Witchcraft (song)

"Witchcraft"
Single by Frank Sinatra
A-side Witchcraft
B-side Tell Her You Love Her
Released Late 1957
Format 45", 78"
Recorded Capitol Records, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
May 20, 1957
Genre Swing
Length 2:54
Label Capitol
(US, 45")
Writer(s) Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh
Producer Dave Cavanaugh
Frank Sinatra singles chronology
"All the Way"
(1957)
"Witchcraft"
(1957)
"Mistletoe and Holly"
(1957)

"Witchcraft" is a popular song from 1957 composed by Cy Coleman with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh. It was released as a single by Frank Sinatra, and reached number twenty in the U.S., spending sixteen weeks on the charts.[1]

Composed as an instrumental piece by Coleman for the revue Take Five, lyrics were added by Leigh, and "Witchcraft" was subsequently recorded by Sinatra in May 1957, in an arrangement by Nelson Riddle.[2]

Elvis Presley sang this song in The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: Welcome Home Elvis.

Contents

Versions

Sinatra recorded "Witchcraft" three times in a studio setting. The first recording was in 1957, for his single release, and was later released on his compilation album All the Way (1961). Sinatra re-recorded "Witchcraft" for 1963's Sinatra's Sinatra, and finally recorded it as a duet with Anita Baker for Duets (1993).

Recording Date Company Format Album Track:Album Album Date Collaborators Arranged by
1957-05-20 Capitol Records Studio The Complete Capitol Singles Collection 3/13:3/5 1996-09-03 Nelson Riddle
1963-04-30 Reprise Records Studio Sinatra's Sinatra 5/12:1/1 1963 Nelson Riddle
1993-07-09 Capitol Records Electronic Duet Duets 11/13:1/1 1993-07-09 Anita Baker Nelson Riddle

"Witchcraft" has been recorded by many other artists, including Sarah Vaughan, on her 1962 album You're Mine You, Ella Fitzgerald, on Ella Returns to Berlin (1961), and Bill Evans on Portrait in Jazz (1959). Another version was featured in the 1993 movie Hocus Pocus.

Awards

Grammys

At the 1st Grammy Awards, Frank Sinatra was nominated for six Grammy awards, with Sinatra's recording of "Witchcraft" being nominated for the Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Vocal Performance, Male, and Nelson Riddle's arrangement nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Arrangement. Sinatra had two albums nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, and won the Grammy Award for Best Album Cover. This song was also sung live by Peggy Lee .

Notes

  1. ^ Songs By Sinatra: Records - Singles Page
  2. ^ Frank Sinatra - Witchcraft