The World We Knew, also known as Frank Sinatra, is a 1967 studio album by American singer Frank Sinatra.
The album's title track reached No. 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on the Easy Listening chart in 1967. Its second track, "Somethin' Stupid"—a duet between Sinatra and his daughter Nancy—reached No. 1 on both charts.
Reception
Upon release, Billboard reviewed the album favorably, praising its overall quality while noting the cover art as its primary shortcoming.
Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine, in his review of the album for AllMusic, awarded it two-and-a-half out of five stars, and described it as, "More of a singles collection than a proper album [...] Much of this has a rock-oriented pop production, complete with fuzz guitars, reverb, folky acoustic guitars, wailing harmonicas, drum kits, organs, and brass and string charts that punctuate the songs rather than provide the driving force [...] the songs Sinatra tackles with a variety of arrangers are more ambitious than most middle-of-the-road, adult-oriented soft rock of the late '60s." Erlewine described the album's ninth track, "Drinking Again", as "exceptional, nuanced" and said that it "ranks among the best songs Sinatra cut during the '60s."
Track listing
Notes Carson Parks is also known as C. Carson ParksSinatra, Frank. "Somethin' Stupid". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/Somethin'%20Stupid Jim Harbert is also known as James HarbertSinatra, Frank. "This Is My Love". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/This%20Is%20My%20Love Overdubs for "The World We Knew (Over and Over)" recorded on June 30 and July 1, 1967Sinatra, Frank. "The World We Knew". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/The%20World%20We%20Knew The Orchestra on "Somethin' Stupid" includes 10 Violins Background Vocals on "Don't Sleep in the Subway" recorded on July 27, 1967Sinatra, Frank. "Don't Sleep in the Subway". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/Don’t%20Sleep%20in%20the%20Subway Basic Backing Tracks for (and Overdubs for unreleased version of) “This Town” was recorded on June 30, 1967Sinatra, Frank. "This Town". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/This%20Town Instrumental Overdubs for "This Town" recorded on July 27, 1967 The Orchestra on "You Are There" includes 16 Violins, 6 Cellos, 3 French Horns and 7 Saxophones & Woodwinds The Orchestra on "Drinking Again" includes 12 ViolinsSinatra, Frank. “Drinking Again”. Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/Drinking%20Again The Orchestra on Tracks 3–4 and 7 includes 21 Violins, 3 Cellos and 4 French HornsSinatra, Frank. "Born Free". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/Born%20Free The Orchestra on Tracks 3–4 and 7–8 includes 6 ViolasSinatra, Frank. "This is My Song". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/This%20Is%20My%20SongSinatra, Frank. "You Are There". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/You%20Are%20There The Orchestra on Tracks 5, 8 and 10 includes 5 TrumpetsSinatra, Frank. "Some Enchanted Evening". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/Some%20Enchanted%20Evening The Orchestra on Tracks 5 and 10 includes 8 Violins Sessions held in United-Western Studios, Hollywood, California.
Charts
Weekly charts + 1967 weekly chart performance for The World We Knew Chart (1967) Peakposition Chart (2015) Peakposition
+ 2025–2026 weekly chart performance for The World We Knew Chart (2025–2026) Peakposition
Monthly charts + 2025 monthly chart performance for The World We Knew Chart (2025) Peakposition German Jazz Albums (Offizielle Top 100) 17
References