THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

73-Frank Sinatra with Count Basie & The Orchestra-I’ve Got You Under My Skin. (Live at the Sands Hotel And Casino.)

1966-It has never been released as a single in the UK.

Best Bit-2.11. Many genres of music have an exciting crescendo. For example in ‘Rock’ music it might be the guitar solo, while in ‘Pop’ music it could be that irresistible chorus, or in ‘Electronic Dance’ music it might be the drop, but in ‘Swing’ music, it doesn’t come any better than this.

Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) (see also best songs 877-567-469 and 120) recorded ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ on four significant occasions during his long and illustrious career. His first recording of the song was for his 10th studio Album ‘Songs for Swingin’ Lovers!,’ which is noteworthy for being the first LP to top the first ever UK Album chart on July 22nd, 1956. That Album was arranged by Nelson Riddle (1981-1985) (see also best songs 877 and 286) who has stated that a big influence in his formative years was hearing Serge Koussevitsky (1874-1951) and the Boston Symphony Orchestra playing Maurice Ravel’s (1875-1937) ‘Bolero’ (1928.) He said,’I’ve never forgotten it. It’s almost as if the orchestra leaped from the stage and smacked you in the face.’ The other recordings of ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ by Sinatra are a re-recorded version that appears on his 1963 Album ‘Sinatra’s Sinatra, and the version with U2 lead singer Bono, (see also best songs 766-320-190 and 84) which was recorded for his 1993 Album ‘Duets.’

‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ was originally written in 1936 by Cole Porter, (1891-1964) (see also best songs 944-655 and 295) and first performed by Virginia Bruce (1910-1982) in the musical film ‘Born to Dance’ in 1936. The song has been recorded by hundreds of artists down the years, with notable charting versions being from the Four Seasons (see also best songs 739-284 and 83) who reached Number 9 in America, and Number 12 in the UK in 1966, and Nenah Cherry (see also best songs 839) whose Hip-Hop version for the ‘Red Hot + Blue’ charity Album reached Number 25 in the UK in 1990.

The version of ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ that I have chosen is the Frank Sinatra’s live recording from his 1966 Album ‘Sinatra at the Sands,’ which was recorded live in the ‘Copa Room’ of the former Sands Hotel and Casino, in Las Vegas, between January and February 1966. Sinatra was accompanied by Count Basie (1904-1984) and his orchestra, who were conducted and arranged by Quincy Jones, (see also best songs 1022-889-812-703-511-357 and 191) it was the first commercially released live Album from Frank Sinatra, with the production credited to Sonny Burke (1914-1980.)

If someone gets ‘under your skin’ it generally means that you are irritated with that person. This song twists the meaning of the idiom, as here a lady has gotten under Sinatra’s skin, but in a way that makes him crazy about her. Although it was Quincy Jones, and Count Basie instructing the orchestra on this recording, the arrangement still remains faithful to the Nelson Riddle ‘Songs for Swingin’ Lovers’ rendition, and you can hear Sinatra’s excitement as he shouts ‘Run for cover,’ and ‘Run and Hide,’ and then ‘Hey,’ just as the orchestra reaches it’s crescendo.

‘Don’t you know, little fool you never can win. Use your mentality wake up to reality, but each time that I do just the thought of you makes me stop before I begin, ’cause I’ve got you under my skin.’