A Man Alone (fully titled A Man Alone: The Words and Music of McKuen) is a 1969 studio album by American singer Frank Sinatra, arranged by Don Costa.[2]

A Man Alone
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 1969[1]
RecordedMarch 19–21, 1969, Hollywood
GenreVocal jazz, traditional pop
Length32:05
LabelReprise
FS 1030
ProducerSonny Burke
Frank Sinatra chronology
My Way
(1969)
A Man Alone
(1969)
Watertown
(1970)

In a tribute to the poet, all songs on this album were written by Rod McKuen. "Love's Been Good to Me" reached No. 8 on the British charts, and was also notably recorded by Johnny Cash.

Track listing

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All songs written by Rod McKuen

  1. "A Man Alone" – 3:47
  2. "Night" (Spoken) – 2:25
  3. "I've Been to Town" – 3:13
  4. "From Promise to Promise" (Spoken) – 1:31
  5. "The Single Man" – 3:01
  6. "The Beautiful Strangers" – 2:41
  7. "Lonesome Cities" – 3:18
  8. "Love's Been Good to Me" – 3:27
  9. "Empty Is" (Spoken) – 2:46
  10. "Out Beyond the Window" (Spoken) – 2:45
  11. "Some Traveling Music" (Spoken) – 2:36
  12. "A Man Alone (Reprise)" – 1:30

Complete personnel

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Tracks 1, 6, 8, 12:

(March 20, 1969 – Reprise recording session – Western Recorders 8–11 PM)

John Cave, James Decker, James McGee, Arthur Maebe (fr-h); Gene Cipriano, Norman Herzberg, Bill Hood, Ronny Lang, Don Lodice, Ted Nash, Bud Shank, Nino Tempo (sax/wwd); Thelma Beach, Arnold Belnick, James Getzoff, William Kurasch, Emo Neufeld, Lou Raderman, Sally Raderman, Mischa Russell, Ralph Schaeffer, Marshall Sosson, Gerald Vinci, Tibor Zelig (vln); Alvin Dinkin, Alex Neiman, Allan Harshman, Paul Robyn (via); Justin DiTullio, Armand Kaproff, Ray Kramer, Jacqueline Lustgarten (vie); Kathryn Julye (harp); Bill Miller (p); Al Viola (g); Chuck Berghofer, Eddie Gilbert (b); Alvin Stoller (d); Larry Bunker (perc).

Tracks 2, 4, 10, 11:

(March 21, 1969 – Reprise recording session – Western Recorders 8–11 PM)

John Cave, Vincent DeRosa, William Hinshaw, Richard Perissi (fr-h); Gene Cipriano, Norman Herzberg, Bill Hood, Ronny Lang, Don Lodice, Ted Nash, Bud Shank, Nino Tempo (sax/wwd); Thelma Beach, Arnold Belnick, James Getzoff, William Kurasch, Emo Neufeld, Lou Raderman, Sally Raderman, Mischa Russell, Ralph Schaeffer, Marshall Sosson, Gerald Vinci, Tibor Zelig (vln); Alvin Dinkin, Alex Neiman, Allan Harshman, Paul Robyn (via); Justin DiTullio, Armand Kaproff, Edgar Lustgarten, Nino Rosso (vlc); Kathryn Julye (harp); Bill Miller (p); Al Viola (g); Chuck Berghofer, Eddie Gilbert (b); Alvin Stoller (d); Emil Richards (perc).

Tracks 3, 5, 7, 9:

(March 19, 1969 – Reprise recording session – Western Recorders 8–11 PM)

John Cave, Vincent DeRosa, William Hinshaw, Richard Perissi (fr-h); Gene Cipriano, Chuck Gentry, Norman Herzberg, Ronny Lang, Don Lodice, Ted Nash, Bud Shank, Nino Tempo (sax/wwd); Israel Baker, Thelma Beach, Bonnie Douglas, Jacques Gasselin, Emo Neufeld, Lou Raderman, Sally Raderman, Nathan Ross, Mischa Russell, Paul Shure, Marshall Sasson, Gerald Vinci (vln); Alvin Dinkin, Alex Neiman, Allan Harshman, Paul Robyn (via); Justin DiTullio, Edgar Lustgarten, Kurt Reher, Nino Rosso (vlc); Kathryn Julye (harp); Bill Miller (p); Al Viola (g); Chuck Berghofer, Eddie Gilbert (b); Irving Cottler (d); Larry Bunker (perc); Nancy Adams, Tom Bahler, Betty Baker, James Bryant, Jan Gassman, Bill Lee, Diana Lee, Susan Tallman, Marie Vernon, Jerry Whitman (voc)

Reception

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Billboard called the album "excellent", stating, "The chairman of the board wrings somberness out of McKuen's musical poetry with results that achieve a lyrical beauty of its own. Even when he's just talking to musical background, Sinatra creates a mood that is moving and sincere. The pathos he engenders is perfect fuel for the lyrics."[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. August 23, 1969. p. 66. Retrieved November 27, 2021 – via WorldRadioHistory.com.
  2. ^ "A Man Alone". AllMusic. Retrieved June 20, 2011.