The mad, mad, mad, mad cola!

Gotta dig this vintage groovy commercial in which Nancy Sinatra appears for a sponsor of her 1967 Movin' with Nancy television special, Royal Crown Cola. And by the way, it's the mad, mad, mad, mad cola.




The mad, mad, mad, mad cola

"L.A. Is My Lady"

On a whim, whilst listening to Sinatra's 1984 single, the wonderfully cheesy "L.A. Is My Lady" (don't ask why, I just was), I did a Google image video search for it. Even though, as a loyal MTV viewer back in the '80s, I watched the video's big "Exclusive World Premiere," I'd completely forgotten who introduces the song at the beginning of the video! After all, it's only been twenty-five years (ugh). You'd never think to link the two together, and I felt that alone might be worth resuscitating the blog over. Here's the entire video, from some Russian video sharing site, so, yeah, we probably have a horrible virus or spyware on our computers now. You are welcome (seriously though, it's okay).


Some interesting cameos, no? In addition to a childhood hero of mine, we see:

1. Donna Summer (working hard for her money, so hard for you, honey)
2. Fernando Valenzuela
3. Tom Bradley
4. Michael McDonald
5. Alex Haley
6. Missing Persons (wow!)
7. Jack Wagner
8. James "Yah Mo Be There" Ingram
9. Jilly Rizzo
10. Dean Martin
11. LaToya Jackson
12. Nancy (with the laughing face) Sinatra
13. Quincy Jones
14. Michael Jackson (sort of)
15. Jane Fonda
16. Dyan Cannon
17. Tommy Lasorda

Kind of makes me miss the '80s a little bit!

Somethin' awkward

I'm one of those persons who loves the duet between Frank Sinatra and Nancy on "Somethin' Stupid." It's such a charming recording/performance that I can easily overlook the questionable rationale of having a father and daughter sing lyrics such as "The time is right your perfume fills my head, the stars get red" to each other. But to have her bro, Frank Sinatra, Jr., sing it with Nancy just seems awkward, to say the least. And this version is really sped up, thus ruining the relaxed charm of the original. The Smothers Brothers are as funny as usual:


It's nice how the harp part is so audible - I love that little riff

I think the basic "problem" with Frank Sinatra, Jr. is that the sense of entitlement (due to being one of Frank Sinatra's kids) he has doesn't work for him like it does for Nancy. Nancy is Sinatra's little girl, and there was the song about her and everything, so she was able to carve out a little niche for herself in pop culture, as well as in the entertainment industry. He, on the other hand, was unfortunately destined to forever be but a shadow of his legendary father. That's life.

Incidentally, "Somethin' Stupid" was written by C. Carson Parks, brother of frequent Brian Wilson collaborator, Van Dyke Parks, in 1967. C. Carson Parks recorded a version of the song with his wife as a duo called "Carson and Gaile" that same year.

You only post twice

I already did a fascinating post about the title track to the You Only Live Twice (1967) soundtrack, which of course was sung by Nancy (with the laughing face) Sinatra. But I wanted to focus on the Natacha Atlas version, because I really like it, so sod it. This was "relegated" to obscurity (much like this blog) by being used as the B-side to a single the Jersulem-born, Belgian singer released in 1999 called "One Brief Moment". I like how faithful to, yet so different from, the Nancy Sinatra version this is:

"You Only Live Twice"

"You Only Live Twice" was composed in 1967 by John Barry. It was his fourth Bond theme song (after "From Russia with Love," "Goldfinger," and "Thunderball").

Barry did a really beautiful, lush, orchestral version on a 1995 album called Moviola II: Action And Adventure (a small portion can be heard at the link). It may be my favorite version of it.

The film version was sung by Nancy Sinatra:

or there's this:

An alternate theme song (also called "You Only Live Twice" and sung by Lorraine Chandler) was discovered in the vaults of RCA records in the '90s. It was perhaps intended as a demo for consideration by the film's producers. It's sort of what a Bond theme would have sounded like if done by Martha and the Vandellas:


A completely different "You Only Live Twice," sung by an uncredited Julie Rogers, was featured on The Best of James Bond 30th Anniversary in 1992. Here it is:

And then there's also this intriguing theory about a Beach Boys crossover.

A recent cover was done by Natacha Atlas in 1999. It is on her 2005 compilation album The Best of Natacha Atlas. I think I like her's a lot more than Nancy Sinatra's. She really nails it!

Get used to this picture. Might there be a subliminal message? Can you imagine what that image did to men in repressed, strict Middle Eastern societies?? Is it just me? The point is, it's the only picture in this video, featuring her amazing interpretation of "You Only Live Twice" (it's so damn good):


Björk also recorded a cover version for an album of Bond theme song covers done by current acts. Hers sounds a lot like Natacha Atlas'. In fact, it sounds kind of like Natacha Atlas' voice was erased and Björk's put in its place. Whatever, she does have quite a set of pipes, despite possibly being a complete koo-koo bird. According to this site, she withdrew her contribution from the project.


Coldplay did a rock version while on their 2001 tour.

What if the Beach Boys had done a James Bond title song?

I'll never listen to the the title track of Pet Sounds quite the same way, ever again. It turns out that Brian Wilson had originally titled the song ("Pet Sounds") "Run James Run" and had intended for it to be used as a James Bond film title track. Pet Sounds was released in 1966, so the next possible Bond flick would have been You Only Live Twice, released in 1967. If this is true, there must have been lyrics, but I've never seen them. It's nowhere near as cool as the actual, Nancy Sinatra sung title track, but it's interesting to think how different the opening credits sequence would have been. I can definitely imagine "Pet Sounds" being used, especially after seeing this. All the dramatic guitar chords make a lot more sense now:

"Nancy (With the Laughing Face)"

Picture from Songs By Sinatra

"Nancy (With the Laughing Face)" was written for Sinatra daughter, Nancy, by Sinatra pallys (comedian) Phil Silvers and Jimmy Van Heusen (music) in 1942.

Phil Silvers
Sinatra family, circa 1944 (picture from Songs By Sinatra)
Sinatra rerecorded it for Reprise in 1963. Here is a live performance from 1965, on the TV special Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music:

Hangin' out with Frank

PREVIOUSLY: In November 1965, a CBS television film crew, including Walter Cronkite and Don Hewitt, spent six weeks with Sinatra. The footage was used in a program about the entertainer (called Sinatra), and was reused in May 1998, the week after he died, for a 48 Hours special called "Sinatra: Living With the Legend."

Here is part three of my "coverage," with part one being the recording of "It Was a Very Good Year," and part two primarily a history lesson on Sinatra from 1942-1965. This part of the CBS program focused on a typical few days in the public life of Sinatra.

It opens with a song rehearsal (I'm not sure which song) (via an anonymous comment: The song he's rehearsing with Bill Miller is "Anema Core." Around that time Sinatra was going to record an album of Italian songs, but he couldn't speak a word of Italian, so he gave it up.) with his longtime pianist, Bill Miller. It took place on the set of Marriage on the Rocks, where we see him receiving a vertical massage:
Having a marvelous time with co-star Deborah Kerr.
Frank, best pally Jilly Rizzo, and a meaty bodyguard, discussing with incredulity, how a $1,300,000 turbo-prop could only seat eight as they prepare to board Sinatra's Lear Jet, Christina II (named after his second daughter).


Flying too high with some gal in the sky
Is my idea of nothin' to do!
Color shot with Dino (note the color)
According to the Cronkite narration, that particular flight was going to Washington, D.C., where he was performing, for some reason, at Lorden Penitentiary with Count Basie and Orchestra. Sinatra's conductor for that strange "gig" was his baton waver of choice at the moment, Quincy Jones, whom he called "Q".

I can't help but think that particular audience would have far preferred a performance from someone like James Brown to Sinatra.

Not exactly At Folsom Prison
There would have been no better way for Sinatra to unwind after something like that than to hang out at his favorite place, Jilly's.


Make way! It's Sinatra!!
Cronkite: If it's in to go to Jilly's, you can't get much more "in" than to be invited to Sinatra's table. It's the one in back, near the kitchen door, up against the air conditioner. And if you're ever invited, don't take the old, imitation leather arm chair--it's reserved for Frank. When Frank isn't in town, Jilly puts it away.

Nancy is obviously not yet "famous," because Sinatra is having to introduce her to someone in this shot.

Soupy Sales's (looking rather forlorn) presence must have been the catalyst for the discussion we see between Frank and Sammy Davis, Jr. about pie throwing.
On the "The Soupy Sales Show"
Is it her eyes that remind me of Britney Spears in the footage?
Possibly the Leader's closest friends--Sammy and Jilly Rizzo (on Sammy's right)
Finally, the CBS footage ends with scenes from a benefit concert the Rat Pack (with Johnny Carson filling in for Joey Bishop) did in support of Dismas Halfway House (named after Father Dismas Clark, the "Hoodlum Priest") in St. Louis.
Cheek to cheek with Count Basie

"Ladies and gentleman, on behalf of Dismas House, I present our hoodlum singer."
Cronkite: In a grown-up's world he was a teenager's idol. Today, in a teenager's world, he's a grown-up's idol...

Nancy, decked out backstage in the latest Carnaby Street fashion, sweetly sings along with "Pop."

Hang with Frank:

Jilly's