FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 25, 2005

DEAR JERRY: Having every Frank Sinatra recording is close to impossible, but there are two in particular that I would love to own, or just hear. Failing that, I'll settle for just seeing the lyrics.

Because I first learned of these tracks through your column, I am hopeful you can help me.

They are the custom versions of “High Hopes” and “All the Way,” made to support the 1960 John F. Kennedy presidential campaign.

I have checked every LP and CD, and these two are not on any. And neither of my two “Sinatra Sessions” books has a word about these recordings. Were they made in secret?

I have also searched every online site specializing in song lyrics, and none make any mention of anything other than the standard hit versions of these tunes.

You indicate $300 is the going price for a near-mint copy of the original 45 rpm, and if you have one to sell at that price then consider it sold.

To say you are my only hope is an understatement.
—Kathy Dudley, Oakland City, Ind.

DEAR KATHY: Since Sinatra and associates produced just 1,000 of these discs for use as promotional handouts, they are extremely difficult to find — but not impossible. They do ocassionally pop up on eBay, and there is one there as of this writing.

Frank sings “High Hopes with John Kennedy” to the tune of his 1959 Top 30 hit, “High Hopes,” but the flip side, “Jack Kennedy All the Way,” is by an unidentified vocal chorus.

This ensemble — sounding similar to the Johnny Mann Singers — does an uptempo, big band version of Frank's million-selling 1957 hit, “All the Way.” It too extols the virtues of the 1960 Democratic platform (lyrics also are below).

Other than the titles, neither label makes any mention whatsoever of anyone. Nowhere is Frank Sinatra, Nelson Riddle (must be his orchestration), or even Capitol Records named.

It wouldn't surprise me to learn that the entire assemblage for this session scheduled a rendezvous at the Capitol Tower studio in, to borrow one of Sinatra's album titles, “The Wee Small Hours.”

Though my copy is not for sale, it will at least provide us with a source of the lyrics you seek:

Everyone is voting for Jack
'Cause he's got what all the rest lack
Everyone wants to back Jack
Jack is on the right track

'Cause he's got high hopes
He's got high hopes
1960's the year for his high hopes

C'mon and vote for Kennedy
Vote for Kennedy
And we'll come out on top
Oops there goes the opposition ker …
Oops there goes the opposition ker …
Oops there goes the opposition ker-pop

K-E double-N E-D-Y
Jack's the nation's favorite guy
Everyone wants to back Jack
Jack is on the right track

'Cause he's got high hopes
He's got high hopes
1960's the year for his high hopes

C'mon and vote for Kennedy
Vote for Kennedy
Keep America strong
Kennedy, he just keeps rolling along
Kennedy, he just keeps rolling along
Kennedy, he just keeps rolling along
Vote for Kennedy!

Now, “All the Way with Jack Kennedy”:

Kennedy is showin'
That's why Kennedy is goin'
All the way
Kennedy can take it
That's why Kennedy will make it
All the way

Both sides of the Mason-Dixon
All of the voters shout
Our Jack can beat Mr. Nixon
Mr. Nixon better look out
C'mon raise your voices
Let us tell them who our choice is
All the way

Once he's nominated
None will be more dedicated
May we say
Jack's just what the voters ordered
All through the USA

Jack Kennedy is showin'
Yes sir, Kennedy is goin'
All the way
All the way

PS: A reader of this column with an available copy has already contacted Kathy and made the sale. Thank you!

IZ ZAT SO? Sometimes lost in an excess of Frank Sinatra honors, awards, and accomplishments is that, in 1948, the 10-inch release of “The Voice of Frank Sinatra” (Columbia CL-6001) became the world's first long playing Pop music album.

Issued in the then-new unbreakable vinyl format, its eight tracks first came out in 1946 on a four-disc, 78 rpm album of the same title (Columbia B-112).

As a binder of 78s, “The Voice of Frank Sinatra” topped the nation's album charts for about two months, yet, in the long play format, it did not chart at all.