Mr. Frank Sinatra. 100 years on...

[pastoralguy]

Saturday the 12th of December 2015 will mark the 100th year since Ol' blues eye himself was born.

Anyone have any thoughts?

[MrGongGong]

00 or N ?

[P. G. Tipps]

Imho, Mr Frank Sinatra had rather a lot to answer for ...

His 'hit song' My Way became the unofficial anthem for just about every drunken, egocentric failure in the world. In fact it is still heard in many a karaoke bar, I understand.

It may be old-fashioned to admit it but, from memory, I found Marilyn Monroe's blue eyes one heck of a lot more interesting.

[Conchis]

Not a fan. He may have been a good singer, but I just don't 'like' his voice.

And I HAVE tried with him - Song For Swinging Lovers just doesn't do it for me, even though some of those songs are undoubtedly great.

I'd be interested in giving his late period 'concept' albums a spin, though - Watertown sounds like an interesting one.

[cloughie]

Not a fan. He may have been a good singer, but I just don't 'like' his voice.

And I HAVE tried with him - Song For Swinging Lovers just doesn't do it for me, even though some of those songs are undoubtedly great.

I'd be interested in giving his late period 'concept' albums a spin, though - Watertown sounds like an interesting one.

I do like Frank Sinatra but have to admit it is probably in the last 20 years that I have grown to do so. His 50s Capitol recordings in particular and with the Nelson Riddle and particularly Billy May arrangements which are what gave us that Sinatra sound. Conchis, the voice thing is important. There are several non-classical acts who I like instrumentally but the voice spoils and with classical singers many voices that turn me off.

[DublinJimbo]

I have enormous respect for Frank Sinatra's artistry. Of all his recordings, a version of Old Man River which I heard many years ago sticks firmly in my memory. His phrasing and breath control are wondrous, and what he does with 'jail' is amazing.

[gradus]

An artist who enriches my musical life. The recent Composer of the Week Cole Porter survey included his breathtakingly beautiful performance of Its Alright With Me, imv as fine as any Lieder performance I can bring to mind.

[antongould]

45k Radio 2 listeners who voted him Voice of the Century could well be wrong I suppose but to me he is a wonderful singer - so I will raise a glass on Saturday .....

[Padraig]

Frank has put his stamp on nearly any standard you could mention. He's the Tiger Woods, the George Best, The Muhammad Ali of popular song. I believe that, but I could never take to his singing style myself.

[Quarky]

Saturday the 12th of December 2015 will mark the 100th year since Ol' blues eye himself was born.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Frank Sinatra had two good points, imv:
1. his first wife Nancy; Nancy Sinatra Sr. is still alive and well and living in California and will celebrate her 98th birthday next month on March 25. She isn't seen as often as she once was, but still is photographed at some charity events, usually with her children.
2. his voice in the bobby-soxer 40's period.

The rest was just one gigantic ego trip.

[cloughie]

Frank Sinatra had two good points, imv:
1. his first wife Nancy; Nancy Sinatra Sr. is still alive and well and living in California and will celebrate her 98th birthday next month on March 25. She isn't seen as often as she once was, but still is photographed at some charity events, usually with her children.
2. his voice in the bobby-soxer 40's period.

The rest was just one gigantic ego trip.

What utter nonsense, can you really write off his Capitol recordings so cheaply?

[NatBalance]

Frank Sinatra is one of those guys like Wagner, I don't like what I hear / read about his character but heck, what great music! The soft lilt in his voice when he sings a ballad is tingle factor stuff. Elvis is still the King though.

[Quarky]

What utter nonsense, can you really write off his Capitol recordings so cheaply?

Well, I grew up in a strongly pro-Sinatra environment, and at the time I did appreciate the Capitol recordings, particularly the Nelson riddle orchestration ,and of course "The soft lilt in his voice when he sings a ballad is tingle factor stuff".

Returning to Sinatra after a long musical journey, I find I enjoy the (relative) purity of his voice as a young man, and the integration with the other members of the performance - I am a latecomer to the Bobby Soxer fan club.. But for the recordings he made upon re-energising his career, I find the voice, presented as just Frank with accompaniment, rough, with a reduced range. The voice is of course loaded with personality and charisma, but that is a matter of personal taste.

[Beef Oven!]

Frank Sinatra is one of those guys like Wagner, I don't like what I hear / read about his character but heck, what great music! The soft lilt in his voice when he sings a ballad is tingle factor stuff. Elvis is still the King though.

Indeed, always best to put aside non-musical factors.

How could one enjoy the astonishing music of Reginald Goodall, Bob Simpson, Alan Bush, Cornelius Cardew, Luigi Nono and others without putting aside their thoroughly misguided political outlook?

[Serial_Apologist]

Indeed, always best to put aside non-musical factors.

How could one enjoy the astonishing music of Reginald Goodall, Bob Simpson, Alan Bush, Cornelius Cardew, Luigi Nono and others without putting aside their thoroughly misguided political outlook?

It can of course augment that enjoyment if one is in sympathy, though.