1959 · Album
Come Dance With Me!
Recorded 1958 · Capitol Records · Produced by Dave Cavanaugh
Frank Swings Hard and Means It
Sinatra and May cook up something genuinely fun — big band swing at its most confident.
Released on January 5, 1959, Come Dance with Me! (1959) is Frank Sinatra doing exactly what the title suggests — no subtext, no brooding, just an invitation to get up and move. It was his sixteenth studio album, and it arrived at a point in his career when he had nothing to prove and everything to enjoy. Paired with arranger Billy May, whose charts are loud, brassy, and deliberately over-the-top in the best way, Sinatra sounds like a man having a genuinely good time rather than performing the idea of one. That distinction matters more than you might think.
The album leans hard into big band swing, and May's arrangements are the other main character here. Tracks like "Too Close for Comfort" and "Day In, Day Out" move fast and hit hard, with the brass sections punching in ways that feel almost physical. May doesn't try to give Sinatra room to be subtle — this is not the introspective Sinatra of the Capitol ballad albums. This is the guy at the center of the party, comfortable, loose, and in complete control of a room. The rhythm section drives everything forward, and Sinatra rides it rather than fighting it.
Compared to something like Only the Lonely (1958), which came out just months earlier and is basically the opposite emotional experience, Come Dance with Me! makes clear that Sinatra could shift gears completely and make both feel authentic. This one won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1960, which tells you something about how it landed with listeners at the time. It's not a complicated record. It's a great one to put on when you want the real thing — a singer at the top of his range, swinging with a full band, and enjoying every second of it.
Who's playing
Meyer "Mike" Rubindouble bass
Joe Comfortdouble bass
Red Mitchelldouble bass
Bill Millerpiano
Allan Reussguitar
Al Hendricksonguitar
Buddy Collettesaxophone
Chuck Gentrysaxophone
Irving “Babe” Russinsaxophone
Wilbur Schwartzsaxophone
William Ulyatesaxophone
Fred Fallensbysaxophone
Justin Gordonsaxophone
Skeets Herfurtsaxophone
Frank Beachtrumpet
Conrad Gozzotrumpet
Manny Kleintrumpet
Shorty Sherocktrumpet
Joseph Triscaritrumpet
Pete Candolitrumpet
Joe Howardtrombone
Ed Kusbytrombone
Bill Schaeffertrombone
Si Zentnertrombone
Milt Bernharttrombone
Murray McEacherntrombone
Pullman “Tommy” Pedersontrombone
Irv Cottlerdrums
Shelly Mannedrums
Where next?
More by Frank Sinatra
Songs for Swingin’ Lovers! 1956
Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely 1958
Ring-a-Ding Ding! 1961
September of My Years 1965
The musicians on this record
The Drum Sessions 1975
Shelly Manne
plays drums (drum set) here
plays drums (drum set) here
Bob Brookmeyer Featuring John Williams & Red Mitchell 1963
Red Mitchell
plays double bass here
plays double bass here
