The Billboard challenge of October 15, 1966 confirmed what followers of Frank Sinatra had recognized for some time: The Chairman of the Board was again. In actual fact, his international success with the “Strangers In The Night” single, the album of the identical identify and the following Sinatra At The Sands LP prompted the then-general supervisor of his Reprise label, Mo Ostin, to inform the journal: “He’s never been this hot.”
The “Strangers In The Night” 45 had, introduced Billboard, been No.1 not solely within the US and UK, however from Australia to Argentina, in addition to in Austria, Belgium, Eire, and France. “And it’s on the ascendancy in other countries,” stated Ostin. “To us this represents a worldwide resurgence for Sinatra.”
A selfless determination
The tune was written by fashionable German orchestra chief Bert Kaempfert, with English lyrics by Charles Singleton and Eddie Snyder. Kaempfert had first recorded the melody because the instrumental “Beddy Bye,” as a part of the soundtrack for the 1966 journey comedy A Man Might Get Killed, starring James Garner and Melina Mercouri. The Greek actress and singer was provided it, however sensed that it ought to be sung by a person. Her selfless determination was the world’s acquire.
Frank’s Strangers In The Night time album was gold within the US, and Sinatra At The Sands, recorded on the Las Vegas lodge with Depend Basie, was closing in on that standing. “One reason for the good sale of this product,” opined the Billboard article, “is the inability of people to see Sinatra perform live. Due to heavy film commitments, [he] has reduced his night club activity to a bare minimum and Ostin sees the LP as filling this void for fans who have been unable to see him live.”
Certainly, Reprise was so eager on what Ostin referred to as the “exciting repertorial approach” of the reside album format that the corporate had, reported Billboard, minimize two reside albums over the earlier six months by Sinatra’s “Rat Pack” compadre Sammy Davis Jr.
“Strangers In The Night” had simply completed a 20-week run on the UK chart on the time of the article, and the follow-up single “Summer Wind” was on the bestsellers on each side of the Atlantic. “Strangers” went on to double Grammy-winning glory, as each Report of the 12 months and Pop Male Vocal of the 12 months.
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