On June 20, 1965, Frank Sinatra organized a "summit meeting" of the Rat Pack in St. Louis as a benefit for Dismas House of St. Louis, the first halfway house for ex-convicts. The evening was televised via closed-circuit to select locations, where ticket buyers watched the live performance on screen. The 90-minute version telecast on Nick at Night's TV Land in 1998 was part of The Museum of Television & Radio Showcase series. The concert was retitled Frank, Dean & Sammy: An Evening with the Rat Pack for the Nick at Nite broadcast.
Here is Sinatra's performance of "I've Got You Under My Skin" from that very same Nick at Night broadcast (which I videotaped). When he "apologizes" for the "slight duplication," he's referring to the fact that Sammy Davis Jr. had included the Cole Porter tune as part of his set, right before Sinatra's. I'm not sure how much more perfect this performance could be. Frank was clearly in his prime:
The program aired very soon after Sinatra's death in May 1998.
You said it, cheryl! That one belongs to Sinatra. And to think he supposedly "rescued" it from obscurity when he recorded it for Songs for Swingin' Lovers in '56!
Okay I have TWO comments and then I'm taking my sniffly self off to bed:
One: I absolutely love this song, love this performance. Yay!
Two: "Let's Get It On" is one of my FAVORITE tunes!! My friends and I used to sing it at parties in high school. Yeah, yeah, I know how that sounds, but honestly it was all very innocent. I just love that song. ;D
It's entirely possible to innocently enjoy "Let's Get It On"! Gaye's singing, alone, makes it a great, classic tune. I particularly like all of his background vocal parts (the "let me love you" bits, for example). Now rest up, the world awaits the return of Fuzzball!
Chris, have you ever heard "Under My Skin" sung by Sinatra in a slow tempo? I have it somewhere and it is a completely different song. It was a live version sung with just a piano. One of the "old folks" sent it to me from the Sinatra list I told you about. I will see if I can find it.
cheryl-"I've Got You Under My Skin" is actually a much prettier song when done at a slower tempo than the swingin' arrangement Frank and Nelson Riddle came up with (Riddle's "tempo of the heart"). Porter's melody is very nice, and actually a little wistful.
I can't believe I've not heard the version you speak of, and I'm definitely curious. Send it to me if you can!
On June 20, 1965, Frank Sinatra organized a "summit meeting" of the Rat Pack in St. Louis as a benefit for Dismas House of St. Louis, the first halfway house for ex-convicts. The evening was televised via closed-circuit to select locations, where ticket buyers watched the live performance on screen. The 90-minute version telecast on Nick at Night's TV Land in 1998 was part of The Museum of Television & Radio Showcase series. The concert was retitled Frank, Dean & Sammy: An Evening with the Rat Pack for the Nick at Nite broadcast. 
Here is Sinatra's performance of "I've Got You Under My Skin" from that very same Nick at Night broadcast (which I videotaped). When he "apologizes" for the "slight duplication," he's referring to the fact that Sammy Davis Jr. had included the Cole Porter tune as part of his set, right before Sinatra's. I'm not sure how much more perfect this performance could be. Frank was clearly in his prime:
Ahhhhhhhhhh, what a marvelous performance. It just doesn't get any prettier than that. He really "owns" this Cole Porter song along with a few others.
ReplyDeleteThere will never be another Francis, that is for sure.
You said it, cheryl! That one belongs to Sinatra. And to think he supposedly "rescued" it from obscurity when he recorded it for Songs for Swingin' Lovers in '56!
ReplyDeleteOkay I have TWO comments and then I'm taking my sniffly self off to bed:
ReplyDeleteOne: I absolutely love this song, love this performance. Yay!
Two: "Let's Get It On" is one of my FAVORITE tunes!! My friends and I used to sing it at parties in high school. Yeah, yeah, I know how that sounds, but honestly it was all very innocent. I just love that song. ;D
It's entirely possible to innocently enjoy "Let's Get It On"! Gaye's singing, alone, makes it a great, classic tune. I particularly like all of his background vocal parts (the "let me love you" bits, for example). Now rest up, the world awaits the return of Fuzzball!
ReplyDeleteMarvin Gaye is the MAN...wish I had a dime for every time I made out to that song. I would be a wealthy woman.
ReplyDeleteChris, have you ever heard "Under My Skin" sung by Sinatra in a slow tempo? I have it somewhere and it is a completely different song. It was a live version sung with just a piano. One of the "old folks" sent it to me from the Sinatra list I told you about. I will see if I can find it.
ReplyDeletecheryl-"I've Got You Under My Skin" is actually a much prettier song when done at a slower tempo than the swingin' arrangement Frank and Nelson Riddle came up with (Riddle's "tempo of the heart"). Porter's melody is very nice, and actually a little wistful.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I've not heard the version you speak of, and I'm definitely curious. Send it to me if you can!