The American jazz and pop singer Sylvia Syms (not to be confused with the British movie star of the 50s and ‘60s of the same name) was a highly distinctive performer, who Frank Sinatra once said was “the world’s greatest saloon singer”, with a journalist noting that was “one of America’s most distinguished cabaret and jazz singers with a profound appreciation of lyrics”. 

Born in Brooklyn in 1917, and influenced by meeting Billie Holiday, she came to the fore in immediate post-war years, and made her first albums in the early ‘50s for Atlantic before signing to Decca, with whom she had hit singles in mid-decade. 

This 70-track 3-CD collection comprises singles for Decca from this era, plus the titles from her album on Atlantic “Songs  By Sylvia Syms”, her Decca albums “Sylvia Syms Sings” and “Songs Of Love”, the Columbia album “Torch Song”, and the Kapp album “That Man (Love Letter To Frank Sintra)”, through to the early 1960s. It includes her US hit singles “I Could Have Danced All Night”, “English Muffins And Irish Stew” and “Dancing Chandelier”. 

Her work and talents have not enjoyed as high a profile over the years as they deserve, and this collection captures her during a key decade of her career, offering a fine showcase for a notable song stylist.

CD 1
1. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT AN OLD LOVE Sylvia Syms   
2. DOWN IN THE DEPTHS (ON THE NINETIETH FLOOR) Sylvia Syms   
3. MOUNTAIN GREENERY Sylvia Syms   
4. WHAT IS THERE TO SAY Sylvia Syms   
5. IMAGINATION Sylvia Syms   
6. LONELY WOMAN Sylvia Syms   
7. CAN'T YOU JUST SEE YOURSELF Sylvia Syms   
8. LOVE WALKED IN Sylvia Syms   
10. COMES LOVE Sylvia Syms   
11. I WANT A LITTLE BOY Sylvia Syms   
12. TEA FOR TWO Sylvia Syms   
Tracks 1-12  From “Songs By Sylvia Syms” (Atlantic ALS137 1952 and Atlantic 1243 1954)
13. THE ONLY MAN BLUES Sylvia Syms   With Billy Butterfield Jazz Band  (Steve Allen Jazz Concert 1954)
14. MY SHIP Sylvia Syms   
15. THEN I'LL BE TIRED OF YOU Sylvia Syms   
16. I'M THE GIRL Sylvia Syms   
17. LILAC WINE Sylvia Syms   
18. I DON'T WANT TO CRY ANYMORE Sylvia Syms   
19. HONEY IN THE HONEYCOMB Sylvia Syms   
20. A WOMAN'S INTUITION Sylvia Syms   
21. EXPERIMENT Sylvia Syms   
22. LET ME LOVE YOU Sylvia Syms   
23. WE JUST COULDN'T SAY GOODBYE Sylvia Syms   
24. I'M SO HAPPY I COULD CRY Sylvia Syms   2578) 1924 
24. NEVER AGAIN Isham Jones Orch. (Brunswick 2577) 1924
Tracks 14-24 From “Sylvia Syms Sings” (Decca DL8188) 1955

CD 2
1. DOWN WITH LOVE Sylvia Syms   
From “Sylvia Syms Sings” (Decca DL8188) 1955
2. I COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT Sylvia Syms (Decca 29903) 1956 
3. THE WORLD IN MY CORNER Sylvia Syms (Decca 29903) 1956 
4. ENGLISH MUFFINS AND IRISH STEW Sylvia Syms (Decca 29969) 1956 
5. WALK SWEET Sylvia Syms (Decca 29969) 1956 
6. DANCING CHANDELIER Sylvia Syms (Decca 30143) 1956 
7. EACH DAY Sylvia Syms (Decca 30143) 1956 
8. IT'S GOOD TO BE ALIVE Sylvia Syms (Decca 30326) 1957 
9. HE LOVES AND SHE LOVES Sylvia Syms   
10. CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS Sylvia Syms   
11. HANDS ACROSS THE TABLE Sylvia Syms   
12. ISN'T IT ROMANTIC Sylvia Syms   
13. DANCING IN THE DARK Sylvia Syms   
14. SO FAR Sylvia Syms   
15. WHEN A WOMAN LOVES A MAN Sylvia Syms   
16. ALONE TOO LONG Sylvia Syms   
17. WHAT'S THE USE OF WON'DRIN Sylvia Syms   
18. I AM LOVED Sylvia Syms   
19. DON'T EVER LEAVE ME Sylvia Syms   
20. I'LL BE SEEING YOU Sylvia Syms   
Tracks 9-20 From “Songs Of Love” (Decca DL8639) 1957
21. THE NATURE OF THINGS Sylvia Syms (Decca 9-30648) 1958 
22. THE NIGHT THEY INVENTED CHAMPAGNE Sylvia Syms (Decca 9-30648) 1958 
23. YOU FASCINATE ME SO Sylvia Syms (Decca 9-31711) 1958 
24. I'VE GOT TO SING A TORCH SONG Sylvia Syms   
25. YOU'RE NEARER Sylvia Syms
Tracks 24-25 From “Torch Song”  (Columbia CL1447)  1959

CD 3
1. JUST IMAGINE Sylvia Syms   
2. ORCHIDS IN THE MOONLIGHT Sylvia Syms   
3. YESTERDAYS Sylvia Syms   
4. THERE'S A LULL IN MY LIFE Sylvia Syms   
5. WITHOUT LOVE Sylvia Syms   
6. (I'M A DREAMER) AREN'T WE ALL? Sylvia Syms   
7. IF I HAD A TALKING PICTURE Sylvia Syms   
8. REMIND ME Sylvia Syms   
9. YOU LET ME DOWN Sylvia Syms   
10. FALLING IN LOVE WITH LOVE Sylvia Syms   Tracks 1-10 From “Torch Song”  (Columbia CL1447)  1959
11. THAT MAN Sylvia Syms   
12. IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS OF THE MORNING Sylvia Syms   
13. THE TENDER TRAP Sylvia Syms   
14. LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE Sylvia Syms   
15. GUESS I'LL HANG MY TEARS OUT TO DRY Sylvia Syms   
16. I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU Sylvia Syms   
17. COME FLY WITH ME Sylvia Syms   
18. ALL THE WAY Sylvia Syms   
19. I'M A FOOL TO WANT YOU Sylvia Syms   
20. ONLY THE LONELY Sylvia Syms   
21. THE LAST DANCE Sylvia Syms   
Tracks 11-21 From “That Man” (Love Letter To Frank Sinatra)” (Kapp KL-1236) 1961