Frank Sinatra – That’s Life

By
Rugrat
Published: 26 September 2008 12:01 AM EDTPosted in: Exotica/LoungeTags:

Look carefully at this cover. That's right, you didn't see wrong, Sinatra doing Winchester Cathedral. And you thought Sinatra was just too cool for that sorta nonsense.

If you have been downloading from various posts in my exotica/lounge category, you know that I am a bit partial to recordings that would be considered silly by most people and downright uncool by others. So when I came upon this LP today while sorting through some records (I am selling my Sinatra and ‘rat-pack’ LP’s to another collector), I decided I had to offer up a couple of rips for the last of your summer parties.

Sinatra was called “The Voice”, but I’d hardly consider him some sort of vocal benchmark, which is what the title implies. Even Sinatra said that “Tony Bennett is the greatest singer in the world.”

Sinatra on the other hand is a phenomenon unto himself. He is the real deal and the parody, both at the same time. He was to lounge singing what William Shatner is to acting, but I doubt he meant to be. He certainly didn’t start out that way. At least with Shatner, you know he gets it – he is laughing with everyone as they laugh at him.

I have never understood the draw to mega-stars like Sinatra, so perhaps it is somehow fitting that the Sinatra I enjoy most is the Sinatra who was considered washed up (at the time) by many critics, including serious fans. I am not a Sinatra expert, but I’ve been told by other record collectors that serious fans stopped following his music once he left Capitol records and started his Reprise label in 1960.

Sinatra of course had the last laugh. He was stubborn and independent and could care less what the critics had to say. He wanted to move in new directions, and his Reprise label was going to be the vehicle for getting there.

One of the founding principles of Reprise under Sinatra’s leadership was that each artist would have full creative freedom, and at some point complete ownership of their work; including publishing rights.

Along with several of his Reprise label mates, Sinatra played a role in ending desegregation of hotels and casinos by refusing to patronize ones that wouldn’t allow black singers to play live or wouldn’t allow black patrons entry. Sinatra often spoke about desegregation during his performances and also played several benefits for Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sinatra’s leadership and artistic freedom (and bad karma?) at Reprise brought him his greatest commercial success in 1966, with his his number one Billboard hit, Strangers in the Night. Ironically, this time Frank did recognize his own parody, calling it “a piece of shit” and “the worst song I ever fucking heard“.

‘Strangers’ would go on to become the international anthem for lounge parody. Right now in a Japanese sushi bar, someone is waiting for a karaoke machine to queue it up.

Before the stink on ‘Strangers’ had time to clear the air, old blue-eyes was back in the studio working on “That’s Life” (also 1966). In my opinion, this album highlights Sinatra at his hippest moment – when he was at his zenith of uncool. He just didn’t know it. Maybe it was better that way. If he had known, he may have never released the recordings below. Winchester Cathedral? Dude! WTF were you thinking?

These two tracks feature the swinging grooves of Ronnie Barron on the organ. Barron became a well-established session player, recording with Sonny and Cher, Dr. John, Paul Butterfield, Canned Heat, Ry Cooder, Eric Burdon & The Animals, and Delaney & Bonnie and Friends.

Downloads:

That’s Life 
Sand and Sea

Basement Dweller Bio:

I am the creator and site administrator at The Basement Rug. I have been collecting LP's and CD's for more than 30 years. I post themed compilations and out-of-print and otherwise hard to find albums.