by the time he recorded "in the wee small hours", sinatra witnessed the end of several relationships. he and his first wife, nancy barbato, separated on valentine's day 1950. while still married, he began a relationship with ava gardner. after he and barbato divorced in october 1951, he married gardner ten days later. but they were both jealous of the other's extramarital affairs. the relationship deteriorated during the recording of "songs for young lovers".