One of my favorite albums to get me into the fall spirit is Frank Sinatra’s September Of My Years. Released in 1965, this timeless album invokes in the listener feelings of nostalgia, and calm. There’s something about Sinatra that makes you want to light a candle and take a nap while the autumn wind brings the color from the trees onto the ground.
Some standout tracks include “September Of My Years,” “Don’t Wait Too Long,” and “This Is All I Ask.” The title track gives the listener a good idea of the vibe of the album overall. Reflective and a little bit melancholy. This song has a yearning to it as the strings and vocals weave in and out through the simple but rhythmic drum beat. As the song ends we are fully immersed in the world of September Of My Years. In “Don’t Wait Too Long,” Sinatra encourages the young to love while they are young (especially in fall). He asks “Why must the moments go by in such haste?” Why do we rush through precious moments with each other, instead of just enjoying them? Similar to the first track, the music is very calm and slow, perfect for a thoughtful walk through the beautiful fall landscape. “This Is All I Ask,” is my personal favorite from the album. The music, and the lyrics. The strings fly around the listeners head as a butterfly would, or in this case, falling leaves. Swooping, rising, and falling. Sinatra expresses here an incredibly human desire of wanting beautiful things to last, and wanting to enjoy them; especially as he gets older. Lines like ”Beautiful girl, walk a little slower when you walk by me” works in conjunction with the line “Lingering sunset, stay a little longer with the lonely sea”. Sinatra is the lonely sea, just like the beautiful girl can be compared with the sunset. But you don’t have to think too hard about the album’s lyrics to enjoy its atmosphere.
Overall this album creates a wonderful autumn world for the listener to explore. Perfect for an afternoon existential crisis, or scenic drive, whatever you fancy. I would highly recommend this album to get you into the cozy fall spirit.
