Posted on 12/12/2014 5:55:42 AM PST by Phlap
Sinatra was a giant of American entertainment. He began his career in the 1930s as a singer whose romantic renditions of songs like "I'll Never Smile Again" caused teenage girls, called "bobby soxers," to shriek and swoon. Later, as an actor, he starred in films such as The Manchurian Candidate, From Here to Eternity, and the original Ocean's Eleven.
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Too true.
My favorites are the crooners.
All of them are great. Personal favorite is Perry Como.
But Frank? His work was perfect. Just perfect and it sparkles.
Remember the old Perry Como TV show from the 1950s ?
Mixed feelings about Ol’ Blue Eyes. Talk about ‘Talent On Loan From God’, well, he had it. Worked hard, networked, hewed out his very own niche and made it to the top of his industry. On the other side, a miserable creature masquerading as a human being who treated people like dirt. To be fair, many others suffer from the same failing and if I were that rich and famous, it isn’t known if I could retain my saint-like characteristics.
The era of that dangerous 'cool' that Frank exuded is long past. But for talent and personality, for my money, Harry Connick Jr. comes dang close. That boy can belt a tune.
The most I knew about him as a kid was when he was portrayed in old Warner Brothers cartoons as a super frail-looking waif that was hooked to an oxygen tank (or in a wheelchair) that made “bobby-soxers” scream his name.
I do vaguely. I remember his Chiristmas specials. My mother adored him and we listend to his LPs. My kids listened to his CDs
Great music the entire family can listen to. Like the musicals.
Just thinking a few days ago..
What happened to Frank Jr.?
Guess talent skips generations.
Not just his singing was perfect. His selection of which songs to record was also perfect.
It's true that Sinatra himself was flawed. But I'd like to share my favorite story about him (sorry, I can't remember where I first read it):
A girl accidentally broke an expensive vase at a birthday party for Sinatra's daughter, Nancy. With his wife screaming that the broken vase was irreplaceable as one of a pair, Sinatra calmly took the other vase, smashed it on the floor and noted there was no more need to fret.
Classy move!
Nice!
I’ve read that they paid people to pretend to faint at his concerts so that other members of the audience would do the same thing. It worked.
“I’ve read that they paid people to pretend to faint at his concerts so that other members of the audience would do the same thing. It worked.”
It sounds like the Obama campaign back in ‘08 used that same tactic at some of their rallies.
It’s Dwight’s birthday, too.
He was from my grandmother’s generation but I loved his music.
For years I listened to a radio station out of Philly that had “Fridays with Frank” and “Sundays with Sinatra.”
There is a singer in Lexington, SC, Don Parker, who does a magnificent job singing Frank’s songs, and anyone else’s too. However, he is also a song writer and his original music is just pure magic. If you can catch one his gigs, don’t miss it.
I think Perry Como did the best-ever version of “Funny how time slips away.” Very bluesy. It’s on YouTube, accompanied by a nostalgic gallery of old recording studio and publicity photos.
Probably one of the finest entertainers EVER!!
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