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September of My Years
September of My Years
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September of My Years
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 1965 (LP)
October 1986 (CD)
RecordedApril 13–14, 22 and May 27, 1965, Hollywood[1]
GenreTraditional pop, vocal jazz
Length44:02
LabelReprise
FS 1014
ProducerSonny Burke
Frank Sinatra chronology
Sinatra '65: The Singer Today
(1965)
September of My Years
(1965)
My Kind of Broadway
(1965)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarStar[2]
Encyclopedia of Popular MusicStarStarStarStarStar[3]
Record MirrorStarStarStarStar[4]
September of My Years
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 31, 2010
RecordedApril 13–14, 22 and May 27, 1965, Hollywood
Additional Guitar Overdubs on March 14, 1968[1][5]
June 1984, Carnegie Hall, New York, New York[6]
GenreTraditional pop, vocal jazz
LabelReprise[6]
ProducerSonny Burke

September of My Years is a 1965 studio album by American singer Frank Sinatra, released on Reprise Records in August 1965[7] on LP and October 1986 on CD. It was his fifth album collaboration with arranger Gordon Jenkins. Released shortly before Sinatra's fiftieth birthday in December of that year, September of My Years hearkens back to the ballad-oriented concept albums of his 1950s Capitol era, with songs that broadly explore themes of ageing, self-reflection and nostalgia.[2]

It peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart. Both September of My Years and the double-LP compilation A Man and His Music won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. In 2000 it was voted number 190 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.[8]

Background

[edit]

This was the first album Sinatra and Jenkins had recorded together since 1962's All Alone. Jenkins and Sinatra would next work together on the 1973 album Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back, the 1980 album Trilogy: Past Present Future, and the 1981 album She Shot Me Down.

CBS television cameras captured Sinatra recording "It Was a Very Good Year" for this album. The footage was included in a Walter Cronkite CBS News special broadcast on November 16, 1965. Sinatra's performance of "It Was a Very Good Year" won the Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance, Male. Arranger Gordon Jenkins was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for the same song.

The album was released on CD on October 10, 1986. It was re-released and remastered on May 26, 1998, as part of the Entertainer of the Century series done together by Reprise and Capitol Records. That version is currently out of print. Concord Records reissued the album again, newly remastered on compact disc, on August 31, 2010. This version includes two bonus tracks, a live performance of "This Is All I Ask" recorded at Carnegie Hall in June 1984, and the single mix of "How Old Am I?" released in 1968.

Themes

[edit]

September of My Years is a concept album exploring the "who am I" questions and perspectives that someone, particularly a man, faces upon entering middle age. For instance, in "It Was a Very Good Year," the narrator looks back upon his life at ages 17, 21, 35, and now, in his personal "September." The structure of the song, which lasts almost four and a half minutes, was highly unusual for a popular song of the time, as it exceeded most other songs of that era by more than a minute. In the process, the narrator "takes his time" to review his past relationships with a bittersweet mixture of satisfaction and regret. Similarly, in "Hello, Young Lovers," the narrator offers to young people the guidance and wisdom he has gleaned from experience. In other songs, like "The Man in the Looking Glass" and "Last Night When We Were Young," the narrator conducts an internal dialogue that reviews both the accomplishments and disappointments of his life. In addition to the lyrical content, the musical background reflects a more mature Sinatra than the Capitol recordings of the 1950s and his Reprise albums of the early 1960s. Instead of the big-band, "swing" arrangements with horn sections of those earlier songs, this LP features an orchestra with nine violinists. These strings provide a delicate interplay with the vocals, allowing the listener to easily hear and take in the lyrics.

Track listing

[edit]
  1. "The September of My Years" (Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn) – 3:12
  2. "How Old Am I?" (Gordon Jenkins) – 3:30
  3. "Don't Wait Too Long" (Sunny Skylar) – 3:04
  4. "It Gets Lonely Early" (Van Heusen, Cahn) – 2:57
  5. "This Is All I Ask" (Jenkins) – 3:03
  6. "Last Night When We Were Young" (Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg) – 3:33
  7. "The Man in the Looking Glass" (Bart Howard) – 3:25
  8. "It Was a Very Good Year" (Ervin Drake) – 4:25
  9. "When the Wind Was Green" (Don Hunt, Henry Stinson)[1] – 3:22
  10. "Hello, Young Lovers" (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) – 3:41
  11. "I See It Now" (Alec Wilder, William Engvick) – 2:50
  12. "Once Upon a Time" (Charles Strouse, Lee Adams) – 3:30
  13. "September Song" (Kurt Weill, Maxwell Anderson) – 3:30

Bonus tracks included on the 2010 reissue:

  1. "This Is All I Ask - Live" – 3:49
  2. "How Old Am I? - Single Version" – 3:42

Notes

  • The Orchestra on "The September of My Years" features 9 Violins[9]
  • The Orchestra on tracks 2–13 and 15 features 16 Violins
  • Henry Stinson is also known as Donald Henry Stinson[10]

Personnel

[edit]
  • Frank Sinatravocals (all tracks)
  • Bill Miller – piano (1–13, 15)
  • Joe Parnello – piano, conductor (14)
  • Bob Bain – guitar (1)[9]
  • Bill Pitman – guitar (1)
  • Tony Mottola – guitar (14)
  • Joe Comfort – string bass (1)
  • Mike Rubin – string bass (1–13, 15)
  • Max Bennett – additional bass guitar (15)[5]
  • Irving Cottler – drums (1, 14)[9][11]
  • Nick Fatool – drums (2–13, 15)
  • Al Hendrickson – guitar (9, 11–12)[10]
  • Buddy Collette – saxophone, woodwind (1)
  • Alvin Dinkin – viola (1–2, 4–5, 7–9, 11–12, 15)[5][11][12][13][14]
  • Melinda Eckels – oboe (2, 4–5, 7–8, 15),[15][16] flute (3, 6, 9–13)[17][18]
  • Bert Gassman – oboe (3, 6, 9–13)
  • Chuck Gentry – saxophone, woodwind (1)
  • Justin Gordon – saxophone, woodwind (1)
  • Stanley Harris – viola (1)
  • Lloyd Hildebrand – bassoon (2–13, 15), flute (3, 6, 9–13)
  • Clyde Hylton – clarinet (2–13, 15), flute (3, 6, 9–13)
  • Gordon Jenkinsarranger (all tracks), conductor (1–13, 15)
  • Kathryn Julye – harp (1)
  • Armand Kaproff – cello (1–2, 4–5, 8–9, 11–12, 15)
  • Louis Kievman – viola (2, 4–5, 7–9, 11–12, 15)
  • Harry Klee – clarinet (2–13, 15), flute (3, 6, 9–13), saxophone, woodwind (1)
  • Arnold Koblentz – oboe (2, 4–5, 7–8, 15)
  • Cappy Lewis – trumpet (1)
  • Edgar Lustgarten – cello (1)
  • Ray Menhennick – viola (3, 6, 10, 13)[19][20]
  • Dick Nash – trombone (1)
  • Tommy Pederson – trombone (1)
  • Kurt Reher – cello (3, 6, 10, 13)
  • George Roberts – bass trombone (1)
  • Paul Robyn – viola (2–13, 15)
  • Sanford Schonbach – viola (3, 6, 10, 13)
  • Willie Schwartz – saxophone, woodwind (1)
  • Tom Shepard – trombone (1)
  • Barbara Simons – viola (1)
  • Eleanor Slatkin – cello (1)
  • Wayne Songer – clarinet (2–13, 15)
  • Vincent Terri – guitar (2–8, 10, 13, 15)
  • Kathryn Thompson Vail – harp (2–13, 15)

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1965) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[21] 5

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[22] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
September of My Years is a studio by American singer , released in 1965 by and arranged and conducted by . Recorded in the spring of 1965 as Sinatra approached his 50th birthday, the album is a concept work exploring themes of aging, reflection, and the passage of time through 13 songs, many of which are standards reinterpreted with introspective depth. Key tracks include the title song co-written by and , the poignant "It Was a Very Good Year" by , and covers such as "" by and . Produced by and engineered by Lowell Frank, the album features lush orchestral arrangements that emphasize Sinatra's maturing voice and emotional delivery, marking a return to his ambitious studio style after more commercial efforts. It received widespread critical acclaim upon release, with reviewers praising its sophistication and Sinatra's interpretive prowess, and it peaked at number 5 on the chart. At the in 1966, September of My Years won four honors: Album of the Year, Best Vocal Performance, Male (for "It Was a Very Good Year"), Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist or Instrumentalist (for "It Was a Very Good Year"), and Best Album Notes (for by Stan Cornyn). The album has since been inducted into the in 1999 and remains one of Sinatra's most enduring and influential works.

Production

Background and conception

As approached his 50th birthday in December 1965, he sought to create an album that reflected on the passage of time, aging, and personal introspection, drawing from his life experiences to produce a contemplative collection rather than upbeat swing material. This motivation stemmed from Sinatra's desire for a mature, present-focused project amid his evolving career in the mid-1960s, marking a shift toward themes of mortality and reflection. The album's conception was deeply influenced by the 1938 song "" from the musical by and , which served as the initial inspiration for the project's title and overarching mood of elegiac meditation on life's later stages. Sinatra reunited with arranger , with whom he had previously collaborated on introspective ballad albums including Where Are You? (1957), (1959), and All Alone (1962), valuing Jenkins's lush string arrangements for evoking emotional depth in mature themes. Their shared interest in brooding, torch-song material made Jenkins the ideal partner to shape the album's sophisticated, orchestral sound. Producer played a pivotal role in curating the song selections and guiding the project's direction, assembling a tracklist that blended standards, Broadway tunes, and new compositions to suit the reflective concept. Sinatra personally championed inclusions like "It Was a Very Good Year," a 1961 composition by originally written for , which he encountered and insisted upon for its nostalgic narrative aligning with the album's aging theme. The title track, "The September of My Years," was newly penned for Sinatra by and , evolving the initial "" inspiration into the finalized title and anchoring the tracklist developed in early 1965.

Recording sessions

The primary recording sessions for September of My Years took place over several dates in the spring of 1965 at United Recording Studios in Hollywood, , beginning on April 13 and concluding on May 27. These sessions featured a large studio conducted by , whose lush, string-heavy arrangements emphasized the album's reflective tone and shaped the orchestral passages throughout. One notable anecdote from the sessions involved the track "It Was a Very Good Year," which Sinatra captured in a single masterful take while the orchestra performed live, as documented in a contemporaneous Special filmed at the studio. An additional guitar overdub was added to "How Old Am I?" on March 14, 1968, at Western Recorders in Hollywood, marking a rare adjustment to the original tracks. Producer oversaw the mixing and final mastering, ensuring the album's intimate vocal-orchestral balance was preserved for its August 1965 release on .

Personnel

Frank Sinatra provided lead vocals on all tracks of the album. served as arranger and conductor, overseeing the lush orchestral arrangements, including the prominent string sections on the title track "The September of My Years." acted as , while Lowell Frank handled engineering duties. Bill Miller contributed piano throughout most of the album and served as musical director. The rhythm section featured Vincent Terri and Al Hendrickson on guitar, Nick Fatool on drums, Meyer "Mike" Rubin on bass, and Kathryn Thompson on harp. Piano duties were primarily handled by Bill Miller, with occasional support from other players on select tracks. The woodwind section included clarinetists Clyde Hylton, Harry Klee, and Wayne Songer; flutists Lloyd Hildebrand, Clyde Hylton, and Harry Klee; oboists Arnold Koblentz, Melinda Eckels, and Bert Gassman; and bassoonist Lloyd Hildebrand. The comprised cellists Armand Kaproff and Kurt Reher; violists Alvin Dinkin, Lou Kievman, Paul Robyn, Ray Menhennick, and Sanford Schonbach. Additional guitarists Bob Bain and Bill Pitman appeared on specific tracks. No background singers were credited.
RolePersonnel
Vocals
Arranger/Conductor
Producer
EngineerLowell Frank
Piano/Musical DirectorBill Miller
GuitarVincent Terri, Al Hendrickson, Bob Bain, Bill Pitman
DrumsNick Fatool
BassMeyer "Mike" Rubin
HarpKathryn Thompson
ClarinetClyde Hylton, Harry Klee, Wayne Songer
FluteLloyd Hildebrand, Clyde Hylton, Harry Klee
OboeArnold Koblentz, Melinda Eckels, Bert Gassman
BassoonLloyd Hildebrand
CelloArmand Kaproff, Kurt Reher
ViolaAlvin Dinkin, Lou Kievman, Paul Robyn, Ray Menhennick, Sanford Schonbach

Music and lyrics

Themes and style

September of My Years explores the central theme of and , portraying life as a progression through seasons that culminate in reflective autumnal maturity. The title track, "September of My Years," exemplifies this through metaphors of time's passage, likening to spring and summer while evoking the contemplative essence of one's later years. This overarching motif of aging and mortality permeates the album, encouraging listeners to confront personal milestones and the fleeting nature of existence. The album's musical style adheres to and traditions, characterized by lush, orchestral arrangements that underscore a pervasive melancholy and . Gordon Jenkins' string-heavy orchestrations create a brooding, cohesive atmosphere, favoring moody ballads over upbeat swings and emphasizing emotional depth through sweeping violins and intimate instrumentation. This approach marks a deliberate shift toward narrative-driven songs that prioritize and reflection, distinguishing the record as a unified artistic statement rather than a collection of singles. Lyrical motifs revolve around regret over lost , the pangs of , and a resigned acceptance of life's inevitable changes. Standards such as "Last Night When We Were Young" evoke wistful memories of past romances, while songs like "It Was a Very Good Year" chronicle personal evolution from youthful exuberance to middle-aged solitude, highlighting themes of identity and accomplishment. Tracks like "Don't Wait Too Long" further reinforce urgency in cherishing remaining time, blending with subtle calls to resilience. Sinatra's vocal delivery on the album showcases a mature, weathered that conveys profound sensitivity and intimacy, diverging markedly from his earlier swinging . His resonant, wistful phrasing infuses each song with poignant emotional weight, adapting to the contemplative through subtle inflections that suggest and . This work represents Sinatra's evolution from the upbeat, Rat Pack-era exuberance of his Capitol recordings, such as Come Fly with Me, toward more somber, introspective albums that align with his personal transition into . Unlike the brash energy of his output, September of My Years embraces a dignified restraint, mirroring his shift to themes of reflection over youthful bravado.

Track listing

The original 1965 album September of My Years by consists of 13 tracks, divided across two sides on its vinyl release, with a total runtime of approximately 44 minutes.
No.TitleSongwriter(s)DurationSide
1"The September of My Years" (lyrics), (music)3:15A
2"How Old Am I?"3:36A
3"Don't Wait Too Long"Sunny Skylar3:08A
4"It Gets Lonely Early" (lyrics), (music)3:00A
5"This Is All I Ask"3:04A
6"Last Night When We Were Young" (lyrics), (music)3:37A
7"The Man in the Looking Glass"3:28B
8"It Was a Very Good Year"4:27B
9"When the Wind Was Green"Henry Stinson3:23B
10"Hello, Young Lovers" (lyrics), (music)3:44B
11"I See It Now"William Engvick (lyrics), (music)2:52B
12"Once Upon a Time"Lee Adams (lyrics), (music)3:30B
13"September Song" (lyrics), (music)3:35B
The 2010 expanded edition reissue, released by , adds two bonus tracks: a live recording of "This Is All I Ask" () from June 1984, lasting 3:49, and the single version of "How Old Am I?" () from 1968, lasting 3:42.

Release and commercial performance

Initial release

September of My Years was released in August 1965 by , with the stereo LP designated as FS 1014 and the mono version as F-1014. The album's cover features an illustration of Sinatra in profile silhouetted against a sunset, designed by George Bartell with art direction by , evoking the record's contemplative themes of aging and introspection. Reprise marketed the album as Sinatra's poignant "autumnal" reflection on maturity, released four months before his 50th birthday on December 12, 1965, to capitalize on his milestone and reestablish his ballad-focused artistry. It launched in mono and stereo vinyl formats, with the first compact disc edition appearing in 1986 on Reprise 9 46092-2. Promotion included the lead single "It Was a Very Good Year," issued in December 1965 with "Moment to Moment" as the B-side on Reprise 0429.

Chart performance

Upon its release, September of My Years debuted at number 149 on the Billboard 200 on August 21, 1965, and climbed to a peak position of number 5 during its run in 1965, marking one of Sinatra's strongest chart performances of the decade. The album remained on the chart for a total of 56 weeks, reflecting sustained popularity among listeners. The release benefited from strong initial sales fueled by Sinatra's loyal fanbase, which propelled the album into the top 10 shortly after debut and supported its extended chart presence. A key factor in its momentum was the single "It Was a Very Good Year," which peaked at number 28 on the while topping the chart, drawing additional attention to the parent album. Over the course of the 1960s, September of My Years continued to circulate steadily, bolstering ' position as a leading label through consistent catalog sales and radio play. The album's Grammy win for Album of the Year in 1966 provided a brief visibility boost, helping maintain its trajectory.

Certifications

The album September of My Years received certification from the (RIAA) on February 6, 1966, for shipments of 500,000 units in the United States. This marked one of Sinatra's key commercial successes in the mid-1960s, though it has not achieved status (1,000,000 units) or higher as of 2025. In the , RIAA Gold certification for albums was determined by $1 million in wholesale value rather than strict unit sales, which typically equated to approximately 500,000 copies at prevailing prices of around $2 per LP. By contrast, modern RIAA standards award for 500,000 units and for 1,000,000 units, reflecting a shift to unit-based thresholds introduced in the to account for and changing industry economics.

Reception

Critical response

Upon its release in 1965, September of My Years was acclaimed for its introspective quality and Sinatra's nuanced vocal delivery, marking a mature phase in his career as he approached age 50. Critics highlighted the album's emotional depth, with praise centered on Sinatra's ability to personalize songs about time, loss, and reflection. Retrospective reviews have solidified its status as a cornerstone of Sinatra's discography. critic William Ruhlmann gave it a 5-star rating, calling it "one of Frank Sinatra's triumphs of the '60s, an album that consolidated his strengths while moving him into new territory, primarily because it was a summation of his art up to that point, a look back at a life lived and the wisdom gained from it." Although some contemporary reviewers observed moments of over-sentimentality in the lush ballads, the prevailing view affirmed the album's sophisticated maturity and enduring emotional power.

Accolades

At the 8th Annual Grammy Awards, held on March 15, 1966, September of My Years received multiple honors, reflecting its critical and artistic impact. The album won Album of the Year, credited to Frank Sinatra and producer Sonny Burke. Sinatra also secured Best Vocal Performance, Male for his rendition of "It Was a Very Good Year". Additionally, arranger Gordon Jenkins earned Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist or Instrumentalist for the same track. The album's liner notes by Stan Cornyn won Best Album Notes. The project was nominated for Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical, with Lowell Frank as the engineer. In recognition of its enduring significance, September of My Years was inducted into the in 1999. These achievements further bolstered Frank Sinatra's Grammy legacy, building on his Lifetime Achievement Award from 1965 and underscoring his trajectory as a pivotal figure in .

Legacy

Cultural impact

September of My Years established a benchmark for reflective concept albums within and the tradition, emphasizing introspective interpretations of standards that explored themes of aging, loss, and maturity. This approach influenced later interpretations of classic material by crooners. The album's themes captured the essence of the 1960s midlife crisis among the postwar generation, serving as a cultural touchstone for contemplating the passage of time amid societal shifts toward youth culture and rock dominance. Sinatra's poignant delivery on tracks like the title song resonated as an anthem for those facing personal reckonings, transforming personal nostalgia into a broader emblem of American introspection during that era. Its release signaled a pivotal evolution in Sinatra's persona, moving from the charismatic swinger of the Rat Pack years to a revered elder statesman. This maturation aligned with his vocal style's deepening timbre, reinforcing his status as a wise interpreter of life's later chapters. Notable covers include Robbie Williams' 2001 rendition of "It Was a Very Good Year" on Swing When You're Winning, which paid homage to Sinatra's original while bridging swing revival with contemporary pop. Scholarly examinations, such as in Richard Elliott's analysis of aging in Sinatra's oeuvre and James Kaplan's Sinatra: The Chairman, underscore the album's autobiographical layers, portraying it as a profound self-portrait of midlife resilience.

Reissues and restorations

The album's first digital release occurred in October 1986 on by , featuring a transfer from the original analog master tapes with adjustments to accommodate the format's . A remastered edition followed in 1998 as part of and ' "Entertainer of the Century" series, sourced directly from the original session tapes to improve sonic clarity and depth while preserving the nuanced string arrangements by . In 2010, issued a Legacy Edition two-CD set, comprising a of the original album alongside two bonus tracks: an alternate take of "How Old Am I?" originally released as a single in 1968, and a live of "This Is All I Ask" from 1984. The package also included an expanded booklet with new by Stan Cornyn, emphasizing the album's historical context without altering Jenkins' orchestrations. Subsequent reissues include a 180-gram vinyl pressing in 2015 by Verve Music Group as part of the Sinatra 100 series, mastered from high-resolution digital files derived from the original tapes to retain the album's warm, orchestral . By 2025, the album is widely available in high-quality streaming formats on platforms such as , ensuring accessibility while upholding the integrity of the 1965 production elements, coinciding with its 60th anniversary.

References

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