In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning is a 1955 traditional pop torch song written by David Mann with lyrics by Bob Hilliard and introduced by Frank Sinatra as the title track of his album In the Wee Small Hours. It was recorded on February 17, 1955 at KHJ Studios in Hollywood, California, runs 3:00, and was produced by Voyle Gilmore for Capitol Records. The tune came from a post-midnight writing session at Hilliard’s New Jersey home, when Mann stayed to improvise the melody and Hilliard quickly penned the lyric. Since its release, it has been covered by many artists including Johnny Mathis, Ella Fitzgerald, Julie London and Barbra Streisand, reflecting its lasting appeal and its role in shaping Sinatra’s moody late-night traditional pop sound.
