My Kind of Town

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"My Kind of Town"
Single by Frank Sinatra
from the album Sinatra '65: The Singer Today
B-side"I Like To Lead When I Dance"
ReleasedMay 1964
RecordedApril 8, 1964
StudioLos Angeles
Genre
Length3:25
LabelReprise Records
Songwriter(s)Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen
Frank Sinatra singles chronology
"Stay With Me (Theme From The Cardinal)"
(1963)
"My Kind of Town"
(1964)
"Softly, As I Leave You"
(1964)

"My Kind of Town" or "My Kind of Town (Chicago Is)" is a popular song composed by Jimmy Van Heusen, with lyrics by Sammy Cahn.[1]

The song was originally part of the musical score for

Best Original Score Written for A Motion Picture, but it lost to the eponymously titled Mary Poppins score.[4]

"My Kind of Town" made a minor appearance on the U.S. pop charts, reaching #110 in 1964.

Chicago recorded by Sinatra. The other was "Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)
" from 1957, which reached U.S. #84.

tribute albums. In addition, the song had been recorded by many other artists prior to Sinatra's death. The lyrics, which praise the city of Chicago
for its people and institutions, repeat the title phrase several times, usually in a line that says "My kind of town, Chicago is".

Versions

The original context of the song, in the film Robin and the 7 Hoods, is the mob boss Robbo (Sinatra) having just been acquitted of murdering the sheriff, a crime for which he had been framed. He walks out of the courthouse and joyously sings the song in gratitude to the gathered crowd of Chicagoans. The people eventually join in the singing. Instrumental versions of the song make up the opening and closing credits, and a dance band also plays the song in Robbo's speakeasy.[2]

Popularized by Sinatra, "My Kind of Town" was originally recorded on April 8, 1964, in

tempo.[7]

Sinatra recorded "My Kind of Town" twice in a studio setting, and two live versions were officially released, on

Frank Sinatra, Jr., as the 13th of 14 tracks with a length of 2:36.[11]

Sinatra would occasionally alter the lyrics slightly. In early versions, when the

St. Louis, Missouri, the lyrics were altered to reflect St. Louis as the town in Sinatra's affections.[14][15]

Recording Date Company Format Album Track:Album Album Date Collaborators Arranged by
1964-04-08 Reprise Records Studio Sinatra '65: The Singer Today 6/11:1/1 June 1965 Nelson Riddle
1966-02-01 Reprise Records
Sands Hotel, Las Vegas
)
Sinatra at the Sands 20/22:1/1, 22/22:1/1 1966-10-18 the Count Basie Band Adapted by Quincy Jones
1974-10-13 Reprise Records
Live
The Main Event – Live 11/12:1/1 October 1974 Woody Herman & The Young Thundering Herd Nelson Riddle
1993-07-09 Capitol Records Electronic Duet Duets II 13/14:1/1 1994-11-15
Frank Sinatra, Jr.
Nelson Riddle

Although some sources say the song was arranged by Nelson Riddle (who had scored Robin and the 7 Hoods), the "Sinatra Reprise: Very Good Years" Album Cover credits Billy May as the arranger.[16]

The following is a list of notable compilation albums with Sinatra's versions of the song:

  1. Sinatra: Vegas[17]
  2. Oakland Coliseum Concert: May 22, 1968[9]
  3. A Man and His Music[18]
  4. Sinatra at the Sands[19]
  5. The Reprise Collection[20]
  6. Frank Sinatra in Hollywood 1940-1964[21]
  7. Robin and the 7 Hoods[22]
  8. The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings[23]
  9. The Main Event – Live[24]
  10. Duets II (DVD)[25]

Awards

Academy Awards

The song was one of 26 for which Cahn was nominated for an

Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte.[3]

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards did not have a

The Pink Panther in this category.[4]

Related songs

Aaron Tippin sings a song with different lyrics by the same name.[43] Frank Sinatra sings a popular version of "Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)" that charted and was the B-side to the 1957 Academy Award for Best Original Song winner, "All the Way".

On Ruby Braff's 1981 tribute album, Very Sinatra he does a medley called "New York, New York/My Kind Of Town (Chicago Is)".[44] On Barry Manilow's 1998 album Manilow Sings Sinatra, he includes a 3:00 version of the song.[45]

Jack Jones, who won two Grammy Awards in the 1960s and charted dozens of songs including the theme from The Love Boat, recorded an album entitled My Kind of Town with a title track by the same name.[46] Among the other artists who have recorded versions of the song are Ray Anthony, Count Basie (twice), Ray Conniff, Marvin Gaye, Jackie Gleason, Jeff Harnar, Biréli Lagrène, Steve Lawrence, Julie London, Frankie Randall (several times. In addition several albums by the Rat Pack,[47][48] multiple karaoke albums and dozens of Frank Sinatra albums have versions of the song.[49]

Notes

  1. ^ a b "Frank Sinatra My Kind Of Town Lyrics". SeekLyrics.com. 2007. Archived from the original on August 23, 2004. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  2. ^ .
  3. ^ a b "1964 (37th) - MUSIC (Song)". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  4. ^ a b c "1964 - 7th Grammy Awards". Sinatra - The Main Event. 1999. Retrieved October 1, 2007.
  5. ^ [Joel Whitburn's Bubbling Under the Billboard Hot 100 1959-2004]
  6. ^ "Songs by Sinatra". Tom Rednour & Wordcrafters Graphic Design. July 31, 2000. Archived from the original on March 5, 2008. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  7. ^ Cahn, Sammy and Jimmy Van Heusen, "My Kind of Town", 1964, Sergeant Music Co., Glorste Inc. and Van Heusen Music Corp.
  8. ^ "Songs by Sinatra: Songs A2Z". Tom Rednour & Wordcrafters Graphic Design. July 31, 2000. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  9. ^ a b "Oakland Coliseum Concert: May 22, 1968". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  10. ^ "Sinatra at the Sands". Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  11. ^ "Duets II". Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  12. ^ "My Kind Of Town". waste.org. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  13. ^ "My Kind of Town, lyrics used at the Sands". Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  14. ^ "The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection: Live & Swingin (CD & DVD)". Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  15. ^ "Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection". Internet Movie Database Inc. October 14, 2003. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  16. ^ "Sinatra Reprise: Very Good Years" Album Cover, pg 10., 1991, Reprise Records
  17. ^ "Sinatra: Vegas". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  18. ^ "A Man and His Music". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  19. ^ "Sinatra at the Sands". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  20. ^ "The Reprise Collection". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  21. ^ a b "Sinatra in Hollywood 1940-1964". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  22. ^ "Robin and the 7 Hoods". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  23. ^ "The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  24. ^ "The Main Event – Live". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  25. ^ "Duets II". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  26. ^ "Ultimate Legends: Frank Sinatra". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  27. ^ "A Night on the Town With the Rat Pack". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  28. ^ "My Way: The Best of Frank Sinatra". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  29. ^ "Sings the Songs of Van Heusen & Cahn". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  30. ^ "The Rat Pack on Stage: Las Vegas/St. Louis". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  31. ^ "The Very Best of Frank Sinatra". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  32. ^ "Rat Pack: Live & Cool". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  33. ^ "Sinatra!". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  34. ^ "Man and His Music 3". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  35. ^ "Sinatra Reprise: The Very Good Years". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  36. ^ "Sinatra!". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  37. ^ "Rat Pack: From Vegas to St. Louis". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  38. ^ "My Way: The Best of Frank Sinatra". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  39. ^ "Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  40. ^ "The Best Duets". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  41. ^ "Most Famous Hits". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  42. ^ "Results displayed by nominee". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  43. ^ "Aaron Tippin Lyrics - My Kind of Town". lyricscrawler.com. Roy Russo. Archived from the original on September 7, 2008. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  44. ^ "Very Sinatra". Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  45. ^ "Manilow Sings Sinatra". Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  46. ^ "My Kind of Town". Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  47. ^ "Live from Las Vegas". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  48. ^ "The Rat Pack Collection". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  49. ^ "Song Search Results for: My Kind Of Town". Allmusic. All Media Guide, LLC. 2007. Archived from the original on June 3, 2009. Retrieved October 1, 2007.