Mr. Frank Sinatra. 100 years on...

**Beef Oven!** · 08-12-15, 12:57

Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post

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

'sympathy multiplies misery', I think.

**P. G. Tipps** · 08-12-15, 13:11

The OP simply asked for one's 'thoughts'.

Is it compulsory to laud the now long-dead Mr Frank Sinatra just because the centenary of his birth is apparently imminent?

Of course more sensible members may well think it wise to keep their 'thoughts' to themselves, and sometimes that is undoubtedly wise, but a forum would not be worthy of the name if we all 'thought' like that ... and, even worse, if we all 'thought' the same about Mr Frank Sinatra!

**Beef Oven!** · 08-12-15, 13:14

Originally posted by P. G. Tipps View Post

The OP simply asked for one's 'thoughts'.

Is it compulsory to laud the now long-dead Mr Frank Sinatra just because the centenary of his birth is apparently imminent?

Of course more sensible members may well think it wise to keep their 'thoughts' to themselves, and sometimes that is undoubtedly wise, but a forum would not be worthy of the name if we all 'thought' like that ... and, even worse, if we all 'thought' the same about Mr Frank Sinatra!

That's the problem with you - you're so damned consistent.

**Stanfordian** · 08-12-15, 13:29

Originally posted by pastoralguy View Post

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

Anyone have any thoughts?

Hiya PG,

My mother used to love Sinatra's hit ballad ‘My Way’ although it's not especially to my taste. I prefer Sinatra's albums from the early and mid 50s on Capital:

'Songs for Young Lovers'
'Swing Easy!'
'In the Wee Small Hours'
'A Swinging Affair!'
'Close to You'
'Where Are You?'

**MrGongGong** · 08-12-15, 13:43

Originally posted by NatBalance View Post

. Elvis is still the King though.

What does your audiologist say?

**Beef Oven!** · 08-12-15, 13:45

Originally posted by MrGongGong View Post

What does your audiologist say?

He says, 'Elvis is dead', but it falls on deaf ears.

**ahinton** · 08-12-15, 13:53

Originally posted by P. G. Tipps View Post

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

As he cannot answer for anything now and has been unable to do so for quite some time, should it be presumed that you are presuming to do this on his behalf?

Originally posted by P. G. Tipps View Post

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.

Whose 'hit song'? According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Way it was written by Paul Anka, although http://www.lyricsfreak.com/f/frank+s..._20056378.html offers a rather more elaborate credit for it, omitting mention of Anka, namely "Songwriters: DUPRI, JERMAINE/SEAL, MANUEL LONNIE/RAYMOND, USHER
My Way lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, S U I S A, COOPERATIVE SOC. OF MUSIC AUTHORS & PUBLISHERS".

Whatever the authorship facts might be, it is clear that Sinatra himself wrote neither the music nor the lyrics of this 'hit song' whose fate cannot in any case be ascribed to him.

Originally posted by P. G. Tipps View Post

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.

Not merely old-fashioned but also rather tiresome, especially given that Mr Sinatra's eyes are quite understandably not the subject of this discussion...

A minor actor and a limited artist as a singer, what he achieved within those limitations was, I think, truly remarkable.

**ahinton** · 08-12-15, 13:55

Originally posted by Beef Oven! View Post

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?

"Outlooks", surely?(!)...

**ahinton** · 08-12-15, 13:57

Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post

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

But that would surely of necessity entail selectivity, wouldn't it? - and yet who's to say that one cannot enjoy the music of Alan Bush without aligning oneself with his political sympathies? (after all, Sorabji, his friend of almost half a century, seemed to manage without problem and his political outlook could hardly have been more different!).

**ahinton** · 08-12-15, 13:59

Originally posted by P. G. Tipps View Post

The OP simply asked for one's 'thoughts'.

Is it compulsory to laud the now long-dead Mr Frank Sinatra just because the centenary of his birth is apparently imminent?

Of course more sensible members may well think it wise to keep their 'thoughts' to themselves, and sometimes that is undoubtedly wise, but a forum would not be worthy of the name if we all 'thought' like that ... and, even worse, if we all 'thought' the same about Mr Frank Sinatra!

I am relieved to have been recognised as not one of the "more sensible members" of this forum, although at the same time somewhat surprised that it took a thread on Sinatra to reveal this...

**cloughie** · 08-12-15, 14:04

Originally posted by Oddball View Post

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.

I can appreciate your reasoning, and there is often an extra edge to performances of talented young performers when they are trying to make their way and are hungry for success.
Your mention of Nancy Sinatra reminds me Nancy Jr and the origin of the song 'Nancy with the Laughing Face' with lyrics by Phil Silvers aka Bilko.

Nancy (with the Laughing Face) - Wikipedia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_(with_the_Laughing_Face)

**doversoul1** · 08-12-15, 14:25

Sinatra’s I’ve got you under my skin was a stepping stone for me from those light-headed American pop songs of the early 60s to more substantial jazz vocal. His private life didn’t / doesn’t bother me in the least. It was the time when Stars lived different lives. Not that it makes everything morally excusable but I find judging it from today’s perspective somewhat irrelevant.

**clive heath** · 08-12-15, 15:02

I would add to the list of albums as follows
" This is Sinatra"...for the sheer joie-de-vivre of "Young at Heart" ( among others) and the intensity of "The One That Got Away" and "Don't Worry 'bout Me"
" Come Fly with Me".......for "It's Nice to go Trav'lin'" and as intros go Billy May's opening to the title track is up there very close to Nelson Riddle's lead into "I've Got You..."
and "Sinatra-Basie" where I think the magic started to fade and the performer began to dominate the musician (plus the voice was less resilient).

He was still in pretty good shape at the Hammersmith Odeon where I saw him for two shows in 1962 on his world charity tour. "One for the Road" with just the piano was quite memorable. It has to be the case that I've had more pleasure from listening to him singing the great songs than anyone else.

**Beef Oven!** · 08-12-15, 15:58