The Joy of Living

The Joy of Living is the sixth studio album by American composer and arranger Nelson Riddle, released in 1959. Reception William Ruhlmann reviewed the album for Allmusic and wrote that the arrangements "never get too lively or somber" and felt the casual, mid-tempo pieces were an assertion by Riddle of his stature with the popularity of Billy May and Gordon Jenkins. Ruhlmann felt the album was a precursor to Riddle's arrangements on Frank Sinatra's 1960 album Nice 'n' Easy as an "easygoing collection of small tonal joys". Gramophone magazine described The Joy of Living as an "outstanding Riddle collection" upon its 1998 reissue.