Softly, as I Leave You was Frank Sinatra's first tentative attempt to come to terms with the rock & roll revolution, even if it was hardly a rock & roll album.
In fact, it wasn't much of an album to begin with.
The highlight of the record was the hit title song, which featured a subdued but forceful and steady backbeat.
The rhythm itself was indicative of Sinatra's effort to accept the new popular music.
Arranged by Ernie Freeman, "Softly, as I Leave You," "Then Suddenly Love," and "Available" are definitely stabs at incorporating rock & roll into Sinatra's middle-of-the-road pop, featuring drum kits, backing vocals, and keyboards.
As pop singles, they were well constructed and deservedly successful.
The rest of the album is pieced together from leftovers from various early-'60s sessions, giving the record a decidedly uneven tone.
Some of the songs work well as individual moments, particularly the Nelson Riddle-arranged "Emily," but the varying tone is too distracting to make the album a satisfying listen.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | EmilyJohnny Mandel, Johnny Mercer | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:59 | 6 MB | 14 MB |
| 2 | Here's to the LosersJack Segal, Robert Wells | Frank Sinatra | Play | 03:04 | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| 3 | Dear HeartRay Evans, Jay Livingston, Henry Mancini | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:42 | 6 MB | 13 MB |
| 4 | Come Blow Your HornSammy Cahn, James Van Heusen | Frank Sinatra | Play | 03:08 | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| 5 | Love Isn't Just for the YoungBernard Knee | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:57 | 6 MB | 16 MB |
| 6 | I Can't Believe I'm Losing YouDon Costa, Phil Zeller | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:45 | 6 MB | 14 MB |
| 7 | Pass Me ByCy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:25 | 5 MB | 14 MB |
| 8 | Softly, As I Leave YouGiorgio Calabrese, Antonio DeVito, Hal Shaper | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:51 | 6 MB | 17 MB |
| 9 | Then Suddenly LoveRay Alfred, Paul Vance | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:16 | 5 MB | 14 MB |
| 10 | AvailableSammy Cahn, L. B. Marks, Ned Wynn | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:47 | 6 MB | 18 MB |
| 11 | Talk to Me BabyRobert E. Dolan, Johnny Mercer | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:58 | 6 MB | 15 MB |
| 12 | The Look of LoveSammy Cahn, James Van Heusen | Frank Sinatra | Play | 02:43 | 6 MB | 16 MB |
| 33 mins | 77 MB | |||||
| 33 mins | 194 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ray Alfred | Composer |
| 2 | Sammy Cahn | Composer |
| 3 | Giorgio Calabrese | Composer |
| 4 | Cy Coleman | Composer |
| 5 | Don Costa | Composer |
| 6 | Antonio DeVito | Composer |
| 7 | Robert E. Dolan | Composer |
| 8 | Ray Evans | Composer |
| 9 | James Van Heusen | Composer |
| 10 | Bernard Knee | Composer |
| 11 | L. B. Marks | Composer |
| 12 | Carolyn Leigh | Composer |
| 13 | Jay Livingston | Composer |
| 14 | Henry Mancini | Composer |
| 15 | Johnny Mandel | Composer |
| 16 | Johnny Mercer | Composer |
| 17 | Jack Segal | Composer |
| 18 | Hal Shaper | Composer |
| 19 | Frank Sinatra | Primary Artist |
| 20 | Paul Vance | Composer |
| 21 | Robert Wells | Composer |
| 22 | Ned Wynn | Composer |
| 23 | Phil Zeller | 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). |