Softly, as I Leave You (album)

Softly, as I Leave You
Studio album by Frank Sinatra
Released	November 1964 (LP) February 1989 (CD)
Recorded	August 27, 1962 – July 17 and October 3, 1964, Los Angeles[1]
Genre	Traditional pop vocal jazz
Length	33:33
Label	Reprise FS 1013
Producer	Jimmy Bowen, Sonny Burke
Frank Sinatra chronology
12 Songs of Christmas (1964) Softly, as I Leave You (1964) Sinatra '65: The Singer Today (1965)
Singles from Softly, as I Leave You
"Softly, as I Leave You" Released: 1964

Softly, as I Leave You is a 1964 studio album by American singer Frank Sinatra. Arranged by Ernie Freeman, several tracks such as "Softly, as I Leave You", "Then Suddenly Love" and "Available" departed from Sinatra's signature vocal jazz style by flirting with a more contemporary pop sound. The rest of the album is pieced together with leftovers from various early-'60s sessions, from many different arrangers and conductors.

The title track was the first of at least four attempts to mimic the chart success of Dean Martin's #1 hit "Everybody Loves Somebody", using a driving beat, heavy strings and choral tracks. Sinatra, arranger Ernie Freeman and producer Jimmy Bowen would incorporate the same sound to songs like "When Somebody Loves You", "Tell Her You Love Her (Each Day)" and "Somewhere in Your Heart" with only minor chart success.

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