography |
| 5 | Eddie DeLange | Composer |
| 6 | Howard Dietz | Composer |
| 7 | Duke Ellington | Composer |
| 8 | Voyle Gilmore | Producer |
| 9 | E.Y. "Yip" Harburg | Composer |
| 10 | Lorenz Hart | Composer |
| 11 | James Van Heusen | Composer |
| 12 | Bob Hilliard | Composer |
| 13 | Paul James | Composer |
| 14 | Gus Kahn | Composer |
| 15 | Ted Koehler | Composer |
| 16 | Matty Malneck | Composer |
| 17 | David Mann | Composer |
| 18 | Irving Mills | Composer |
| 19 | Bob Norberg | Remastering |
| 20 | Sol Parker | Composer |
| 21 | Cole Porter | Composer |
| 22 | Nelson Riddle | Arranger, Conductor |
| 23 | Richard Rodgers | Composer |
| 24 | Henry W. Sanicola, Jr. | Composer |
| 25 | Arthur Schwartz | Composer |
| 26 | Frank Signorelli | Composer |
| 27 | Frank Sinatra | Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals |
| 28 | Tommy Steele | Art Direction |
| 29 | Einar A. Swan | Composer |
| 30 | Kay Swift | Composer |
| 31 | Larry Walsh | Remastering |
| 32 | Pete Welding | Liner Notes |
| 33 | Alec Wilder | Composer |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |