Random Obscurities: Frank Sinatra’s September Years

As a man who has always had the wand’ring ways
Now I’m reaching back for yesterdays
‘Til a long-forgotten love appears
And I find that I’m sighing softly as I near
September, the warm September of my years

September Of My Years, is a 1965 studio album by Frank Sinatra, released on Reprise Records, one September day, fifty years ago.

At the age of 49, going on 50, these sessions saw Ol’ Blue Eyes in a rather reflective mood. On this album, the former teenage idol – adored by billions of souls all over the world for more than  three decades – sings with the voice of wisdom, and compares his life to vintage wine (from fine older kegs).

September Of My Years, follows in the same outer worldly blue veins as his masterpiece, In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning, from 1955. But where the latter was born in the doldrums of sorrow and heartache – mainly due to a rocky relationship with actress Ava Gardner – this record is the sound of a man at peace with himself, his years and music.

Since this album has no weak moments and too many good songs to choose from, this week’s feature picks the most famous song of the track list, ‘It Was A Very Good Year’, with footage of Frank singing live in the studio.

Frank Sinatra carried on singing for the next 30 years, but the thieving year of 1998 robbed us off one of the greatest singers ever to trudge on the face of the earth – had he still lived, he would have been 100 this December, 12th.

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Words: Anders Knudsen
Photo: Herman Leonard