I Really Dislike Frank Sinatra: How alone am I?

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i don't know if anyone's mentioned this, but when he took the opportunity sinatra was a gifted conductor and arranger as well. mostly in his youth--after he reached a certain level of popularity he abandoned some of his adventurism and eventually became really uninteresting musically. but for a while he was great at discovering underappreciated songwriters. see his "frank sinatra conducts alec wilder" lp for proof.

Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:42 (nineteen years ago) link

Masked Gazza: you're getting stuck in semantics. Everyone of those figures AMG cites profoundly altered the course of popular music. That's all the site is trying to say.

Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:43 (nineteen years ago) link

xpost

yeah, this whole "no, so-and-so was the most important" stuff is k-boring.

Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:44 (nineteen years ago) link

xpost
Well I don't think so. I think it's saying something something else ie what it's actually saying, rather than the words you use, which aren't in the quote at all. Apart from "popular music".

Masked Gazza, Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:47 (nineteen years ago) link

(x-post)
actually what amg is saying is that those four are THE most important figures of the century and they have no rivals besides each other. so masked gazza is totally on point.

and i agree this stuff is k-boring, but amg started it!

fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:49 (nineteen years ago) link

xpost
Well it is boring, but ridiculous statements often are.

Masked Gazza, Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:50 (nineteen years ago) link

I think there's a legit beef in there about excluding r&b/jazz/black performers from some hypothetical pantheon, but I don't know what it has to do with this thread.

Austin (Austin), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:50 (nineteen years ago) link

for a while he was great at discovering underappreciated songwriters
I wish I could remember where I heard him doing a funny bit during a show about the hits that got away- "Boy, I sure know how to pick 'em, don't I? " He then proceeds to tell some anecdotes about being given famous songs to record and rejecting them including: "And then I told that kid with the beard and the sandals to get out of town." At which point he sings a few bars of "Nature Boy." And so on.

Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 3 February 2005 22:04 (nineteen years ago) link

Frank Sinatra was arguably the most important popular music figure of the 20th century, his only real rivals for the title being Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles.

Those wacky AMG dudes! Sometimes they right, sometimes...but the above is one stupid-ass statement. Obviously, it's Louis Armstrong. I think Bing and the Chairman would've agreed...Elvis, I dunno, he would've said "that little negor fellow we bumped into on the Strip," or something. Or one of the Blackwoods maybe. That's one thing I never got about Elvis--why couldn't he have called up Sinatra and said, "I wish to work with the guys who play for you, that Bill Miller..Basie, is he available?" It's one of the reasons I say Sinatra over Elvis--I mean, OK, Elvis did use some good guys like in his band, like James Burton, they were fine, but he could've done so much more. "The New New Tennessee Waltz: Elvis and Jimmy Rowles Sing and Play Stick McGhee." "Elvis/Dolphy Summit at the Chicken Shack!!," an album of Louis Jordan tunes arr. by Oliver Nelson. "Delta Duck Got Webb-Foot: Presley, Jim Webb Style." "Hillbilly Bop: Elvis Presley and Sonny Stitt, Burnin' at the Village Vanguard." Instead, he hung out in Vegas and Memphis and ate Nutty Buddies. I don't get it...I guess he really didn't have any fuckin' idea what he was doing, and Sinatra did.

fatsdominoruins (ddduncan), Thursday, 3 February 2005 22:28 (nineteen years ago) link

OMGWTF, I am listening to the Basie album right now and Frank is doing some between-song Amos 'n Andy routine. It is offensive.

Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 3 February 2005 22:32 (nineteen years ago) link

has he done any of his "boy Dino sure is a drunk!" material yet?

Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 3 February 2005 22:33 (nineteen years ago) link

Yeah, he's just done that. Now he's doing his po' boy growing up in Hoboken schtick.

Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 3 February 2005 22:36 (nineteen years ago) link

I have one Sinatra-conducts LP, it's quite rare, and it's no fucking good--"Plays Music from Plays and Films" or something, mood music of no discernible interest.

edd s hurt (ddduncan), Thursday, 3 February 2005 22:36 (nineteen years ago) link

yeah that banter is godawful. but the toons! just think of it as the pre-hip hop equivalent to all those totally offensive skits that litter hip hop albums...

Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 3 February 2005 22:39 (nineteen years ago) link

TS: Sinatra's racist banter vs. Eminem shooting gays

Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 3 February 2005 22:41 (nineteen years ago) link

I'd rather listen to racists, homophobes, misogynists -- hell, even rockists -- than hear little boys crying wolf about it.

Heidy- Ho, Thursday, 3 February 2005 23:02 (nineteen years ago) link

I saw Ray Price doing some Mexican schtick with his band leader a few years ago- it was actually kind of fascinating, like he stepped out of some showbiz time machine.

Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 3 February 2005 23:34 (nineteen years ago) link

I hate that "New York, New York" (though I love the real one, by Comden and Green). And I used to dislike Sinatra generally, too. But if you get the Capitol stuff, you'll come to appreciate him.

TS: Sinatra's racist banter vs. Eminem shooting gays

uh, you don't get it

gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 3 February 2005 23:38 (nineteen years ago) link

oh right, one's a "metaphor".

Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 3 February 2005 23:40 (nineteen years ago) link

six years pass...

I can't stand Frank, either. Beautiful voice, I will grant you, but most of his music makes me want to kill myself. Depressing stuff when you think about it.

The Biggest Regret of My Life (u s steel), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 17:01 (thirteen years ago) link

But that's so often what makes it great! I imagine you don't like Joy Division either.

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 19:01 (thirteen years ago) link

He wasn't too popular with the GI's coming back in '45 and '46 either.

Le mépris vient de la tête, la haine vient du cœur (Michael White), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 19:19 (thirteen years ago) link

Xpost
Songs for Swingin' Lovers, A Swingin' Affair, Come Fly With Me, Come Dance With Me and Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!! — all of which are great — are hardly depressing affairs.

Jazzbo, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 19:23 (thirteen years ago) link

I still have a vivid memory of being in the back seat of my parents' car as a youngster on a rainy day, and hearing the radio play Frank's version of "Cottage For Sale." Being a rock and roll loving youth, I thought this was the most lugubrious, horrible song ever, and it pretty much summed up what I thought of Sinatra in general. It took me another decade or so to come around to the swingier stuff, and even longer to "get" this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_hVwk3CXzk

Glorified Lolcat (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 19:25 (thirteen years ago) link

yipee! i'm not alone. FS couldn't sing! the songwriting is terrible too, though i'm not sure if that's his fault.
― xenografia, Wednesday, February 2, 2005 4:20 AM (6 years ago) Bookmark

can we look into retroactive SBs?

door to door legume salesman (San Te), Wednesday, 9 February 2011 01:13 (thirteen years ago) link

also re: My Way, Frankie himself hated that song for many of the reasons listed ITT. He hated the lyrical content.

door to door legume salesman (San Te), Wednesday, 9 February 2011 01:13 (thirteen years ago) link

Jesus fuck, this thread is a monument to tin-eared idiocy.

that's not funny. (unperson), Wednesday, 9 February 2011 01:46 (thirteen years ago) link

You just need to get him under your skin to appreciate him.

Jim, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 13:10 (thirteen years ago) link

six years pass...

Man, fuck Frank Sinatra; I can't go out for Italian, go to a mall, go to the fucking dentist without hearing this shit nonstop!

Dan I., Tuesday, 6 February 2018 20:41 (six years ago) link

"music for people who don't really like music," is right

Dan I., Tuesday, 6 February 2018 20:44 (six years ago) link

I could listen to the sad-bastard ballad albums forever tbh, but fuck ever listening to the upbeat stuff

Simon H., Tuesday, 6 February 2018 20:46 (six years ago) link

So you haven't got the world on a swing?

ice cream social justice (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 20:59 (six years ago) link

geez Dan I, an awful lotta musicians like Sinatra.

ice cream social justice (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 21:00 (six years ago) link

Jesus fuck, this thread is a monument to tin-eared idiocy.

― that's not funny. (unperson), Wednesday, February 9, 2011 1:46 AM (six years ago)

yeah, what he said.

(The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 21:04 (six years ago) link

I'd rather listen to racists, homophobes, misogynists -- hell, even rockists -- than hear little boys crying wolf about it.
― Heidy- Ho, Thursday, February 3, 2005 5:02 PM (thirteen years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

haha this is classic old skool ilm - rockism as being perhaps worse than racism, homophobia, and misogyny

It's not delivery, it's Adorno! (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 21:17 (six years ago) link

I could listen to the sad-bastard ballad albums forever tbh, but fuck ever listening to the upbeat stuff

― Simon H., Tuesday, February 6, 2018 1:46 PM (thirty-four minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

idk man i feel like you need both sides

flamenco drop (BradNelson), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 21:20 (six years ago) link

It took me forever to realize that Sinatra's style reminds me post of spoken word poets. You either buy into how he's using rhythm and emoting across the sung lines and it gels when the material is good or it just seems incredibly indulgent and induces terminal eye-rolling

mh, Tuesday, 6 February 2018 21:42 (six years ago) link

are there any Sinatra songs with falsetto?

Dominique, Tuesday, 6 February 2018 21:45 (six years ago) link

idk man i feel like you need both sides

just not his "Both Sides Now"

ice cream social justice (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 21:45 (six years ago) link

lol i set it up, you knocked it down morbs

flamenco drop (BradNelson), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 21:52 (six years ago) link

stick around, jack, it may show

morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 22:12 (six years ago) link

besides disliking his musical output a lot there's something really off-putting about his face

like i try not to judge because people can't help their face shape, but he always makes me think of a sculpture bust that was so badly made it turned cursed and malevolent

heliogabberlus, Tuesday, 6 February 2018 22:18 (six years ago) link

Man, fuck Frank Sinatra; I can't go out for Italian, go to a mall, go to the fucking dentist without hearing this shit nonstop!

― Dan I., Tuesday, February 6, 2018 3:41 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

first thing I picture when I hear his music in my head is the Maggiano's next to the Border's near my parents house blaring Sinatra out front.

Fedora Dostoyevsky (man alive), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 22:37 (six years ago) link

Man, fuck Frank Sinatra; I can't go out for Italian, go to a mall, go to the fucking dentist without hearing this shit nonstop!

― Dan I., Tuesday, February 6, 2018 3:41 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

weird, i don't hear him played as background music anywhere.

vicious almond beliefs (crüt), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 22:40 (six years ago) link

Literally everywhere that wants to project "class" or "manliness" or "classy manliness"

Dan I., Tuesday, 6 February 2018 23:02 (six years ago) link

MitchDan I., out!

Some Dusty in Here (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 23:03 (six years ago) link

I mean, i don't spend a lot of time in haberdasheries, but I assume it's all sinatra all the time

Dan I., Tuesday, 6 February 2018 23:04 (six years ago) link

Sinatra fucking rules btw

Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Wednesday, 7 February 2018 04:16 (six years ago) link

fuuuuck frank sinatra right in his smug mouth

davey, Wednesday, 7 February 2018 04:27 (six years ago) link

Or, IDK, maybe it was excusable in his heyday but being into Sinatra was already atavistic in the 70s, forget about now.

davey, Wednesday, 7 February 2018 04:29 (six years ago) link


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