Sergio Franchi discography

The discography of Sergio Franchi, the Italian-American tenor (1926–1990), consists of a total of thirty-five albums: Two live albums, and thirty-three studio albums (USA and Italy). The studio albums are further identified as collaborations (soundtracks, opera, & original cast), and nine are compilation albums (USA and Italy). The Live category included an LP album (1965) and a CD album (released posthumously) of selected songs extracted from Franchi's twenty-four Live TV appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. This discography also includes thirty (one single recorded on two labels) single and EP albums recorded or released in various venues.

Sergio Franchi's American debut album, Romantic Italian Songs, was released on October 6, 1962 and had reached a peak position of seventeen on the Billboard 200 albums chart by the end of the year. The following year three of his albums hit the charts, while Romantic Italian Songs continued at number thirty-three. Our Man From Italy peaked at number sixty-six, and Broadway—I Love You! peaked at number one hundred and three on the Billboard 200. Also in 1963, Franchi recorded an album of duets with the Metropolitan Opera star, Anna Moffo: The Dream Duet peaked at position number ninety-seven on the Billboard 200. In 1965 Sergio Franchi once again had multiple albums on the Billboard 200. Live At The Coconut Grove peaked at number one hundred fourteen early in the year (recorded late in 1964, but released in 1965). His Christmas album, The Heart of Christmas (Cour' Di Natale) was his second best performance peaking at number twenty five. It charted again at number one hundred eight in 1967. Eight years after his 1990 death, (and thirty-six years after its first release) Sergio Franchi's American debut album, Romantic Italian Songs, (re-released as a CD in 11-97) reached a peak position on the Billboard 200 at number one hundred sixty-seven in 1998. Many of his studio albums (and several of his singles) were selected for Special Merit and Spotlight awards by Billboard magazine (see Notes below).

Sergio Franchi's Christmas album contained two very notable original songs: "Buon Natale (Christmas in Rome)" written for him by his first musical director, Neil Warner; and the title song "The Heart of Christmas (Cuor' Di Natale)" written by Anthony Velona. Since his death, RCA has released these two (and other Franchi Christmas songs) on dozens of collaboration albums not listed here.

Studio albums (LP)
Four of these original LP albums have been re-mastered and reissued on CDs. [See CD section below]


 * US Peak Positions for Albums as listed on Billboard 200

Live albums
This section contains two live albums: Sergio Franchi's 1965 Live recording (LP), and a 2008 CD issued posthumously by Sofa Entertainment from the archives of The Ed Sullivan Show.


 * US Peak Positions for Albums as listed on Billboard 200

Collaboration albums (LP)
Since Sergio Franchi's death in 1990, RCA has released several of his Christmas songs on dozens of collaboration albums. Several of these collaboration albums are incorrectly listed by Allrovi.com as primary studio albums.

This collaboration album named Buon Natale - Christmas in Italy was released by Four Corners (FCL 4223), and contained four songs (Christmas carols) recorded by Sergio Franchi in Italy. The other album carols are by un-related artists. These same four Sergio Franchi Christmas carols were also contained on the 1965 Durium compilation, Buon Natale  which contained twelve Franchi songs.

The 1965 Original Cast Recording of Do I Hear a Waltz? was reissued in 1992 as CD on Sony #SK48206. The 1963 recording of The Great Moments From Die Fledermaus was re-mastered and re-issued in 1999 as CD on BMG #0902663468-2.

Compilation albums, USA (LP)
These compilation LP albums were primary reissues of previously recorded tracks. All of the songs/tracks are by Sergio Franchi. The album, This is Sergio Franchi continues to be incorrectly listed by Allrovi.com as a studio album. Franchi recorded his last studio album for RCA Victor in 1968. This popular 1973 compilation was re-mastered and re-issued as a CD in 1988 as BMG #886972403328.

Compilation albums, Durium (LP)
Three LP albums of Sergio Franchi's Italian recordings published in America are simply labeled as being recorded by Durium Records (active from 1935–1985) in Italy. These Italian recordings were released on three USA albums early in his career in America. No recording dates or original Italian album names were listed on the albums, but have been dated; production and musical credits are missing. These studio album recordings consist of 25 songs recorded in the Italian language. The 1965 compilation, Buon Natale, contains the four Franchi Durium Christmas recordings, and repeats eight other Durium recordings contained within the other three compilation albums. [As an important historical footnote, it should be disclosed that Durium, its parent company RCA Italiana, and RCA Victor were all acquired by BMG. Technically, BMG owns most (if not all) of Franchi's recordings produced before 1970. One exception would be any recordings produced in South Africa.]

Singles and EP albums
Promoted by RCA Victor as an album artist, Sergio Franchi never had an actual "hit single" on his American recordings. Many of his single and EP recordings were hits in the sense that they were singles from his hit Billboard 200 albums.



Filmography (DVD)

 * Performing before the advent of the internet, and before MTV made music videos a standard product for singers; the filmography of Sergio Franchi is notable for its poverty of published content: Only two DVD's have been made available to the general public. The most readily available is a Sofa Entertainment, Inc DVD collection of 13 songs and a comedy skit excerpted from Franchi's twenty-four appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show between 1962 and 1971. Sergio Franchi on the Ed Sullivan Show was issued posthumously.
 * The only other known DVD came from Europe, and is not currently available. Shortly after Franchi emigrated to the United States, he completed a contract with German producers to appear on a music show filmed in Vienna. He subsequently appeared with Italian singer, Audrey Arno, and Israeli-born Carmela Corren (among others) in Sing, aber spiel nicht mit mir (1963, Kurt Nachmann producer).

List of CDs released posthumously

 * 1988 This Is Sergio Franchi. RCA  #886972403328. (Released before his 1990 death) Re-master and re-issue of 1973 compilation album.
 * 1992 Do I Hear a Waltz? Original Cast Recording. Sony #SK48206. Re-master & re-issue of 1965 LP.
 * 1997 Romantic Italian Songs. RCA #09026-68902-24. Re-master & re-issue of 1962 LP debut album.
 * 1998 Romantic Italian Songs. Also re-issued by The Musical Heritage Society #514996W.
 * 1998 The Beautiful Music Company Presents Sergio Franchi. RCA/BMG Special Products DMC 12137. New compilation from RCA LPs.
 * 1999 The Great Moments From Die Fledermaus. RCA #09026-63468-2. Re-master and re-issue of 1964 RCA Victor  collaboration LP.
 * 1999 The Heart of Christmas (Cuor' di Natale). RCA/BMG #09026-63515-27. Re-issue and re-master of 1965 LP.
 * ???? The Heart of Christmas (Cuor' di Natale). Also re-issued by The Musical Heritage Society.
 * 2006 The Exciting Voice of Sergio Franchi. RCA # 09043-124531-21. Re-master and re-issue of 1964 LP.
 * 2006 Sergio Franchi Live! at The Coconut Grove. RCA # 09043-124531-21. Re-master and reissue of 1965 LP.
 * 2008 Sergio Franchi on the Ed Sullivan Show. Audio CD of Sullivan appearances by same name as DVD. Sofa Entertainment, Inc.