| "My Kind of Town" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byFrank Sinatra | ||||
| from the albumSinatra '65: The Singer Today | ||||
| B-side | "I Like To Lead When I Dance" | |||
| Released | May 1964 | |||
| Recorded | April 8, 1964 | |||
| Studio | Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:25 | |||
| Label | Reprise Records | |||
| Songwriters | Sammy Cahn andJimmy Van Heusen | |||
| Frank Sinatra singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"My Kind of Town" or "My Kind of Town (Chicago Is)" is a popularsong composed byJimmy Van Heusen, with lyrics bySammy Cahn.[1]
The song was originally part of the musical score forRobin and the 7 Hoods, a 1964 musical film starring several members of theRat Pack.[2] It was nominated for the 1964Academy Award for Best Original Song but lost to "Chim Chim Cher-ee" fromMary Poppins.[3] Although the song predated theGrammy Award Best Original Song for a Motion Picture category, the entire score was nominated for the 1964 Grammy Award in the categoryBest Original Score Written for A Motion Picture, but it lost to the eponymously titledMary Poppins score.[4]
"My Kind of Town" made a minor appearance on the U.S. pop charts, reaching #110 in 1964.[5] It was the second of two charting songs aboutChicago recorded by Sinatra. The other was "Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)" from 1957, which reached U.S. #84.
Frank Sinatra recorded several versions which have appeared on many of his albums. Also, many artists have performed the song as a tribute to Sinatra in posthumoustribute albums. In addition, the song had been recorded by many other artists prior to Sinatra's death. The lyrics, which praise the city ofChicago for its people and institutions, repeat the title phrase several times, usually in a line that says "My kind of town, Chicago is".
The original context of the song, in the filmRobin 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, inLos Angeles, California. The officialB-side song was "I Like To Lead When I Dance". The song was recorded as a45 onReprise Records.[6] The sheet music was copyrighted and published by Sergeant Music Co., Glorste Inc. and Van Heusen Music Corp. The music is written in thekey of A-flat, in 2/2meter (known ascut time) with anallegrotempo.[7]
Sinatra recorded "My Kind of Town" twice in a studio setting, and two live versions were officially released, onSinatra at the Sands (1966) andThe Main Event – Live (1974).[8] One of the more famousbootleg recordings is a concert of May 22, 1968, at theOakland Coliseum.[9] On the 1966 albumSinatra at the Sands, the song appears both as the 20th and 22nd (final) track.[10] However, the final track is merely a one-minute reprise. On the 1994 albumDuets II, Sinatra sings with his son,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 theUnion Stock Yards (which closed in 1971) still existed, one of the final lines was "The Union Stock Yards, Chicago is...".[1] In later versions, this line is replaced with "TheChicago Cubbies, Chicago is".[12] In the version sung by Sinatra atThe Sands, Las Vegas, in 1966, the line is replaced with "The jumpin' pump room, Chicago is...", alluding toThe Pump Room restaurant in Chicago.[13] The song also appears onThe Ultimate Rat Pack Collection: Live & Swingin', a 2003 DVD and CD release of the 1965 "Frank Sinatra Spectacular" benefit concert. However, since the concert takes place inSt. 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 | Live (TheSands Hotel,Las Vegas) | Sinatra at the Sands | 20/22:1/1, 22/22:1/1 | 1966-10-18 | theCount Basie Band | Adapted byQuincy 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 | ElectronicDuet | Duets II | 13/14:1/1 | 1994-11-15 | Frank Sinatra Jr. | Nelson Riddle |
Although some sources say the song was arranged byNelson Riddle (who had scoredRobin and the 7 Hoods), the "Sinatra Reprise: Very Good Years" Album Cover creditsBilly May as the arranger.[16]
The following is a list of notable compilation albums with Sinatra's versions of the song:
Other less notable albums including the Song are
The song was one of 26 for which Cahn was nominated for anAcademy Award as a writer and one of 14 for which Van Heusen was nominated as a composer. Both won 4 Academy Awards and 3 of them as a team. The April 5, 196537th Academy Awards was the last of four times Cahn was nominated for two songs in the same year, and the second of two times for Van Heusen. It was the only time that they had two songs nominated as a team, with the other being "Where Love Has Gone" fromWhere Love Has Gone sung byJack Jones.[42] In addition to the winner, "Chim Chim Cher-ee" fromMary Poppins, other songs nominated in 1964 were "Dear Heart fromDear Heart and "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte" fromHush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte.[3]
The Grammy Awards did not have aBest Song Written for a Motion Picture category until 1988. However, the entire score was nominated for Best Original Score Written for A Motion Picture or Television Show in the April 13, 19657th Grammy Awards ceremony for 1964 musical accomplishments where it lost to theMary Poppins score.[4] Other credited vocalists on the score wereDean Martin,Bing Crosby, andSammy Davis Jr. It also competed againstA Hard Day's Night,Goldfinger andThe Pink Panther in this category.[4]
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 1957Academy Award for Best Original Song winner, "All the Way".
OnRuby Braff's 1981 tribute album,Very Sinatra he does amedley called "New York, New York/My Kind Of Town (Chicago Is)".[44] OnBarry Manilow's 1998 albumManilow 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 fromThe Love Boat, recorded an album entitledMy Kind of Town with a title track by the same name.[46] Among the other artists who have recorded versions of the song areRay 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]
Frank Sinatra singles | |
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| Columbia singles (1939–1940) | |
| RCA Victor singles (1940–1942) |
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| Bluebird singles (1942–1943) | |
| Columbia singles (1943–1953) |
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| Capitol singles (1953–1961) |
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| Reprise singles (1961–1983) |
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| Qwest singles (1983–1984) | |
| Compositions | |
