Softly, as I Leave You (album)

Softly, as I Leave You is a 1964 studio album by the American singer Frank Sinatra.

This album was Sinatra's first tentative attempt to come to terms with rock and roll music. Arranged by Ernie Freeman, "Softly, as I Leave You," "Then Suddenly Love," and "Available" are definitely stabs at incorporating rock and roll into Sinatra's middle-of-the-road pop sound, featuring drum kits, backing vocals, and keyboards.

The rest of the album is pieced together from leftovers from various early-'60s sessions, from many different arrangers and conductors, giving the album a rather uneven finish.

The title track was the first of at least four attempts to mimic the chart success of Dean Martin's #1 hit "Everybody Loves Somebody", using a driving beat, heavy strings and choral tracks. Sinatra, arranger Ernie Freeman and producer Jimmy Bowen would incorporate the same sound to songs like "When Somebody Loves You", "Tell Her You Love Her (Each Day)" and "Somewhere In Your Heart" with only major MOR chart success.

Track listing

1. "Emily" (Johnny Mandel, Johnny Mercer) – 2:58
2. "Here's to the Losers" (Robert Wells, Jack Segal) – 3:05
3. "Dear Heart" (Jay Livingston, Ray Evans, Henry Mancini) – 2:43
4. "Come Blow Your Horn" (Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen) – 3:07
5. "Love Isn't Just for the Young" (Bernard Knee) – 2:57
6. "I Can't Believe I'm Losing You" (Don Costa, Phil Zeller) – 2:43
7. "Pass Me By" (Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh) – 2:25
8. "Softly, as I Leave You" (Hal Shaper, Antonio DeVito, Giorgio Calabrese) – 2:50
9. "Then Suddenly Love" (Ray Alfred, Paul Vance) – 2:15
10. "Available" (Cahn, Ned Wynn, L.B. Marks) – 2:47
11. "Talk to Me Baby" (Robert E. Dolan, Mercer) – 3:00
12. "The Look of Love" (Cahn, Van Heusen) – 2:43

Personnel

• Frank Sinatra - vocals
• Neal Hefti - conductor
• Nelson Riddle - arranger, conductor
• Marty Paich
• Ernie Freeman
• Billy May - arranger