Personally, my favorite artist is Frank Sinatra. And even though I think that Sinatra remains a huge iconic figure that everybody knows in the United States (probably almost on par with Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley there), the perception of his work, artistry and career in popular consciouness is very distorted due to his voice hugely declining from the 60s onwards, embarrassing recordings trying to appeal to the rock generation and the fact that songs like New, New York, My Way and Strangers In The Night, easily his most famous ones, are far from represent his voice and style when he was at his vocal and artistical prime in the 50s.
They often are very misleading in a negative way and (besides New York, New York because it's too fun and cool to resist) I have come to really resent My Way, Strangers In The Night and also almost even the entire rock'n roll revolution sometimes for making the Great American Songbook, standards of american popular of the first half of the 20th century mostly composed for Broadway or movie musicals, suddenly made so many fantastic artists, singers and songwriters suddenly fall terribly out of fashion because of the HUGE cultural revolution and shift in target public from adults to teens and also in cultural values that society experimented in the 60s and continues ever since, making pre-rock music deeply "uncool" for the new generations. Don't get me wrong, I love The Beatles and there is plenty of great rock music, I just wish that rock hadn't popularized in almost total detractment of a whole half century of fantastic and sophisticated musical legacy in american popular music!
These are songs from Sinatra's greatest masterpiece of sad ballads, the album "In The Wee Small Hours" from 1955. This is Sinatra's all time vocal and artistical peak, total beauty and ART! Sinatra was a master of emotion in his singing, probably the ultimate interpreter of the standard of the Great American Songbook or at least near the top! The peak of a passionate and perfectionist artist and music lover who significantly matured in emotional depth after his doomed relationship with Ava Gardner. This is an album of personal emotional expression, Sinatra's soul is open here in sadness of break-up and his voice never sounded more beautiful. Probably the first concept album in history too. With all the songs being slow and sad ballads about break-ups, it's no wonder that the songs here didn't make the charts. This album was truly a personal, ambitious and artistical work by Sinatra, showing the full potential of the album as an art form!
Now, let's flip the switch: songs for his greatest album masterpiece of swing, "Songs For Swingin' Lovers!" from 1956. The joy is so irresistible and Sinatra's voice sounds like butter! This is the album that always make me smile, so catchy, unpretentious and happy. Probably the pinnacle of swing.
They often are very misleading in a negative way and (besides New York, New York because it's too fun and cool to resist) I have come to really resent My Way, Strangers In The Night and also almost even the entire rock'n roll revolution sometimes for making the Great American Songbook, standards of american popular of the first half of the 20th century mostly composed for Broadway or movie musicals, suddenly made so many fantastic artists, singers and songwriters suddenly fall terribly out of fashion because of the HUGE cultural revolution and shift in target public from adults to teens and also in cultural values that society experimented in the 60s and continues ever since, making pre-rock music deeply "uncool" for the new generations. Don't get me wrong, I love The Beatles and there is plenty of great rock music, I just wish that rock hadn't popularized in almost total detractment of a whole half century of fantastic and sophisticated musical legacy in american popular music!
These are songs from Sinatra's greatest masterpiece of sad ballads, the album "In The Wee Small Hours" from 1955. This is Sinatra's all time vocal and artistical peak, total beauty and ART! Sinatra was a master of emotion in his singing, probably the ultimate interpreter of the standard of the Great American Songbook or at least near the top! The peak of a passionate and perfectionist artist and music lover who significantly matured in emotional depth after his doomed relationship with Ava Gardner. This is an album of personal emotional expression, Sinatra's soul is open here in sadness of break-up and his voice never sounded more beautiful. Probably the first concept album in history too. With all the songs being slow and sad ballads about break-ups, it's no wonder that the songs here didn't make the charts. This album was truly a personal, ambitious and artistical work by Sinatra, showing the full potential of the album as an art form!
Now, let's flip the switch: songs for his greatest album masterpiece of swing, "Songs For Swingin' Lovers!" from 1956. The joy is so irresistible and Sinatra's voice sounds like butter! This is the album that always make me smile, so catchy, unpretentious and happy. Probably the pinnacle of swing.
