“In the mid-‘60s, AM radio, pop radio, was just this incredible thing that played all kinds of music... You could hear Frank Sinatra right into the Yardbirds. The Beatles into Dean Martin. It was this amazing thing, and I miss it, in a way, because music has become so compartmentalized now, but in those days, it was all right in one spot.”
– Tom Petty
If he was nothing else in his long musical career then Frank Sinatra was a survivor and managed to stay relevant during not only the rise of Elvis Presley and rock & roll in the ‘50s but also the British Invasion and the hippies in the ‘60s. But back then there was more than enough room for all musical styles and tastes and the only rule was it had to sell records- and Ol’ Blue Eyes was a reliable cash cow.
A musical innovator in more ways than one, Sinatra gets credit for having invented the concept album. Sad songs belong on an album with other sad songs so as not to break the mood, thought Frank, and for that same reason happy swing songs should be on an album with only those. I’m not entirely sure about this strategy and have actually sat and listened to entire “sad” Sinatra records from beginning to end (In the Wee Small Hours and Only for the Lonely) and while I found these albums mood affecting (to say the least) the experience was also emotionally draining and scarring. Still, I suppose one can find it sort of charming (and a little sad) that back in the ‘50s there was such a big demand for these suicide-type records (and this may also explain the immense popularity of the TV show Life Is Worth Living).
 |
| Sinatra with JFK |
Of course, any Sinatra fan knows the stories about the Chairman of the Board’s personal life including the infamous mugshot from his arrest as a young man for carrying on with a married woman. But if one is going to believe the gossip about Sinatra’s connection with organized crime, his many infidelities, and his hot temper, then one also has to believe the many more stories people tell about the man’s kindness, generosity, and class. Here are some more of my favorite Frank Sinatra songs. Enjoy!
01. Frank Sinatra – “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” (1961)
02. Frank Sinatra – “Just One of Those Things” (1954)
03. Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra – “Somethin’ Stupid” (1967)
04. Frank Sinatra – “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” (1961)
05. Frank Sinatra – “I Love Paris” (1958)
06. Frank Sinatra – “Soliloquy” (1963)
07. Frank Sinatra – “Ring-a-Ding Ding!” (1961)
08. Frank Sinatra – “This Town” (1967)
09. Frank Sinatra – “When I Take My Sugar to Tea” (1961)
10. Frank Sinatra – “Cycles” (1968)
Listen to the playlist on Spotify...
... or check out the playlist on YouTube
(To open music in separate window, click title bar at top of video box)
Recommended Links:
No comments:
Post a Comment