Bob Dylans brought us on two different levels Shadows in the night To think about Frank Sinatra. The first reason is obvious. Although technically, it is not a “tribute” of Sinatra, Dylan interprets songs on his record that Frank Sinatra covered at different times of his life. This in turn reminded us of the bizarre opposite scenario. The numerous times in his career, in which Sinatra fell into the skirt ‘n’ roll.
In the fifties, Sinatra made his contempt for rock more than clear. To read an article that he wrote in 1957 for a French magazine and which was then widespread in the United States. In it, Frank Sinatra denounced what he was “the most brutal, ugliest, most degenerated and the most malicious expression that I have ever disapproved, and of course I refer to most of the rock ‘n’ roll …”. “It promotes almost exclusively negative and destructive reactions in young people. It smells fake and wrong. It is largely sung by brainless rackets. Played and written and lively through her almost idiotic repetitions and clever – simply dirty – texts. And as I already said, she manages to be the martial music of every chopped criminal on earth.” (Sinatra himself has not exactly identified with the healthiest characters on the planet, but that’s a different story.)
About a decade later, when the skirt conquered the charts and the pilot singers were threatened with extinction, Sinatra became a little gentler. From then on until the early 1980s, he regularly tried pop and rock songs to Elvis. Paul Simon, Jim Croce, Neil Diamond, Jimmy Webb and Billy Joel all enjoyed. Here are the surprising highlights – and surreal lows – the time when Sinatra tried to rock.
The most important cover versions of Frank Sinatra
“Winchester Cathedral” (1966)
At the beginning of 1966, Sinatra recorded a cover version of Petula Clark’s “Downtown”. But this remake of the New Vaudeville band hit marked the beginning of his deeper examination of the then current pop. The original, a replacement for Brit-Music Hall, with a fake megaphone voice was not much at first. Frank Sinatra seems to be a little lost in this tinny, kitschy arrangement. Even if he improvised. “Man, you browht me down!” He visibly enjoys it in the line “My Baby Left Town!” to bite. But still not a promising start to the “rock” years of Sinatra.
The most important cover versions of Frank Sinatra
“Both Sides Now” (1968)
If you listen to Sinatra’s interpretation of Joni Mitchell’s thoughts about “love illusions” (and also about that of life), you wonder how often he rolled with his eyes when he came to the line “ice cream locks in the air”. But this lyrical, reserved interpretation – clearly inspired by Judy Collins’ arrangement, since it does not contemplate horns and is only a little orchestrated – proves to be surprisingly ideal vehicles for Sinatra. Given all of his years on tour, his experienced phrasing makes it clear how much he others Lines of the song identified. Like “now it’s just another show/you leave ’em luhing when you go”.
The most important cover versions of Frank Sinatra
“Mrs. Robinson” (1969)
Only a few moments embody the generation conflict of the sixties better than Sinatra’s gin-and-tonic version of Simon & Garfunkels Hit from the soundtrack of The graduate. The tinny arrangement, which Paul Simon’s guitar reef should imitate, is bumpy enough. The descriptions of the song text not listed in the credits are almost embarrassing. The way in which Sinatra inserts the name of his friendly restaurant owner Jilly Rizzo (“Jilly Loves more than you know! ”). Or the insertion of a completely new stanza.“ And you will already see Mrs. Robinson – if you hand over with this young stuff as you do … Boo Hoo hoo!! ” – Did he paint the line over Joe Dimaggio?
The most important cover versions of Frank Sinatra
“For Once in My Life” (1969)
From the same album My Waywhich gave us the questionable “Mrs. Robinson”, this much more satisfactory version of Stevie Wonder’s happy hit comes. The playful Motown guitar game from Wonders version has disappeared. But Sinatra’s safe phrasing, combined with the arrangement of his long -time employee Don Costa, deepens the romantic enthusiasm of Wonders Original. You almost want Sinatra to tackle “Sir Duke” at some point.
The most important cover versions of Frank Sinatra
“Didn’t We” (1969)
Only a few modern songwriters wrote as appropriate songs as Jimmy Webb. Fortunately, Sinatra, the title like the epic, also knew that “Macarthur Park” and the almost equally abandoned “By the time i get to phoenix” recording. Richard Harris and Glen Campbell were the respective interpreters of these cover versions. But nobody has embodied “Didn’t WE” better than Sinatra. In a song that is like a long regret that is soaked by whiskey, one wonders whether the singer is thinking back to his turbulent years with AVA Gardner when writing the lyrics.
The most important cover versions of Frank Sinatra
“Leaving on a jet plane” (1971)
John Denvers melancholic ballad on being on the road and leaving a loved one (a hit for Peter, Paul & Mary) sounds like she was written for Sinatra. Even if this was not the case. The feeling of traveling in “Both Sides Now” is even more pronounced here. In Sinatra’s voice you can hear all the years of touring, sleeping in the hotel and hanging in changing rooms. Apart from a touch of brass brass in the chorus, the arrangement is largely reluctant. One of the highlights of Sinatras Pop -ära.
“Nobody Wins” (1973)
At the beginning of the 1970s, Sinatra found an increasingly leathery voice in this aftermath about the end of an affair from another rough -sounding singer, Kris Kristofferson, a perfect companion. The strings are sometimes a bit exaggerated. But at least Sinatra does not use the Countrypolitan accompanying votes of Kristofferson’s version. A rare case in which Sinatra exceeds the original.
“Sweet Caroline” (1974)
A surprisingly joyless version of the Neil Diamond anthem. Years after Sinatra’s death, Diamond admitted that he was inspired by a photo by Caroline Kennedy to write the song. Since you know that Sinatra was an early supporter of JFK, you ask yourself what he was of this Casting delicacies. Sinatra manages to collect yourself “Hands, touching hands/stretched out, touching me touchingly” during the part. But otherwise it sounds strangely distant. As if he couldn’t wait to end the recording and hang back with Jilly Rizzo. Sinatra’s later cover version of Diamonds “Song sung blue“It’s a slight improvement.
“Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” (1974)
It is easy to see how Sinatra was able to identify with Jim Croces booming barrel house hit, which From an unauthorized vacation an ex-armyeraden was inspired. The song fits surprisingly well with its big band revision. It would not be a Sinatra cover without a few lyrical adjustments: “A man named leroy brown” becomes a ‘Cat …‘, and’ All the Men Just Call Him ‘Sir’ ”becomes“ All the studs … ”. Nevertheless, it is the pathetic“ Leroy Brown ”parody of last year, which was written by a former police officer from California. Who mocked the death of Michael Brown.
“Something” (1980)
Like Elp and The Clash, Sinatra went along Trilogy: Past, Present, Future from the 1980s the path of the triple LP. At the time, he sprinkled modern pop for the “present” CD. Billy Joels “Just the way you are”, Neil Diamonds “Song Sung Blue”, Jimmy Webbs “Macarthur Park” and this George Harrison Standard from the Beatles-Album Abbey Road.
At that time, according to session guitarist Jay Berliner, Sinatra felt at home at the non-standards. “He seemed to be pretty safe with these sessions,” says Berliner. “He felt most comfortable when he sang swing songs with arrangements by Don Costa and Nelson Riddle. That was his kind of music. But he could also handle it. I think he wanted a new audience.” Of course, Sinatra adds his own lyrical turn (“You Hang Around, JackIT Might Show! “), But the great, rousing arrangement, which in equal parts consists of swing band and symphony, does not even try to be ‘rock’. And is all the better for it.
“Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” (1981)
Sonny Bono’s story of a clearly dysfunctional relationship that was sung by his wife Cher in 1966 is like a folk rock-emergency song. It should be noted positively that Cher came to the course of the story songs, which led to further persistent successes such as “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves” and “Half-Breed”.
In Sinatra’s version, which is more slower and more theatrical, the song is dark and melancholic. A dramatic interpretation as well as a mere remake. Sinatra’s last attempt in skirt. His next-and last-solo studio album La is my Lady brought him back to the land of Cole Porter and Harold Arlen. But is a nice exit.