[Dixielandjazz] 22 Takes to get the tune recorded right.

[Stephen G Barbone]

Here's a great story excerpted from today's Kenton Chat list. Sinatra,  
Riddle, "Skin".

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband


Fifty-three years ago Frank Sinatra entered Capitol's KHJ Studios on  
Vine St. and from 8 to 11:30 PM proceeded to record 4 songs.   Three  
of the tunes were done for "Songs for Swingin' Lovers" and one,  
"Flowers Mean Forgiveness," was laid down for a single release. The  
session was arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle.   A thirty-four  
piece orchestra and a  chorus of four male singers had been contracted  
for the evening..

The first two tracks done were "It Happened In Monterey" and "Swingin'  
Down the Lane." The penultimate song was the single ditty with chorus  
and then Cole Porter's tune "I've Got You Under My Skin" completed the  
session.

During the afternoon rehearsal the musicians gave Riddle a standing  
ovation after running down the "Skin" chart. . . . . The urban ethos  
"Skin" would personify became the single most identifiable Sinatra  
sound.

There were 22 takes done before Frank and Nelson reached the level of  
excellence that would become the legendary recording.

Here is guitarist Bob Bain's recollection of that evening:

BB: I  was sitting right next to Milt Bernhart. (trombone) Milt was  
just  terrified. The work was so demanding.  And  they would say we've  
got to do another  one.   He would look at me and say, "I don't  have  
another one left."The take they  finally took was the best solo he did  
all  night.

EOB. There were 22 takes. I should mention the date was  1-12-56.

BB.   There was a lot of tension building up. Nelson was  getting  
impatient. Frank was  getting impatient. Milt had to  play that solo  
on top of the  brass. He had to really blow hard.

EOB.  Do you remember anything else about that session ?

BB.   This is what I remember: I was very close to Doreen Riddle,  
Nelson's first  wife.  A few days after the sessions,  Frank invited  
Nelson  and Doreen down to Palm Springs.  The evening  they were there  
at Frank's house, he just  kept playing  "I've Got You Under My Skin"  
over and  over and over again. He  kept saying, "You mother, you   
really wrote your ass off on this one."   He just kept making   
comments to them on how  great the arrangement was. Doreen told me she  
got sick of  listening to the song. He would play it and then go play  
it  again. And play it again.

EOB.  I think it is without question his  single greatest recording.

BB.     Yes, it is.

George Roberts, bass trombonist, had some  fascinating background  
information:

EOB:    Can you give me some background on the recording of  I've Got  
You Under My Skin?

GR:    The song was a big, big thing for me. The  Afro-Cuban   
rhythmical piece  in the center of the song. He called me up about a   
month or month and a half in front of that session. He said that  
Frank  wanted a long crescendo in the middle.  Nelson did it with  
trombones. It  set up  a pattern of five different contrapella lines  
going at the same  time. And  it started with bass trombone. Being on  
that tune, it was just  about the  biggest single record Nelson ever  
did, really opened things up for me.

Sinatra sang the song thousands of times in concert and often told his  
audience it was Nelson Riddle's finest  hour.