Frank Sinatra: S/D

Just what I needed tonight -- thanks!

recently added September of My Years and Where Are You? to my collection - now I just gotta track down Wee Small Hours and No One Cares.

I haven't gotten around to listening to it, but I just noticed that literally half the songs on the new Dylan standards album are on Where Are You and No One Cares—apparently Robert shares this board's Sinatra LP preferences. Of the other half at least two only appeared as singles on Columbia.

Have all these LP's been re-released somewhere?

Everything ranked in the article except for the Christmas album and This is Sinatra! is included in this box, which I think is pretty much the best $40 I've ever spent.

Whoa... that's going on my wish list.

I've only watched half of part one, but so far I approve of this HBO doc

no one else saw this...? pretty great. made me feel like Sinatra and Shatner share some similar characteristics, this weird mixture of macho bravado and hystrionic melodrama and ego

I watched second half so far, partially due to your post, thanks. Thought it was pretty great. Loved it when he told Dino "you got a beat like a cop." Had forgotten he had Mia served her walking papers during the filming of filming of Rosemary's Baby.

Loved it when he told Dino "you got a beat like a cop."

haha yeah this was one of his better zingers. Often I find Sinatra's jokes really inscrutable and/or dated

Heard that expression before, but that was a perfect usage of it.

Liked the doc a lot, though musically speaking a lot went unmentioned or was glossed over. Nothing about September of My Years, only a few seconds relating to the Jobim collaborations, etc. Was the name Gordon Jenkins even mentioned?

But the story is so big they have to focus it in some way, and it was a nice move to focus it on Sinatra's own words and the words of his family and closest colleagues.

The story of Sinatra's political shift circa 1970 is still so strange and baffling to me.

only a few seconds relating to the Jobim collaborations

yeah was cool to see the (brief) concert footage but those albums didn't even get a mention!

re: his politics - Sinatra drifting rightward as he aged doesn't strike me as all that uncommon. and in general his politics strike me as being consistent in their clannishness, in that they were guided more by his affinities for (and proximity to) various groups rather than by principle.

his racial politics also reveal a common limitation of white liberalism in the US - ie, overt legal/institutional racism and discrimination is wrong but we still get to make racist jokes

^ Yeah, but I see that as just part of the overall evolution of society, the way things progress in stages. But to switch to the party that is more or less overtly racist, forsaking all previous political connections - that's surprising. To marry a hippie in 1966 and end up endorsing Ronald Reagan in 1970 requires some explanation. It's hard to believe it's all about the Kennedys.

oh all the old leches of his generation wanted a hippie chick of their own, that's not so surprising. and as noted in the documentary the pairing was doomed from the start, rife with misunderstanding. Doc suggested he did not actually switch parties fwiw.

learning that he liked to pal around with Agnew was p lol

I know, the Agnew thing, what..?!

obviously no one enjoyed hangin out w Nixon, maybe Sinatra liked Agnew more cuz he was closer to an actual gangster. Although you'd think Nixon would've introduced Frank to Bebe Rebozo, I bet they would've hit it off

Complicated guy. (Will definitely watch the documentary once it's out for rental/sale.) I can't stand watching him and Martin and Davis making fun of racism via tasteless shtick, but at the same time, I know that's very easy for someone to say from the safe vantage point of 2015. I'm sure he did, in his own fashion, fight the good fight.

Sonny Rollins said when he was on high school, or maybe shortly thereafter, he was really inspired by Sinatra's "The House I Live In," which may have been a "soundie," a pre-video short subject for movie theater (saw an amazing collection of those once, think it was titled Jazz Ball, with a pre-disco ball on the poster)(there was even an attempt or proposal to put them on visual jukeboxes vs television, the new challenger to flicks). This was a gutsy thing to do, early in Sinatra's solo career especially, when racial integrationist sentiments themselves were (at least) highly suspect to some, let alone such sentiments capable of being spread via our National airwaves! And the Silver Screen!

Really like Live In Australia, from 1959, I think, with Red Norvo's combo: the audience and performers are so excited, but the source material is so sad! How will they balance it all, on this great and rare night (Sinatra down under, wtf!). But it works and it's Frank at his jazziest, minus the Chairman of the Board camp, that is (he left in Vegas storage, for this occasion anyway).

He left *it*, the camp, in Vegas storage, that is.

Oh yeah!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sinatra_with_the_Red_Norvo_Quintet:_Live_in_Australia,_1959

his racial politics also reveal a common limitation of white liberalism in the US - ie, overt legal/institutional racism and discrimination is wrong but we still get to make racist jokes

― Οὖτις, Friday, April 10, 2015 3:19 PM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^ Yeah, but I see that as just part of the overall evolution of society, the way things progress in stages. But to switch to the party that is more or less overtly racist, forsaking all previous political connections - that's surprising. To marry a hippie in 1966 and end up endorsing Ronald Reagan in 1970 requires some explanation. It's hard to believe it's all about the Kennedys.

― Josefa, Friday, April 10, 2015 5:41 PM

Charleton Heston, guys.

He was at the March on Washington and 18 year later was one of Ron and Nancy's more honored White House guests.

messy, undisciplined doc that struggles mostly because dude's life was so damned huge and all over the map. That "Ol' Man River" footage with MLK in attendance was really something. Nice to see a Watertown shoutout - would have gladly watched a doc of the same length that stuck to just the music.

If you want to see concert docs (which might have some commentary added as bonus material by now, I dunno), def try the TV specials that show him at his 60s peak, as elder statesman (well, Dadpop, flaunting his age amidst the rising tide of Boomer hormones) who also found his own way through some current trends, to creative and commercial success. These also loop back through initial hits, his 50s post-Ava Gardner/throat hemorrhage renaissance as the king of Adult Pop (cool and vs. that greasy kid stuff from Memphis), with Gordon Jenkins and Nelson Riddle aboard sometimes. Check A Man And His Music, from 1965, AMAHM Part II, '66 (think that's the one where he duets with Nancy), and 1967's AMAHM + Ella + Jobim(There's also a 1980 or '81 concert set titled The Man And His Music, but I don't think I've seen it, unless it's the one where he's growling at Wolf Trap, almost like the Muddy Waters of lounge, at times).
The range of the TV trilogy can be disconcerting, especially when he kicks ass on "That's Life," then practically busts a vein on the singing waiter special, "Come Back To Sorrento," like he's immediately gotta reassure Jilly and da boys that he ain't turnin'...reminds me of Greg Tate writing that he couldn't listen to a whole FS album at one sitting, because of getting creeped out by certain old school associations (like race talk in The Godfather). But ain't that America. Think there are audio-only editions, at least there is or was a double-album version of the first special.

Sonny Rollins said when he was on high school, or maybe shortly thereafter, he was really inspired by Sinatra's "The House I Live In," which may have been a "soundie," a pre-video short subject for movie theater (saw an amazing collection of those once, think it was titled Jazz Ball, with a pre-disco ball on the poster)(there was even an attempt or proposal to put them on visual jukeboxes vs television, the new challenger to flicks). This was a gutsy thing to do, early in Sinatra's solo career especially, when racial integrationist sentiments themselves were (at least) highly suspect to some, let alone such sentiments capable of being spread via our National airwaves! And the Silver Screen!

This helped put him on HUAC's shit list; his name was brought up a number of times during the hearings, though he himself was never brought before the committee.

My parents liked the HBO doc alot. I need to watch it. Alas, my Mom, who was once president of the Hoboken, NJ based Sinatra fanclub did not get interviewed.

Liked what I saw of the doc and figured they wouldn't be able to get too deep into the music. Which meant at least they didn't have commentary by Bono, unless that was in the first half.

I've watched the first part... I really dug the stuff about how hard he worked coming up, his dad kicking him out & then welcoming with open arms when he got his radio gig

having nancy & nancy do some voiceover was a great touch too

Mitch - out.

my bff is a huge sinatra nerd, and she came over a few sundays ago & we watched the whole thing together. by the second half of part 2 when he's basically just a walking asshole even she was was like FUCK THIS CLOWN UGH lol

but goddamn it really does feel like he lived like four lifetimes. the whole doc is such a sprawling rollercoaster.

puka shell denim suit Frank with the orange shag carpet & potted palms behind was so lol

happy 100th, clown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ04Lwt2PlU

That's life.

Happy Birthday, Francis Albert.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEp9ViXWRWY

gets no better. if there are 10 better sounding records, i haven't heard em.

Last two posts otm. If you read the Ruy Castro book, you will find that he was one of the key inspirations for Bossa Nova to come about, iirc

i have most of the capitol era stuff on cd, but never got the jobim stuff.
more fool me.

1959 World Series:

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01807/sinatra-martin-rac_1807744i.jpg

I was really interested in his music for a time, kind of drifted away from it.

Started digging the song "Angel Eyes" when I heard the Mark Murphy version on WBGO after he passed away the other days.

s

Damn I didn't know Mark Murphy had died. Great talent.

His last words were "excuse me while I disappear."

Was Bob Dorough's birthday too. Enjoying his tribute shows as well this weekend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPQcsDqv0mI

DAMMIT I WANT THESE (a little shorter[?] than print ed. I saw, but also check Friedwald interview on Fresh Air)
‘A Voice on Air: 1935-1955’ and ‘Lost & Found: The Radio Years’ Reviews
Two new releases amount to the most important new Sinatra music issued since the legend's death in 1998
By Will Friedwald
Updated Dec. 10, 2015 6:47 p.m. ET
WSJ
In terms of the critical perception of his long career, Frank Sinatra reverses the general equation of such fellow giants of American music as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Too many evaluations of the latter two concentrate only on their breakthrough early work, while ignoring virtually everything they did after age 40. With Sinatra (whose centennial is being celebrated this year), by contrast, the remarkable—even revolutionary—albums he made in his 40s and 50s completely overshadow the equally outstanding singing that he did in his younger “skinny” years.

A Voice on Air: 1935-1955

Sony Music Legacy

Lost & Found: The Radio Years

Smithsonian

Two new releases, “A Voice on Air: 1935-1955” (four CDs from Sony Music Legacy) and “Lost & Found: The Radio Years” (a single disc from Smithsonian), at last start to shine the spotlight on the singer’s often amazing work in the years during and immediately after World War II. Taken together, these five discs amount to the most important new Sinatra music issued since his death in 1998.

Any serious look at the early Sinatra necessitates a change in focus: The singer later known as the Chairman of the Board was a singularly driven recording artist who all but single-handedly created the modern pop album as early as 1946. Yet in the 1940s, commercial recordings were strictly a secondary medium—the real money was in network radio. That’s where Sinatra concentrated most of his energies, developing songs for as many as two or three live appearances on various shows (his own and guest spots on others) a week and bringing only a select few of these arrangements into the recording studio.
Opinion Journal Video
Author Will Friedwald on the recent release of two Frank Sinatra albums focusing on his seminal work during the World War II era. Photo credit: Getty Images.

Later, on television, Sinatra was a brilliant singer but an indifferent host; he never seemed entirely committed to that medium—at least not until the “Man and His Music” concert-style specials of 1965 onwards (in which all he had to do, essentially, was sing). Yet he was completely invested in his radio shows, which becomes apparent not only when he’s singing but whenever he talks to the audience or banters with his guests.

There’s a remarkable energy to these shows: Sinatra is spreading his young wings and testing the extent of his powers with the first generation that loved him. At the time of Pearl Harbor, Sinatra was a semi-anonymous boy singer with Tommy Dorsey’s orchestra, but by V-J Day, in 1945, he was the biggest star in the country, thanks largely to his success on the radio and that of his first MGM film, “Anchors Aweigh.” These performances of the late war years represent the absolute best of Sinatra in his “sailor suit” era.

“The Voice,” as he was known at the time, sounds more innocent than he would 10 years later. But he never sounds naïve; the emotional content of his interpretations always cuts deeper than any other singer of the period. He even makes “The Trolley Song” sound wise and knowing, not to mention swinging. There’s a great preponderance of songs and arrangements that he never released on records (like a ballad interpretation of “I Get a Kick Out of You” on the Smithsonian disc in which he can’t help but chuckle at one moment, 10 years before he canonized that Cole Porter song as a swinger). In an era when Hollywood leading men were stoic, unemotional types like Gary Cooper and John Wayne, Sinatra was precisely the opposite—he lets every emotion show. You feel his joy and pain more than any other singer save Armstrong or Billie Holiday.

The spontaneity of these live performances is enhanced by the guest stars, especially when he crosses cadenzas with Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman; two particularly interesting moments are an especially zany encounter with hipster supreme Slim Gaillard, and a unique one-shot song done in honor of comic strip icon Li’l Abner. The 4-CD box, which includes all these, climaxes with 10 remarkably intimate tracks of the mature Sinatra swinging with a small band on his final radio series in 1953-55.

The audio quality on all of these CDs, taken from what sound like pristine acetate and glass masters, is significantly better than what listeners heard on home AM radios at the time. The overall effect is that these tracks give us a better idea (than the commercial 78s) of what all the screaming was about. And, in some cases, they give us the screaming itself; the bobby-soxers, those young girls who constituted Sinatra’s first fan base, are audible on many tracks. Far from being distracting, those sounds are a welcome part of the background noise of a remarkable era.

Mr. Friedwald writes about music and popular culture for the Journal and is the author of “Sinatra! The Song Is You” (Da Capo).

Didn't Johnny Mercer write the songs for that L'il Abner musical?

That's what Wiki says.

Happy belated 100th Frank.

that equire profile that's been going around is amazing

hadn't really registered with me how much his output diminished after Watertown. Can only speculate what would have happened if he'd stuck around long enough for Rick Rubin to get his hands on him lol.

I'm listening to some of his mid- to late-60s albums and man this stuff gets pretty dire, even with the occasional big hit/"signature song" popping up. It's crazy how rapidly he became totally irrelevant, and you can't really blame him for not giving as much of a fuck. What was he supposed to do, make a rock opera? Retreat to small jazz combo recordings? He had nowhere to go.