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Frank Sinatra has been a part of my life since as far back as I can remember.
My parents came of age in the Rat Pack era. In the early 60′s, it was cool to smoke, drink, and party to the music of Dave Brubeck or Frank Sinatra, depending on your mood. In my elementary school years, I remember falling asleep often to the sounds of Sinatra at the Sands – Come Fly With Me, The Shadow of Your Smile, etc. and often feel that the music from that CD is ingrained in my DNA. The rat pack monologue on that CD I could probably recite by heart, “I feel sorry for people that don’t drink because when they get up in the morning that’s as good as they’re going to feel for the rest of the day.”
In my early teens, my Dad would sit me down for a lesson in understanding Frank Sinatra’s phrasing and why he was the master at that. Later in my teens, I was able to join my Dad and his friends as they rented a bus to take them to the Frank Sinatra concert in Buffalo, New York. They all partied hard on that trip, playing Frank music all the way. I remember leaving my seat at the concert and sneaking up the aisle to get a photo of Frank on stage. A man the size of a house stopped me and said to take the photo and scram. Shortly after this concert, I came home from school one day feeling a little down. No one was home and I put on some Frank music to help make me feel better. It was then that I knew I was hooked all on my own.
In College, I was known as the girl who loved Frank Sinatra, my own little calling card. I like to think that I introduced Frank Sinatra to many of my peers who might never have learned of his genius. At my wedding, my Dad and I danced to Street of Dreams, the perfect song for both of us. Six years later, my Dad died, and on the first anniversary of his death, my kids and I danced to Frank Sinatra all day long. I decided to write a letter to Frank, telling him what his music meant to me and how it would always remind me of my Dad. Ten days later, I got the surprise of my life when I received a letter back from the man himself. It is one of my most prized possessions.
I had the chance to see Frank in concert two more times before he died. And, on the day of his death (May 14, 1998), my neighbors made me a cake, and we had a little wake for Frank, with some Jack Daniels on the side. Still, when I hear his voice, it is the most comforting thing in the world.
Do I sound like I have a schoolgirl crush? It doesn’t feel like that. Frank Sinatra had a gift that he developed fully. Whatever you think about him personally, his music has touched so many others, not only me. Yes, the music is connected to childhood memories, but it’s the music I adore, he’s just the conduit.
For the memoirs prompt – Nuts About Memoir.
© 2010, kimmanleyort. All rights reserved.
The Music of Frank Sinatra http://goo.gl/fb/2vvZe #authorscorner #kim #memoirs #franksinatramusic #kimmanleyort
You know, I’ll always remember you as the chick the touches zen with Frank Sinatra. Fly me to the Moon would be my favorite of his.
No, this is no school girl crush, this is every bit a part of life as breathing. We all have something that has flowed through life with us, I thought I knew what it was with me once, but I am not sure anymore.
By the way, I read this three times because it was just that good.
Thank you, Alex. You know I’ve discovered that Zen can touch just about anything. Some things, like music, just seem a little more accessible. Now you’ve got me wondering what that thing is you’re not sure about.
This is beautiful, Kim! You know there is something about music as an almost detectable measurement of time in our lives. We hear a song and it takes us back to a time in our lives…sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes frightening. I can go way back to my childhood memories just by hearing a song that somehow connects to the time frame.
Bev, music was a safe but true thing for me to write about here. Most people can relate to music and memories like you said. I thought of other things that have been with me through life that I just didn’t feel comfortable putting out there on the world wide web.