Frank Sinatra starred in a number of radio shows during the 1940s, often doing two or three completely different shows a week. The Hit Parade Show was the swing era's version of Top of the Pops, but instead of playing the top records of the day,
Sinatra would sing them for the audience. So if
Mel Tormé had a number one hit with "Careless Hands,"
Sinatra would be the one belting it out on the show. The problem with this approach is that
Sinatra always specialized in classy standards and jazzy rhythm tunes, while most hit singles (even
Sinatra's own) often fell well short of his best material. That said, this CD does offer a fun peak into 1940s America, and on each episode
Sinatra got to chose one song to perform whether it was on the charts or not, ensuring that a couple of tunes as good as "So in Love" are included here.