The making of “It was a very good year”

This famous song was written in 1961 by Ervin Drake. It was first recorded by Bob Shane, an original member of the Kingston Trio (one of my childhood favorites), but really made famous by Frank Sinatra’s 1965 recording, which nabbed a Grammy the next year. The arrangement was by Gordon Jenkins, not Sinatra’s most famous arranger, Nelson Riddle. I normally wouldn’t post this song, but Matthew Cobb called this wonderful video to my attention, which shows the actual 1965 recording session. As Matthew wrote me:

This was mentioned on Radio 4 the other day —Sinatra recording It Was A Very Good Year in a single take. Amazing video of a gorgeous song.

A single take, and look how informal the recording looks! Sinatra just comes in and tosses it off, with a row of people behind him and the orchestra, conducted by someone I don’t know, in front. This shows that recording…