Ten albums by Sinatra and a few associated memories. Part Three

5. Come Fly With me. Capitol 1957 arr. Billy May. For this one Sinatra opted for Billy May to knock out the charts which he did splendidly. A few years previously May had lead a band with the most identifiable sax sound - the slurping saxes was the descriptive name given to them - since Glenn Miller. He later broke up the band and sold the name to fellow trumpet player Ray Anthony who then led two bands!

As the title implies, the repertoire of Come Fly With me has Sinatra singing of jetting off to such global playgrounds as Capri, Paris, Brazil, London, Vermont, Hawaii and, my favourite, Mandalay. 

The Road to Mandalay had, no doubt been sung by many an uncle in an Edwardian drawing room after a few glasses of port. Kipling's exceedingly fine words were set to music by one Oley Speaks.

Ship me somewhere east of  Suez, 

Where the best is like the worst,                                                                                           

Where there ain't no ten commandments,                                                                               

And a man can raise a thirst.

The Kipling estate disliked Sinatra's interpretation so much that it was banned in the UK for many years - I loved it, still do!

Lance