Columbia Records and Sony Music never did too well by their catalog of
Frank Sinatra's music, at least in the way of single-disc compilations. There was the 12-CD complete set, of course, and the four-CD best-of that complete set, both from the early '90s, which were aimed at serious, dedicated fans, but except for the very flawed 16 Most Requested Songs, there wasn't a genuinely good single-CD overview for the casual listener to get his first taste of at least the most popular songs from this most underrated phase of
Sinatra's career.
Sings His Greatest Hits solved that problem and then some. It's a terrific single-disc collection containing 18 of the singer's best-known songs from his time at Columbia, including "April in Paris," "Night and Day," and "Nancy," of which "Body and Soul" and "Laura" are alternate takes. This CD (which also came out in a limited-edition gold CD version) is a great sampler and introduction for the curious listener who doesn't want to invest in any of the more comprehensive sets, although once one gets hooked -- assuming one does -- those bigger sets will seem a logical next step. ~ Bruce Eder & Stephen Thomas Erlewine