''Cycles'' is a studio album by American singer

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

, released in 1968. Released just before Christmas in 1968, there was a ten-month gap between the release of '' Francis A. & Edward K.'' and this album, which was the longest period in Sinatra's

Reprise In music, a reprise ( , ; from the verb 'to resume') is the repetition or reiteration of the opening material later in a composition as occurs in the recapitulation of sonata form, though—originally in the 18th century—was simply any re ...

years in which he did not commercially record music (barring his contributions to '' The Sinatra Family Wish You a Merry Christmas''). Sinatra sang a variety of folk-rock oriented songs, including

Judy Collins Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and musician with a career spanning nearly seven decades. An Academy Awards, Academy Award-nominated documentary director and a Grammy Awards, Grammy Award-winning rec ...

' hit " Both Sides Now" (written by

Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan Mitchell (née Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and painter. As one of the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitch ...

) and the

Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American country musician and actor. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting ''The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour'' on CBS television from ...

hits "Gentle on My Mind" (written by

John Hartford John Cowan Hartford (December 30, 1937 – June 4, 2001) was an American folk, country, and bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo, as well as for his witty lyrics, unique vocal style, and extensive kn ...

) and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" (written by

Jimmy Webb Jimmy Layne Webb (born August 15, 1946) is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He achieved success at an early age, winning the Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the age of 21. During his career, he established himself as one of Am ...

). The title song was released as a single, reaching #23 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and #2 on the

Easy Listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to the 1970s. It is related to middle of the road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit s ...

chart, while the album peaked at #18 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart.

Production

''Cycles'' was recorded in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

during one session that lasted three hours from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. During the session, 25 people including

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...

Pattie Boyd Patricia Anne Boyd (born 17 March 1944) is an English model and photographer. She was one of the leading international models during the 1960s and, with Jean Shrimpton, epitomised the British female look of the era. Boyd married George Harris ...

, and Tiny Tim came and visited Sinatra. As seen on the front cover, the song "Wait by the Fire" by

Al Gorgoni Al Gorgoni (born 1939) is an American guitarist, composer, arranger, and producer, known for his work as a studio musician during the 1960s and 1970s. Biography Growing up in Philadelphia, his family moved to The Bronx where he took up the guit ...

and

Chip Taylor Chip Taylor (born James Wesley Voight; March 21, 1940) is an American songwriter and singer noted for writing " Angel of the Morning" and " Wild Thing". He is the paternal uncle of actress Angelina Jolie and former actor James Haven. He is the ...

was supposed to appear on the album, but Sinatra scrapped the song and substituted "My Way of Life" after the cover had already been printed.

Track listing

#"Rain in My Heart" (

Teddy Randazzo Alessandro Carmelo "Teddy" Randazzo (May 13, 1935 – November 21, 2003) was an American pop songwriter, singer, arranger and producer, who composed hit songs such as " Goin' Out of My Head", "It's Gonna Take a Miracle", " Pretty Blue Eyes", ...

, Victoria Pike) – 3:20 #" From Both Sides, Now" (

) – 2:55 #" Little Green Apples" (

Bobby Russell Bobby Russell (April 19, 1940 – November 19, 1992) was an American singer and songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he had five singles on the Hot Country Songs charts, including the crossover pop hit "Saturday Morning Confusion". Russell w ...

) – 5:00 #"Pretty Colors" (

) – 2:35 #"Cycles" (Gayle Caldwell) – 3:07 #"Wandering" (Caldwell) – 2:45 #"

By the Time I Get to Phoenix "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" is a song written by Jimmy Webb. Originally recorded by Johnny Rivers in 1965, it was reinterpreted by American country music singer Glen Campbell on his album of the same name. Released on Capitol Records in 1 ...

" (

) – 3:55 #"

Moody River "Moody River" is a song written by and originally performed by country rockabilly singer Chase Webster (real name Gary Daniel Bruce, not to be confused with Gary Bruce, the drummer of The Knack). Pat Boone recorded and released his own version in ...

" (Gary D. Bruce) – 2:33 #" My Way of Life" (

Bert Kaempfert Bert Kaempfert (born ; 16 October 1923 – 21 June 1980) was a German orchestra leader, multi-instrumentalist, music producer, arranger, and composer. He made easy listening and jazz-oriented records and wrote the music for a number of well-kno ...

, Herb Rehbein,

Carl Sigman Carl Sigman (September 24, 1909 – September 26, 2000) was an American songwriter. Early life Born in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish-American family, Sigman graduated from law school and passed his bar exams to practice ...

) – 3:05 #" Gentle on My Mind" (

) – 3:25

Personnel

- Vocals *

Don Costa Dominick P. "Don" Costa (June 10, 1925 – January 19, 1983) was an American conductor and record producer. He discovered singer Paul Anka and worked on several hit albums by Frank Sinatra, including '' Sinatra and Strings'' and '' My Way'' ...

- Producer, Arranger, Composer * Bill Miller - Conductor Tracks 1, 2, 6: 14-November-1968 (Thursday) - Hollywood. Western Recorders (from 8 P.M. to 12 M.). Conte Candoli (tpt); Hoyt Bohannon, Dick Nash, Dick Noel (tbn); Ken Shroyer (b-tbn); Richard Perissi, John Cave, Vincent DeRosa, William Hinshaw (fr-h); Israel Baker, Bonnie Douglas, Jacques Gasselin, Stanley Plummer, Lou Rader- man, Nathan Ross, Mischa Russell, Paul Shure, Marshall Sosson, Joe Stepansky (vln); Alvin Dinkin, Allan Harshman, Alex Neiman, Paul Robyn (via); Joseph Saxon, Justin DiTullio, Armand Kaproff, Ray Kramer (vlc); Kathryn Julye (harp); Pete Jolly (p); Bobby Gibbons,

Bill Pitman William Keith Pitman (February 12, 1920 – August 11, 2022) was an American guitarist and session musician. As a first-call studio musician working in Los Angeles, Pitman played on some of the most celebrated and influential records of the ro ...

Al Viola Alfred Viola (June 16, 1919 – February 21, 2007) was an American jazz guitarist who worked with Frank Sinatra for 25 years. He played the mandolin on the soundtrack of the film ''The Godfather''. Biography Viola grew up in an Italian famil ...

(g);

Chuck Berghofer Charles Curtis Berghofer (born June 14, 1937) is an American double bassist and electric bassist, who has worked in jazz and as a session musician in the film industry for more than 60 years, including working on more than 400 movie soundtracks. ...

(b); Irving Cottler (d);

Larry Bunker Lawrence Benjamin Bunker (November 4, 1928 – March 8, 2005) was an American jazz drummer, vibraphonist, and percussionist. A member of the Bill Evans Trio in the mid-1960s, he also played timpani with the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra. ...

, Gary Coleman (perc). Don Costa (arr. all titles). Tracks 3, 4, 8: 13-November-1968 (Wednesday) - Hollywood. Western Recorders (from 8 to 11 P.M.). Conte Candoli, Pete Candoli (tpt); Emo Neufeld, Jacques Gasselin, Lou Raderman, Mischa Russell, James Getzoff, Nathan Ross, Paul Shure, Marshall Sosson, Joe Stepansky, Gerald Vinci (vln); Paul Robyn, Alvin Dinkin, Alex Neiman, Allan Harshman (via); Armand Kaproff, Nino Rosso, Joseph Saxon, Justin DiTullio (vlc); Kathryn Julye (harp); Pete Jolly (p); Al Viola, Bill Pitman, David Cohen (g); Joe Mondragon (b); Irving Cottler (d);

Milt Holland Milton Holland (born Milton Olshansky; February 7, 1917 – November 4, 2005) was an American drummer, percussionist, ethnomusicologist and writer in the Los Angeles music scene. He pioneered the use of African, South American, and Indian perc ...

Emil Richards Emil Richards (born Emilio Joseph Radocchia; September 2, 1932 – December 13, 2019) was an American vibraphonist and percussionist. Biography Musician Richards began playing the xylophone aged six. In High School, he performed with the ...

(perc); Nancy Adams, Betty Baker, Vangie Carmichael, Bill Cole, Ronald Hicklin, Sally Stevens, Robert Tebow, Robert Zwim (voe . Don Costa (arr - all titles). Tracks 5, 9: 25-July-1968 (Thursday) - New York. Columbia Recording Studio (from 2 to 6:30 P.M.). Urbie Green, Johnny Messner, Buddy Morrow (tbn); Paul Faulise (b-tbn); Richard Berg, Fred Klein, Albert Richmond, Joseph De Angelis (fr-h); Fred Buldrini, Peter Buonconsiglio, Harry Katzman, George Ockner, Tosha Samaroff, Julius Schachter, Joe Malin, Felix Giglio, Stanley Karpienia, Carmel Malin, Alvin Rogers, Jesse Tryon (vln); Alfred Brown, Harold Furmansky, Emanuel Vardi, Norman Forrest (via); Maurice Brown, Charles McCracken, David Moore, Harry Wimmer (vlc); Robert Maxwell (harp); Ernest Hayes (p/cel); Ralph Casale, Al Casamenti,

Bucky Pizzarelli John Paul "Bucky" Pizzarelli (January 9, 1926 – April 1, 2020) was an American jazz guitarist. He worked for NBC as a staffman from 1964, including for Dick Cavett (1971) and ABC with Bobby Rosengarden in (1952). Musicians he collaborate ...

(g); Frank Bruno (b); Nick Perito (accordion); Douglas Allan, Buddy Saltzman (d/perc); William Bronson, Lillian Clark, Harry Duvall, Corina Manetto, Ronald Martin, Linda November, James Ryan, Louise Stuart (voe - on all titles). Don Costa (arr - all titles). Tracks 7, 10: 12-November-1968 (Tuesday) - Hollywood. Western Recorders (from 8 to 11 P.M.). Israel Baker, Harry Bluestone, Jacques Gasselin, James Getzoff, Bernard Kundell, Lou Raderman, Mischa Russell, Marshall Sosson, Joe Stepansky, Gerald Vinci (vln); Paul Robyn, Virginia Majewski, Alex Neiman, Barbara Simons (via); Edwin Beach, Armand Kaproff, Nino Rosso, Justin DiTullio (vlc); Kathryn Julye (harp); Pete Jolly (p); David Cohen, Bill Pitman, Al Viola (g); Chuck Berghofer (b); Irving Cottler (d); Gary Coleman, Kenneth Watson (perc). Don Costa (arr - all titles).

Charts

In popular culture

In 2022, the song " My Way of Life" was featured in the mid-credits scene of the ''

Moon Knight Moon Knight is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin, the character first appeared in ''Werewolf by Night'' #32 (August 1975). The son of a rabbi, Marc S ...

'' episode "Gods and Monsters."

References

{{Authority control Frank Sinatra albums Reprise Records albums 1968 albums Albums produced by Don Costa Albums arranged by Don Costa Albums conducted by Bill Miller (pianist)