Angel Eyes

The greatest of Frank Sinatra's Torch Songs (yes, even surpassing One For My Baby, In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning, and Only The Lonely), Angel Eyes was composed in 1946 by Matt Dennis and Earl Brent.  Recorded many times by many artists but none match this 1958 version from the album Frank Sinatra Sings For Only The Lonely, which hit #1 and spent 120 weeks on the charts.  With its vivid, confessional lyrics, blues tinged melody, Nelson Riddle's perfect arrangement (listen for the harp at the end), combined with Sinatra at the peak of his interpretive powers, this is American popular music at its finest.

First up below is the recorded version, followed by Sinatra performing the song live.  It's in the live version you can see how the song matches Sinatra's theatrical sense - watch him walk away from the mic into the darkness as he tosses off the last lyric.

Hey drink up all you people
And order anything you see
Have fun you happy people
The drink, and the laughs on me

Try to think that love's not around
Still it's uncomfortably near
My old heart ain't gainin' any ground
Because my Angel Eyes ain't here

Angel Eyes, that old devil sent
They glow unbearably bright
Need I say that my love's misspent
Misspent with Angel Eyes tonight

So drink up, all of you people
And order anything you see
Have fun you happy people
The drink, and the laugh's on me

Pardon me, but I gotta run
The fact's uncommonly clear
I gotta find who's now The Number One
And why my Angel Eyes ain't here

'Scuse me, while I disappear