The Rat Pack Celebrates Its Golden Anniversary

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Iconic entertainers Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. — the Rat Pack, a sheer force of nature on stage and film that defined suave masculine brio in the early 1960s.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of this legendary act, Reprise Records and Capitol/EMI will release two essential collections: The Very Best Of The Rat Pack (Reprise) on November 9, and Christmas With The Rat Pack (Capitol/EMI) on October 5, available at all retail outlets (CD and digital), including www.sinatra.com.

Featuring 18 Vegas-era favorites that spotlight each singer, The Very Best Of The Rat Pack captures the upbeat entertainment style synonymous with the trio. Showcasing swinging classics from each member solo along with two duets that feature Sinatra and Davis ("Me And My Shadow") and Davis and Martin ("Sam's Song"). The collection also includes a previously unreleased alternate version of Sinatra's "I'm Gonna Live Until I Die."

Ol' Blues Eyes opens the album with the signature track "Come Fly With Me" and also contributes his irresistible hits "I Get A Kick Out Of You" and "Witchcraft." The collection also includes "I've Got You Under My Skin," ranked among Sinatra aficionados as one of his finest collaborations with Nelson Riddle, and "Luck Be A Lady," a song featured in the musical "Guys And Dolls."

Dino's velvety croon takes the spotlight on six unforgettable performances that include "Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)," the dramatic Italian ballad that Martin took to #12 in 1958, "Who's Got The Action?" from the 1962 film of the same name starring Martin and Lana Turner, and "Ain't That A Kick In The Head," a tune he sang in the Rat Pack's classic 1960 heist film Ocean's 11.

Davis' ebullient delivery and vocal power shine on standout tracks such as "Eee-O Eleven" from the Ocean's 11 soundtrack, "A Lot Of Livin' To Do," a song originally written for the 1960 musical Bye Bye Birdie, and "Too Close For Comfort," from the 1956 Broadway play Mr. Wonderful in which Davis played the starring role.

Christmas With The Rat Pack, a 16-track collection of festive holiday classics begins with Dean Martin's "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!," followed by Frank Sinatra's take on "Mistletoe And Holly," and Sammy Davis Jr.'s "Christmas Time All Over The World."  Other songs featured in the collection include Martin's "Silver Bells," "White Christmas," "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer," and "Winter Wonderland," Sinatra's "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear," and "The First Noel," and Davis' "Jingle Bells" and "The Christmas Song," among others.

THE VERY BEST OF THE RAT PACK

1.    Come Fly With Me – Frank Sinatra

2.    Ain't That A Kick In The Head – Dean Martin

3.    Too Close For Comfort – Sammy Davis Jr.

4.    I've Got You Under My Skin – Frank Sinatra

5.    Who's Got The Action? – Dean Martin

6.    A Lot Of Livin' To Do – Sammy Davis Jr.

7.    Ring-A-Ding Ding – Frank Sinatra

8.    Eee-O Eleven – Sammy Davis Jr.      

9.    Luck Be A Lady – Frank Sinatra

10.  Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu) – Dean Martin

11.  Birth Of The Blues – Sammy Davis Jr.

12.  Witchcraft – Frank Sinatra

13.  You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You – Dean Martin

14.  I Get A Kick Out Of You – Frank Sinatra      

15.  Sam's Song – Dean Martin & Sammy Davis Jr.      

16.  I'm Gonna Live Until I Die – Frank Sinatra (Alternate Version)

17.  Everybody Loves Somebody – Dean Martin

18.  Me And My Shadow – Frank Sinatra & Sammy Davis Jr.      

CHRISTMAS WITH THE RAT PACK

1.    Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! – Dean Martin

2.    Mistletoe And Holly – Frank Sinatra

3.    Christmas Time All Over The World – Sammy Davis Jr.

4.    Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – Frank Sinatra

5.    Silver Bells – Dean Martin

6.    The Christmas Waltz – Frank Sinatra

7.    Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Dean Martin

8.    Jingle Bells – Sammy Davis, Jr.

9.    Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Frank Sinatra

10.  Peace On Earth / Silent Night – Dean Martin

11.  It Came Upon A Midnight Clear – Frank Sinatra

12.  Winter Wonderland – Dean Martin

13.  The Christmas Song – Sammy Davis Jr.

14.  The First Noel – Frank Sinatra

15.  White Christmas – Dean Martin

16.  I'll Be Home For Christmas (If Only In My Dreams) – Frank Sinatra

SOURCE Reprise Records / Capitol/EMI