Welcome to Frank's World, where I get to bore complete strangers by waxing rhapsodic about the vast Sinatra universe.
That means you'll get to hear acres of superalitve tunes and dig into the work of some of Frank's favorite vocalists, songwriters and jazz musicians.
And, just so you don't confuse me with the great, sadly departed Bruno Kirby in Spinal Tap, I can say negative things about Sinatra, too.
For instance, like my mother, I prefer the skinny Democrat to the fat, bald Republican.
Also, I can safely live another 1,000 years and never hear either "Strangers in the Night" or "My Way" again.
But take "Strangers." At least Sinatra built a nifty little jazz album around what was just a cheesy hit. Here's my Rhapsody album review of Strangers in the Night:
The title track was an era-defining description of how the sexual revolution was actually started by confused, recently divorced parents rather than their hippie offspring. Sinatra tired of the tune quickly, so he grabbed Nelson Riddle and built a quality album around the hit. Here, Riddle and Sinatra are in Count Basie mode, with a jazzy organ fronting a sleek big band. "Summer Wind" and "All or Nothing At All" are heralded classics, though the wondrous "On a Clear Day" may be the single most underrated tune in the entire Sinatra songbook.
"On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever)" clues you in to the fact that adults were taking their shoes off, walking on the grass (and perhaps smoking it too) way before rock music came of age or the hippies showed up and stopped taking showers.
The tension created by Sinatra's voice and the band in this one is incredible.
It reminds me of the dreamy way that Count Basie handled a ballad like "Li'l' Darlin'." "Summer Wind" takes this approach, too. Sinatra was always listening and learning even as he was loving and losing.
To listen to these Sinatra songs and literally thousands more like them check out my Rhapsody radio station Frank's World.
- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2008 All Media Guide, LLC.
Wow, only two digs at hippies from then wannabe hipster in this article? Seems like the Rhapsody writers' Kill The Hippies movement is finally slowing down(thankfully).
Just playing with you, Nick. I love me my Frank and look forward to the tunes. Hopefully you'll indulge us little people and play Strangers in the Night once in a a while. I saw Frank live as an fat old bald guy and he was brilliant. I was feeling apolitical at the time so maybe I caught a break.