Trilogy: Past Present Future (simply referred to as Trilogy) is a 1980 studio album by Frank Sinatra. It is Sinatra's sixty-second studio album.
The album is known as Sinatra's last concept album, focusing on his career throughout the years. The first disc, titled "The Past", focused on standards similar to those he performed in late 50s and late 60s, while the second disc, titled "The Present", was riddled with pop hits Sinatra made throughout the Reprise years, inlcuding his final signature song, his rendition of the theme song from the film, "New York, New York". The final disc, "The Future" contained a few songs, all of which written by Gordon Jenkins, but most importantly, the three part, 13 minute song, "The Future".
Track listing[]
Disc 1: The Past[]
- "The Song Is You" (Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II) – 2:39
- "But Not for Me" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) – 3:50
- "I Had the Craziest Dream" (Mack Gordon, Harry Warren) – 3:13
- "It Had to Be You" (Isham Jones, Gus Kahn) – 3:53
- "Let's Face the Music and Dance" (Irving Berlin) – 2:50
- "Street of Dreams" (Sam M. Lewis, Victor Young) – 3:32
- "My Shining Hour" (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer) – 3:21
- "All of You" (Cole Porter) – 1:42
- "More Than You Know" (Billy Rose, Edward Eliscu, Vincent Youmans) – 3:22
- "They All Laughed" (G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin) – 2:49
Disc 2: The Present[]
- "You and Me (We Wanted It All)" (Carole Bayer Sager, Peter Allen) – 4:07
- "Just the Way You Are" (Billy Joel) – 3:26
- "Something" (George Harrison) – 4:42
- "MacArthur Park" (Jimmy Webb) – 2:45
- "Theme from New York, New York" (Fred Ebb, John Kander) – 3:26
- "Summer Me, Winter Me" (Marilyn Bergman, Alan Bergman, Michel Legrand) – 4:02
- "Song Sung Blue" (Neil Diamond) – 2:47
- "For the Good Times" (Kris Kristofferson) – 4:41
- "Love Me Tender" (Vera Matson, Elvis Presley) – 3:34
- "That's What God Looks Like to Me" (Lois Irwin, Lan O’Kun) – 2:55
Disc 3: The Future[]
- "What Time Does the Next Miracle Leave?" (Gordon Jenkins) – 10:44
- "World War None!" (Gordon Jenkins) – 4:27
- "The Future" (Gordon Jenkins) – 4:05
- "The Future (Continued): I've Been There" (Gordon Jenkins) – 3:33
- "The Future (Conclusion): Song Without Words" (Gordon Jenkins) – 6:00
- "Before the Music Ends (Finale)" (Gordon Jenkins) – 9:46
Singles[]
Trilogy featured two different singles that were released during 1980. The first of these singles featured "Theme from New York, New York" and "That's What God Looks Like to Me." The song "You and Me (We Wanted It All)" was released along with the song "I've Been There!" for another single. "That's What God Looks Like to Me" was later re-released as a separate single featuring "To Love a Child." [1]
Reception[]
Allmusic rated the album at two out of five stars, claiming that the album had several flaws and inconsistencies. For the Past disc, Stephen Thomas Erlewine stated that this disc was riddled with "the material best suited for his [Sinatra's] talents." The Present disc is criticized by claiming that "the material is mediocre" though "Don Costa's arrangements are lovely, as is Sinatra's singing." In the words of the review, "The Future is an unqualified mess...Sinatra sounds lost singing clichéd, trite lyrics about peace, space travel, and his past."[2]
Trilogy: Past Present Future peaked at #17 on the Billboard 200 charts of 1980.[3]
Awards and nominations[]
Trilogy: Past Present Future was awarded the Grammy Award for "Best Album Notes" at the 1980 Grammy ceremonies thanks to David McClintock.[4]
Personnel[]
Rochelle Abramson | Violin | Anahid Ajemian | Violin |
Adrian Albert | Choir, Chorus | Robert Alexander | Trombone |
Jacqueline May Allen | Choir, Chorus | Sanford Allen | Violin |
Sue Allen | Choir, Chorus | Judith Aller-Talvi | Violin |
Lamar Alsop | Viola | Dale Anderson | Percussion |
Donald Ashworth | Saxophone | David Atkins | Clarinet |
James Atkinson | Horn | John Audino | Trumpet |
Phil Ayling | Clarinet | B.J. Baker | Choir, Chorus |
Israel Baker | Violin | Seymour Barab | Cello |
Julien Barber | Viola | Billie Barnum | Choir, Chorus |
Edwin Beach | Cello | Vincent Bell | Guitar |
Meyer Bello | Viola | Blanche Belnick | Violin |
Jay Berliner | Guitar | Seymour Berman | Viola |
Mary Sue Berry | Choir, Chorus | John Best | Trumpet |
Michael Bloom | Viola | Harry Bluestone | Concert Master, Violin |
Richard Bock | Cello | Phil Bodner | Woodwind |
Dick Bolks | Choir, Chorus | William Booth | Trombone |
Aubrey Bouck | French Horn | Diana Brodick | Violin |
Bill Brown | Choir, Chorus | Kathrine Louise Brown | Choir, Chorus |
Kathy Brown | Choir, Chorus | Bobby Bruce | Balloon, Violin |
Frank Bruno | Bass | Sherman Bryana | Viola |
James Buffington | French Horn | Julianna Buffum | Cello |
Thomas Buffum | Violin | Frederick Buldrini | Violin |
Peter Buonconsigilio | Violin | Sonny Burke | Producer |
Clark Burroughs | Choir, Chorus | Julianna Burrum | Cello |
Merritt Buxbaum | Saxophone | Amick Byram | Choir, Chorus |
Max Cahn | Violin | Martha Caplin | Violin |
Al Capps | Choir, Chorus | David Carey | Percussion |
Carmichael | Choir, Chorus | Vangie Carmichael | Choir, Chorus |
Doris Carr | Violin | Norman Carr | Violin |
Fran Carroll | Choir, Chorus | Jack Cavari | Guitar |
Richard Centalonza | Woodwind | Gene Cherico | Bass |
Gene Cipriano | Woodwind | Peggy Clark | Choir, Chorus |
Ronald Clark | Violin | Steve Clayton | Choir, Chorus |
Ronald Cooper | Cello | Sid Cooper | Woodwind |
Alan Copeland | Choir, Chorus | Morty Corb | Bass |
Don Costa | Conductor | Guy Costa | Arranger, Conductor, Music Preparation |
Irving Cottler | Drums, Percussion | Warren Covington | Trombone |
Robert W. Daugherty | Bass | Alan Davies | Choir, Chorus |
Douglas Davis | Cello | Mel Davis | Trumpet |
Al d'Capps | Choir, Chorus | Joseph de Angeles | French Horn |
Glenn Dicterow | Violin | Peter Dimitriades | Violin |
Anthony S. Doria | Violin | George Duvivier | Bass |
Lisa Edelstein | Flute | Walter Edelstein | Violin |
Julius Ehrenwerth | Cello | Ernest Ehrhardt | Cello |
Joan Elardo | Clarinet | Lewis Eley | Violin |
Christine Ermacoff | Cello | Alan Estes | Harp |
Harvey Estrin | Woodwind | Vincent Falcone, Jr. | Piano |
Eileen Farrell | Vocals | Paul Faulise | Trombone |
Joe Ferrante | Trumpet | Chuck Findley | Trumpet |
Robert Findley | Trumpet | Frank Foster | Violin |
Fowler Friedlander | Bassoon | Susan S. Fries | Woodwind |
David Frisina | Concert Master | John Frosk | Trumpet |
Frank Gari | Choir, Chorus | Jan Gassman | Choir, Chorus |
Ellie Geffert | Choir, Chorus | Russell George | Bass |
George Gershwin | Composer | Ira Gershwin | Composer |
James Getzoff | Violin | Terry Glenny | Violin |
Harry Glickman | Violin | Pamela Goldsmith | Viola |
Mitch Gordon | Choir, Chorus | Jerry Graff | Choir, Chorus |
Robin L. Graham | French Horn | Frank A. Granato | Bass |
Christine Grant | Choir, Chorus | Dominick Gravine | Trombone |
Gary Gray | Saxophone | Ed Green | Engineer |
Margaret Guilbeau | Cello | Jim Haas | Choir, Chorus |
Steve Haas | Choir, Chorus | Jim D. Hackmann | Bass |
Sandi Hall | Choir, Chorus | Rhonni Hallman | Violin |
Gordon Harkness | Choir, Chorus | Walt Harrah | Choir, Chorus |
Hilda Harris | Choir, Chorus | Allan Harshman | Viola |
Nelson Hatt | Trumpet | Gwen Heller | Violin |
Todd Hemmenway | Cello | Lee Herschberg | Engineer |
Ron Hicklin | Choir, Chorus | Lloyd W. Hildebrand | Clarinet |
Reginald Hill | Violin | Paula Hochhalter | Cello |
Max Hollander | Violin | Boyde W. Hood | Trumpet |
Errol Horne | Choir, Chorus | John Allen Hornschuch | Bass |
Igor Horoshevsky | Cello | Igor Horoshewsky | Cello |
Nancy Adams Huddleston | Choir, Chorus | William Hymanson | Violin |
Regis Iandiorio | Violin | Lois Irwin | Composer |
Marilyn Jackson | Choir, Chorus | Jules Jacob | Woodwind |
Beverly Jenkins | Alto (Vocals), Choir, Chorus, Vocals | Gordon Jenkins | Arranger, Conductor |
Diann Jezurski | Viola | Davida Johnson | Violin |
John Thomas Johnson | Tuba | Walt Johnson | Trumpet |
Gary Jones | Choir, Chorus | Jon Joyce | Choir, Chorus |
Rosemary Jun | Choir, Chorus | Leo Kahn | Violin |
Walter Kane | Woodwind | Ronn B. Kaufmann | French Horn |
Ray Kelley | Cello | Tom Kenny | Choir, Chorus |
Karen Kenton | Choir, Chorus | Larry Kenton | Choir, Chorus |
Louis Kievman | Viola | Patricia S. Kindel | Bassoon |
Jon Kip | Woodwind | Harry Klee | Woodwind |
Al Klink | Woodwind | Bernie Knee | Choir, Chorus |
Arnold Koblentz | Violin | Harold Kohon | Violin |
George Koutzen | Cello | Nancy M. Koutzen | Cello |
Cynthia Kovacs | Viola | Mark Kovacs | Guitar, Viola |
Renita Koven | Viola | Stephens la Fever | Bass |
Steve La Fever | Bass | Frank Laico | Engineer |
Janet Lakatos | Violin | Carl LaMagna | Violin |
Mary C. Lane | Cello | Douglas Laurence | Choir, Chorus |
Diana Lee | Choir, Chorus, Soprano (Vocal), Vocals | Alexander L. Lepak | Percussion |
Archie Levin | Viola | Walter Levinsky | Woodwind |
Jesse Levy | Cello | Robert S. Lezin | Violin |
Marvin Limonick | Violin | Peter Limonick | Percussion |
Carolisa Lindberg | Cello | Robert Lipsett | Violin |
Joseph Livoti | Violin | Charles Loper | Trombone |
John Lowe | Woodwind | Mary Debra Lundquist | Violin |
Margot MacLaine | Viola | Niki Magee | Violin |
Charles Magruder | Choir, Chorus | June Magruder | Choir, Chorus |
Gilda Maiken | Choir, Chorus | Carmel Malin | Violin |
Joseph Malin | Concert Master, Conductor | Lynn Dolin Mann | Choir, Chorus |
Jack Marsh | Bassoon | Ron Marshall | Choir, Chorus |
Patricia M. Mathews | Viola | Richard Maximoff | Viola |
Billy May | Arranger, Conductor | David McClintock | Liner Notes |
Suzie McCune | Choir, Chorus | Edward Meares | Bass |
Melissa Meel | Cello | Homer Mensch | Bass |
Gene Merlino | Choir, Chorus | Johnny Messner | Trombone |
Jay Meyer | Choir, Chorus | Julie Miller | Choir, Chorus |
Verlye Mills | Harp | Tony Miranda | French Horn |
Kermit Moore | Cello | Gene Morford | Choir, Chorus |
Marvin Morgenstern | Violin | Kenneth E. Munday | Bassoon |
Alex Murray | Violin | Richard Nash | Trombone |
Ted Nash | Woodwind | Lou Anne Neill | Harp |
Marty Nelson | Choir, Chorus | David L. Newman | Violin |
Hadassa Newman | Cello | Richard L. Noel | Trombone |
Loulie Jean Norman | Choir, Chorus, Soprano (Vocal) | Brian D. O'Connor | French Horn |
Lan O'kun | Composer | Nils Oliver | Cello |
Sid Page | Violin | Hyung-Sun Paik | Violin |
Bruce Paulson | Trombone | Richard Perry | Trumpet |
Stanley Plummer | Violin
Barbara Porter |
Viola | |
G.G. Prosper | Choir, Chorus | Hugo Raimondi | Clarinet |
Matthew Raimondi | Violin | Vijay Raghav Rao | Conductor, Piano |
Uan Rasey | Trumpet | Thurl Ravenscroft | Choir, Chorus |
Michael Redman | Choir, Chorus | Sven Reher | Viola |
Alexander Reisman | Cello | Peter Rejto | Cello |
Eric S. Remsen | Harp | Harvey Restrin | Woodwind |
Darice Richman | Choir, Chorus | Nelson Riddle | Arranger |
Carl Vincent Rigoli | Harp, Percussion | Julia Rinker | Choir, Chorus |
Kathleen Robinson-Barker | Woodwind | Alan Robinson | Horn |
Gale Robinson | Horn | Marilyn Robinson | Horn |
Mel Rodnin | Woodwind | Richard Romoff | Bass |
James V. Ross | Violin | Margaret Ross | Harp |
Geri Rotella | Woodwind | Henry Roth | Violin |
Meyer Rubin | Bass | Santo Russo | Trombone |
John Sambuco | Violin | Linda San Filippo | Cello |
Sheldon Sanov | Violin | John Santulis | Violin |
Victor Sazer | Cello | Sol Schlinger | Woodwind |
David Schwartz | Viola | Wilbur Schwartz | Saxophone, Woodwind |
David P. Searfoss | Trumpet | James Self | Trombone |
Sandra Seymour | Violin | Thomas Shepard | Trombone |
Leena Sherman | Viola | David Sherr | Woodwind |
Claude Sherry | Horn | Daniel Shindaryov | Violin |
Arkady Shindelman | Violin | Ross Shub | Violin |
Alan Shulman | Cello | Robert Shushel | Violin |
Ray Siegel | Bass | Ralph Silverman | Violin |
Barbara Simons | Viola | Frank Sinatra | Vocals |
William Slapin | Woodwind | Jennifer Small | Violin |
Todd Sommer | Percussion | Wayne E. Songer | Saxophone |
Richard Sortomme | Violin | Marshall Sosson | Violin |
Michael Spivakowsky | Viola | Spiro Stamos | Violin |
Robert Steen | Clarinet, Woodwind | Joseph Stephansky | Violin |
Lya Stern | Violin | Robert Stevens | Choir, Chorus |
Sally Stevens | Choir, Chorus | Maretha Stewart | Choir, Chorus |
Martha Stewart | Choir, Chorus | Terry Stillwell | Choir, Chorus |
Robert Stone | Bass | Linn Subotnick | Viola |
Jacquie Sullivan | Choir, Chorus | Robert Sushel | Violin |
Robert Tebow | Choir, Chorus | Barbara Thoamson | Viola |
Brooks Tillotson | French Horn | Rose Tillotson | Viola |
Pam Tompkins | Violin | Charles Henry Turner | Trumpet |
David D. Turner | Violin | Lloyd Ulyate | Trombone |
Al Viola | Guitar | Donald Waldrop | Trombone |
James Walker | Woodwind | Edmond Walter | Tuba |
Jackie Ward | Choir, Chorus | William R. Watrous | Trombone |
Jerome Webster | Violin | Tony Wells | Choir, Chorus |
Jim Wheeler | Choir, Chorus | Linda Wheeler | Choir, Chorus |
Ann White | Choir, Chorus | Jerry Whitman | Choir, Chorus, Director, Narrator |
Dave Wilson | Choir, Chorus | John Wittenberg | Violin |
George Wozniak | Violin | Vern Yocum | Music Preparation |
David H. Young | Bass | Jimmie Young | Drums |
Jimmy Young | Drums | Tibor Zelig | Violin |