Well here’s a lovely treat on a Random iTunes Weekend — the title track from Frank Sinatra’s sad-sack concept album, In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning.
I love the swinging Frank Sinatra of ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ and ‘Come Fly With Me’ but my true affection for Ol’ Blue Eyes lies with the depressing records.
My four favorite Sinatra albums, in no particular order, are Only the Lonely, In the Wee Small Hours, Watertown and September Of My Years. Music to slit your wrists to, and pure genius, each and every one of them.
I’ve written a lot on this blog about my love of melancholy music, and listening to today’s SOTD I wonder if maybe that inclination was impressed upon me during my childhood when my parents would play these great, morbid records.
Was I drawn to these albums because I love melancholy music, or do I love melancholy music because I was raised on these albums? Discuss.
While the whole wide world is fast asleep
You lie awake and think about the girl
And never, ever think of counting sheep
When your lonely heart has learned its lesson
You’d be hers if only she would call
In the wee small hours of the morning
That’s the time you miss her most of all
[Musical interlude]
When your lonely heart has learned its lesson
You’d be hers if only she would call
In the wee small hours of the morning
That’s the time you miss her most of all
Meet Me In Montauk 
I don’t think Sinatra is generally viewed as a “melancholy” artist, but it seems your family was drawn to his more somber work. If listening to those records did influence your musical taste overall, just imagine what you would be drawn to as an adult if “New York, New York” and the like were on steady rotation in the Clifton household.😜
First, there is nothing “morbid” about any of those Sinatra albums, though they certainly do contain some bittersweet tunes. And, yes, I’m sure the music you listen to as a child does make a lasting impression on what you’re likely to enjoy as an adult. That said, we both were weaned on this music, yet you gravitate towards Morrissey and Aimee Mann, while I decidedly do not, so clearly other factors are also at play.
Re: morbid… wrong word. I meant morose.
Interesting discussion; I’m just so happy you are fond of those great Sinatra albums; I still get teary every time I hear Watertown 🙂 I like the swinging Sinatra songs, but I’m with you on my favorites being the sad/morose songs.