Origin:

Written for Frank Sinatra's 1958 album of the same name.

Style:

Swing, taken at a variety of tempos.

Form:

A-A-B-C (56 Bars) [12-12-16-16]

Key:

Most commonly played in C Major.

Harmony/Overview:

The  harmony of this composition is very functional. The A sections begin  with the common progression of IMaj7 - bIIIdim7 - IImi7 - V7. After  returning to the tonic, a II - V of IV leads to IVMaj7 - bVII7. IMaj7 is then followed by IV7 before a final turnaround leads back to the tonic  once more. The B section modulates abruptly to bVI Major, spending the majority of the section in this key center. Another abrupt modulation to V Major rounds off the section before returning back to the main theme. The C section is identical to A, although it is extended an additional 4 bars with some very conventional harmonic devices.

Recordings:

This  song has been recorded over 160 times to date. It was originally  written for Frank Sinatra's 1958 album of the same name. It has since  become synonymous with the legacy of Frank Sinatra, and he would perform  and record it several times throughout the remainder of his career.  While massively popular among vocalists, many of the leading  instrumentalists failed to include the song in their repertoire.

JGC Top Picks:

Frank Sinatra, Sinatra at the Sands, 1966

Biréli Lagrène, Blue Eyes, 1998

Jerry Bergonzi, Simply Put, 2009