World On A String, a collection of live Frank Sinatra performances spanning from 1953 to 1982, will see its worldwide release Oct. 21. The collection features four CDs with over 90 performances in eight different countries. It also includes a DVD with footage from Sinatra's 1962 "Frank Sinatra With All God's Children" tour, highlighting his charity work.
That tour's proceeds went to benefit underprivileged children, says Charlie Pignone of Frank Sinatra Enterprises in an email to NPR. "The 1962 international tour was special for various reasons," Pignone says, "but mainly for the money Frank Sinatra raised — over one million dollars — for children's charities in each country he performed in. Sinatra paid all the expenses so 100% of the proceeds would go directly to the children."
The Rodgers and Hart song "The Lady Is A Tramp" quickly became a Sinatra classic after he performed it in the 1957 film Pal Joey alongside Rita Hayworth. This performance, from the '62 tour, showcases the singer's charm — complete with suit and bow tie — and his command of the stage. This tour was "one of the rare occasions where Sinatra performed with just the 'sextet' and not a large orchestra or band," Pignone says, and that allows Sinatra to achieve a special, conversational intimacy with the entranced audience. He smiles and points to the crowd, laughing like they're all in on his joke.
You can pre-order World On A String to enjoy the other previously unreleased performances here.
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