Friday, April 25, 2025

Happy 70th Anniversary to "In The Wee Small Hours".

 



One of my all-time favorite albums turns SEVENTY today.


It cannot be overstated, the importance of Sinatra's "In The Wee Small Hours" was, and is, in the world of popular music.

While there were technically "themed" albums in the past (such as Woody Guthrie's "Dust Bowl Ballads" from 1940), they were moreso just collections of songs that revolved around a certain theme. Frank took this a step further with "Hours"... he carefully picked the songs he wanted to perform on the album, as well as its track order, to make the album feel like a cohesive story. This is the first time this was ever attempted in popular music.

Along with this, Frank insisted on releasing this album on a long-playing 12-inch record, to allow for longer runtime and a more uninterrupted experience for the listener. Prior to "Hours", most 12-inch albums were made for classical music or novelty albums, with pop records being relegated to multi-disc collections of 7-inch or 12-inch records.

"Hours" also was the first seed planted in Frank's mind which led him to to create Reprise Records, a label in which - by Frank's design and insistence - was created to allow true creative freedom to all the artists it housed.

In one fell swoop, "In The Wee Small Hours" cemented the "concept album", changed how popular music was shared and sold, and opened the door to artists being able to fully express themselves in their music.

So even if you don't care for Ol' Blue Eyes' crooning, you have to give "Hours" a standing ovation for its monumental impact on the music world that still resonates today, SEVEN DECADES later.

Thank You, Chairman of the Board.
🚬🍷🌙

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