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. 
