“The best revenge is massive success”.
Frank Sinatra
Introduction
Frank Sinatra was and will always remain the king of the crooners. His voice was smooth as velvet and could reach notes that paved a new scale. The power it generated was turbocharged, and his back catalogue fits the multiple moods and situations of the listener. Loved, feared and admired, Frank was the American Italian who came good. An example of the American Dream is the New Jersey boy who grew into a vocal powerhouse—the core of New York’s Big Apple. Sinatra was the most important musical figure of the 20th century, only rivalled by Elvis Presley and The Beatles—a man who was inspired to start singing after hearing the voice of Bing Crosby as a teenager.
Frank’s Way
He was born to Italian immigrant parents: Antonio, a fireman, professional boxer and bar owner and Natalina, a disciplinarian. Francis Albert Sinatra was born in 1915 in Hoboken, New Jersey. An only child who had a complicated birth, having to be delivered by forceps, resulting in life-long scarring to his left cheek, neck and ear, perforating an eardrum. His mother scolded him throughout his life, an iron wheel that made him want to succeed. Frank joined a local singing group called the Hoboken Four and won a talent competition on the radio programme Major Bowes’ Talent Hour. The group toured the USA but Sinatra was the only member who was serious about making a go of it in the music industry. The group disbanded and for the next few years, Frank sang with local bands and local radio stations.
Yet he didn’t have to wait long to be discovered. In 1939, he was working at the Rustic Cabin in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, waiting tables and singing. The trumpeter Harry James heard his voice and asked him to join his new band. James had just quit the Benny Goodman orchestra. Frank sang with them for six months, releasing hits like From the Bottom of My Heart,” My Buddy,” and “Ciribiribin”. However, James freed him from his contract when he received an offer from Tommy Dorsey in 1939 which led to 83 recordings between 1941 and 1942.
Frank loved Dorsey’s strength of trombone playing. His effortless range of breathing produced powerful dance numbers. Sinatra strove to emulate his mentor and quickly learnt to master the art of both ballads and up-tempo songs. The band used Frank as the icing on the cake and he featured with their singers, The Pied Pipers on songs like “I’ll Never Smile Again,” “I’ll Be Seeing You,” “Without a Song,” and “Oh! Look at Me Now.”
By 1942, Frank was so successful that he dwarfed Dorsey and he yearned for a solo career. Tommy got angry when Sinatra expressed a wish to leave. Pleading with Frank to stay, he offered to stay for another year. However bitter negotiations ensued and he left in late 1942. His exit promoted hysteria and everyone wanted a piece of Frank. He was dubbed “The Voice” and his appearance at New York’s Paramount Theatre in January 1943 led to a packed audience of screaming female fans known as “Bobby Sockers”.
After a strike by the American Federation of Musicians, Frank signed up for Columbia Records and produced hits like If You Are But a Dream,” “ There’s No You,” “I Fall in Love Too Easily,” “Nancy,” and his theme song at that time, “Put Your Dreams Away”. Yet it was followed by a period of unpopularity. His reluctance to change styles and his association with the mob led to him being watched by the FBI. By 1950, singing 100 songs a day took a toll on his vocal cords and he ended up haemorrhaging, losing his voice completely for several months. A divorce from his first wife Nancy in 1951 and a subsequent stormy marriage to Ava Gardner didn’t help his career. He was dropped by Columbia Records and his talent agency. His television show was also cancelled. Sinatra became the singer that no one wanted. However ironically during this sparce period, Sinatra recorded some of his best songs. Mad About You,” “Nevertheless,” “Birth of the Blues,” and, especially, his 1951 recording of “I’m a Fool to Want You.”
The Silver Screen
Frank had many strings to his bow and one of them was acting. Associated with many key musicals of the period. These included Anchors Aweigh, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, On the Town and films like From Here to Eternity, Suddenly, Young at Heart, The Man with the Golden Arm, Guys and Dolls, The Joker is Wild, Pal Joey, Some Came Running, The Manchurian Candidate, The Detective and his last role in the 1980 film, The First Deadly Sin. He received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in From Here to Eternity.
The Capitol Years
Considered his best period of music, his time with Capitol signalled a change in style. He developed the Crooner style that we will remember him for. He invented his concept album, concentrating on one theme and worked with Nat King Cole. His familiar songs like Come Fly with Me, Come Dance with Me!, Where Are You?, No One Cares, I’ve Got You Under My Skin and One For The Baby were all recorded during this time. Complete with blue notes and the melody line, Sinatra ruled the record industry.
The Rat Pack
This band of close friends was accustomed to smoky clubs and the bright lights of Las Vegas. Made up of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and Dean Martin with additional members of Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop, Shirley MacLaine and honorary member John F. Kennedy. They were the height of swinging sophistication in the 1960s. A scene that was embroiled in crime. Frank’s association with the mobster, Sam Giancana plunged him into the world of crime and later bit when Kennedy came after him despite Sinatra’s key role in his presidential campaign. A dark side that plunged him into the demise of Marilyn Monroe.
The Reprise
Forming Reprise Records in 1960, led to Frank recording a frenzy of albums, 14 albums between 1961 and 1963. Some of his best works were recorded on this label including Strangers in the Night, That’s Life and My Way. Yet times were changing and by the time of the Woodstock era, Frank was going out of fashion. His voice was hoarse from years of smoking and alcohol. Yet he learnt how to make his gravely voice poignant. He produced some brilliant late albums including Trilogy, She Shot Me Down, L.A. Is My Lady, Duets and Duets II, his final recordings. Sinatra concentrated on live performances and hundreds of international concerts. His final was in 1995. Despite suffering memory loss and physical ailments, he continued to the bitter end. Forever a compelling showman. He died in 1998 after suffering a heart attack. He was 82.
