His songs came to be known as the "standards" because they were so popular, and permeated culture to such a degree, for so long, that his music came to be the default thing people thought of when they thought of music. I don't believe there's another musician that my father, my grandfather, and myself would be in more agreement of on than Sinatra, and his cross generational appeal is what makes and made him one of the best of all time.
420 to 30: A Music Retrospective
Here's 7 of my favorites from Frank Sinatra.
Week 32: FRANK SINATRA
#217/420 - Frank Sinatra, “Young at Heart”
“Look at all you'll derive out of being alive.”
I believe this is the earliest release on the list, from an old favorite, Frank Sinatra. The words are the kind that become truer and truer, I’m sure for all of us, as time marches forward. It’s a classic song from a classic voice and if I should survive to 105, I’m sure I will still be listening.
#218/420 - Frank Sinatra, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”
One of my favorite Christmas songs and one of my favorites from Sinatra, like a knife through butter. It’s a bit low-key, lazy, and even haunting in its delivery, but yet it is as refined and perfect as any vocals ever have been.
I don’t get into very much Christmas music and quite honestly a lot of it tends to annoy me, although I do like the Chipmunks song, but the standards from Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, etc. are still ones I enjoy. This one was originally recorded by Bing in the 40s, but the Frank version is the one I most prefer for its heaviness. The choir and bells are also appreciated atmospheric touches.
Some years, the relatability of this song stops at, “I’ll be home for Christmas," including my best return when I came back from Colombia earlier than announced in 2015 to surprise my whole family (and with a new cat), but this year it had to extend to the, “if only in my dreams.”
#219/420 - Frank Sinatra, “Strangers in the Night”
Though Sinatra himself did not like this song, it was a number one hit for him in 1966, his first in over a decade. There’s no accounting for taste. (I’ve learned this as an artist as well…) I, however, fall in with the folks that made it number one, as I have always liked this song.
My strongest memory of this song came during my second trip to Colombia. I was bringing the brother of my current cat (who I brought home from Colombia on my third trip) into the town from my friends’ farm to give him to our friend’s family who owned a bakery. It’s sad for me because he was a beautiful cat who I never saw again after three days of taking him to the bakery. We’re not sure what happened.
Taking him into town was a roughly 40 minute walk, half spent descending the mountain amid the coffee plants. The cat was crying a lot, his brother followed us to the edge of the property meowing. Having to rip them apart from each other made me cry as well. So as I was walking him down the mountain to the town, I started singing this song to comfort him, since it was the first song that came into my mind.
I am sure it was a strange sight to see a gringo descending the mountain singing Frank Sinatra to a cat while crying, but all I wanted was to make him feel relaxed. That, I suppose, is the special quality of this song and Frank Sinatra’s music, it’s ability to relax you. And looking back, perhaps the singing was more to relax myself.
Although I don’t know what happened to that cat, I hope for the best. And I am glad I could bring his brother home where he has found a secure home. I would go back for the other if I could.
#220/420 - Frank Sinatra, “The World We Knew (Over and Over)”
My favorite Sinatra album is named for this song. The arrangement and instrumentation of this song are quite cool, and Sinatra’s vocals go excellently with it. It’s a bit of an under the radar song these days, but this whole album is well worth checking out.
It’s one you can listen to… "over, and over."
#221/420 - Frank Sinatra, “Summer Wind”
One of the best. I love the lackadaisical, carefree band music that starts this song off, and Sinatra was perfect for the build-up that follows, slowing drifting away again at the end… It’s the soundtrack to laying back and feeling the warm breeze of summer, while falling in love, of course. Quite poetically so.
It’s easy-listening at its best, a welcome sound for any relaxing vacation, and one of my favorites to sing as well. When I did some singing in my younger years, Sinatra was one of the closest voices to my range, so I was no stranger in the night (or day) to singing these and this was always one of the best.
#222/420 - Frank Sinatra feat. Nancy Sinatra, “Somethin’ Stupid”
One of the all time pop duets, in my opinion. Not sure why it is sung by a father and daughter (I believe it had to do with Frank being competitive with Lee Hazlewood, who did many duets with Nancy) but the vocals are on point, and certainly come with a lot of star power. It is very charming, light, and catchy, fluttering along like the butterflies in one’s stomach when newly in love.
Nancy’s part is very plain, it may actually just be the same note over and over, but Frank was the more standout singer between the two, and it went on his album, so it makes sense to divide the harmony this way. The acoustic strings are a delight and the strumming as well and the lyrics just rhyme and flow so agreeably.
But then I think I’ll wait until the evening gets late and I’m alone with you.
Less is often more, and this song manages to have it all with just a few of the perfect ingredients. One of the very best from the Sinatras.
#223/420 - Frank Sinatra, “My Way”
Something of a personal theme song that only becomes more and more fitting as time marches towards the inevitable proverbial final curtain. It should come as no surprise to those who know me that this is my favorite from Sinatra. Paul Anka’s lyrics are perfect and so is Sinatra’s singing, power matched with power. It’s basically prog pop, starting with the gentleness of a dingy at sea, building into literal Earth’s fucking plates shifting/crushing mountain into mountain. And he’s like, I didn’t give a shit what anyone else thought of me, I had a plan and followed through; I did what I thought and felt was right and I didn’t waver, whatever the consequences. Balls.
It’s a great bit of energy and reassurance to hear when you feel perhaps the whole rest of the world is moving in another direction than you. That’s okay. It’s something to be proud of and we all make mistakes, they make us who we are.
It's a classic in every sense of the word.
It’s probably true that Frank Sinatra had one of the best singing voices of the 20th century. It was impressive in a very standard, yet remarkable way. Perhaps standard now because it has been imitated so heavily since his time, and because it defined for many what good singing was. Nonetheless, often imitated, but never matched. The texture, rhythm, and heft can’t be replicated and neither can the man himself. Between his singing career, his acting career, and the famous Rat Pack with Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., etc., Sinatra reached legendary status in the arts in a way no one else ever has. One of my favorites for sure, and my grandma’s too.
Next week, we close off 2018 and begin 2019 with a man who was very much a futurist, occupied and interested in technology and what exists beyond in his music from the start. He went by many personas and his music was equally diverse album-to-album, the late, great David Bowie.
420 to 30: A Music Retrospective
Week 2: The Jackson 5/The Jacksons
Week 3: A Tribe Called Quest
Week 4: Weezer
Week 5: Bob Dylan
Week 6: Led Zeppelin
Week 7: 2Pac/Makaveli
Week 8: Billy Joel
Week 9: Electric Light Orchestra
Week 10: Elvis Presley
Week 11: Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band
Week 12: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Week 13: Nirvana
Week 14: The Doors
Week 15: The Rolling Stones
Week 16: Gnarls Barkley
Week 17: Gábor Szabó
Week 18: Galaxie 500
Week 19: Simon & Garfunkel
Week 20: Gorillaz
Week 21: Ennio Morricone
Week 22: The Moody Blues
Week 23: Koji Kondo
Week 24: Rob Zombie/White Zombie
Week 25: Paul McCartney/Wings
Week 26: George Harrison
Week 27: Phil Spector
Week 28: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
Week 29: Public Enemy
Week 30: The Love Language
Week 31: Barry White
View the full list of "420 Songs" here: https://tinyurl.com/y8fboudu (Google spreadsheet link)