Of the forty-nine or so Frank Sinatra-related posts I've done, this may be the first one to focus on Sinatra as he was during the third and final act of his 50+ year career. This is the Sinatra I was aware of only dimly, through Doonesbury and later, Kitty Kelley, when I could have cared less about him or his style of music.
Here is the "old man" performing in the Dominican Republic in 1982, at a concert promoted as The Concert for the Americas. He does a medley, put together by Don Costa, using arrangements done by Nelson Riddle, of "The Gal That Got Away" (Ira Gershwin and Harold Arlen) and "It Never Entered My Mind" (Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart). It's a beautiful and powerful thing, and was perhaps Sinatra's last, great artistic act, from side two of his 1981 album She Shot Me Down.
I completely understand what you mean about not really caring at that point about Sinatra, Sammy, or Deano because I didn't really get into them until my 20's, which is so sad!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah - Happy Belated Birthday!!!
Hey, Leslie!
ReplyDeleteYep, I guess I was young and dumb, or something like that. Unsophisticated and lacking in taste, as well! It doesn't matter what age we got into them, just that we woke up to their significance and value.
Thanks for the "belated" birthday wishes!
Oh how I love this arrangement!!! Edie Gorme does a lovely rendition of "The One that Got Away" too.
ReplyDeleteFrank wasn't at his peak but for a man of 67 he sounds darn good. Such charisma and confidence the man had.
As to discovering Frank's music in your life, it's better late than never. Think of all the people that will never find his music.
It really is quite remarkable how he was able to belt it out, even at 67. I think it was easier for him to sing loudly as he got older. You can hear in stuff from this period, and later, how his voice would get crackly when he sang softly.
ReplyDeleteI agree, cheryl, that it's never too late to discover Sinatra. And, yes, let's have pity for those people. What soulless, empty lives they must lead. :)
Yes Chris, it's up to the rest of us to spread the gospel of Sinatra and let others know what true great music is all about.
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