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Old Brit Remembers Old Blue Eyes ...
It's thirteen years this month since Frank Sinatra sang to a live audience - for the last time in his life.
It was February 25, 1995, at a private party for 1,200 select guests on the closing night of the Frank Sinatra Desert Classic golf tournament.
His final public concert performance had been held a mere two months earlier, in Japan's Fukuoka Dome, in December 1994.
And we found it on video.
In one way we were glad we were actually able to watch (and listen to), some genuine musical history in the making ...
... yet at the same time ... and on second thoughts ... we're no longer so sure ...
Understand what we're saying?
*
Labels: Frank Sinatra
posted by Richard at Sunday, February 17, 2008
5 Comments:
The Smoking Gun has his mugshot. He was sent up for consorting with a married woman.
It must have been hell to be Sinatra during the days when you could be sent to jail for that.
Also, Sinatra always sings a song at the Republican Convention, but I'm not sure that counts as a live performance.
A flexible Democrat, his affiliation with em, certain prominent Italian families sounded the death knell for his friendship with JFK.
He embraced the Republican party with fervour and was a staunch supporter of Ronnie and Bush the Smarter.
Is that what your saying Richard? Or is there more, do tell.
XO
WWW
PS The losing of the words of *his* song on this final performance was rather sad. Sometimes we stick around a little too long....
I had no idea of (nor interest in) his political beliefs, just his value for money lifetime of entertainment and the pleasure he gave millions worldwide.
I agree it was truly sad to see the way he'd gone. I suppose like so many very wealthy people who don't know when to call it a day (after all, he didn't need the money) because their careers long ago be came obsessions.
I personally know three millionaires. All (loosely) connected with the motor trade. I knew them when they were ordinary hardworking fellahs setting out in business for the first time.
The pair of them still work around 16/17 hours per day - mostly 7 days a week - they don't now how to stop. They don't even take enough time off to really enjoy their wealth. They'll work till they drop, because their work has become their obessions.
And you know what? Their children will most certainly sell the businesses as soon as their dads are gone. They'll then join the idle rich and lead the life of luxury jet-setting playboys\playgirls.
Meanwhile, I manage to live my (very) contented life on a meagre couple of pensions. I'm my own boss since I retired. From the day I started work till the day I finished I wasn't - even when I spent several years self employed - 'cos the (small) business was my boss.
I enjoy my life more now with a lot less money than I ever did when I was regularly earning much more. I retired early and whatever happens to me now, I've had 10 years of retirement. So many people work till they drop or only enjoy very few years of rest.
I think that's terribly sad.
(/sermon)
You had me crying into my morning coffee, Richard!
I have no interest in Sinatra's politics or his connections with
gangsters or any of his private life - what he gave to his audiences is irreplaceable, his musical performance is the only part of him that we have a right to judge or consider.
He's been the one constant musical hero I've had since my early twenties. Others have come and gone, but he'll remain my favourite for ever. Nobody has ever come close, in my opinion, nor will they in the future.
I remember where I was when I heard about his death - I was in a taxi going to a young friend's funeral - the taxi driver had his radio on and Sinatra's death was announced. You can imagine how I felt, in those circumstances.
Thanks for the sight of that video - I hadn't seen it before. It's sad, yet still inspiring to me. I don't think he'd forgotten the words of the song - I think he was improvising, just as he'd often done in live performances - it was part of his charm.
Another part was the way he always acknowledged the band and even more importantly the songwriters. so few do that nowadays.
:-)
I'm weeping right now.
He was a trouper to the end. Thank you Richard. I'm sure I'll watch and listen to that again and again.
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