Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, to Italian immigrants, Sinatra began his musical career in the swing era with bandleaders Harry James and Tommy Dorsey. Sinatra found success as a solo artist after he signed with Columbia Records in 1943, becoming the idol of the "bobby soxers". He released his debut album, The Voice of Frank Sinatra, in 1946. Sinatra's professional career had stalled by the early 1950s, and he turned to Las Vegas, where he became one of its best known residency performers as part of The Rat Pack. His career was reborn in 1953 with the success of From Here to Eternity, with his performance subsequently winning an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. Sinatra released several critically lauded albums, including In the Wee Small Hours (1955), Songs for Swingin' Lovers! (1956), Come Fly with Me (1958), Only the Lonely (1958) and Nice 'n' Easy (1960).
Sinatra left Capitol in 1960 to start his own record label, Reprise Records, and released a string of successful albums. In 1965, he recorded the retrospective September of My Years, starred in the Emmy-winning television special Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music, and released the tracks "Strangers in the Night" and "My Way". After releasing Sinatra at the Sands, recorded at the Sands Hotel and Casino in Vegas with frequent collaborator Count Basie in early 1966, the following year he recorded one of his most famous collaborations with Tom Jobim, the album Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim. It was followed by 1968's collaboration with Duke Ellington. Sinatra retired for the first time in 1971, but came out of retirement two years later and recorded several albums and resumed performing at Caesars Palace, and reached success in 1980 with "New York, New York". Using his Las Vegas shows as a home base, he toured both within the United States and internationally until a short time before his death in 1998.
Sinatra forged a highly successful career as a film actor. After winning an Academy Award for From Here to Eternity, he starred in The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), and received critical acclaim for his performance in The Manchurian Candidate (1962). He appeared in various musicals such as On the Town (1949), Guys and Dolls (1955), High Society (1956), and Pal Joey (1957), winning another Golden Globe for the latter. Toward the end of his career, he became associated with playing detectives, including the title character in Tony Rome (1967). Sinatra would later receive the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1971. On television, The Frank Sinatra Show began on ABC in 1950, and he continued to make appearances on television throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Sinatra was also heavily involved with politics from the mid-1940s, and actively campaigned for presidents such as Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, though before Kennedy's death Sinatra's alleged Mafia connections led to his being snubbed.
While Sinatra never formally learned how to read music, he had an impressive understanding of it, and he worked very hard from a young age to improve his abilities in all aspects of music. A perfectionist, renowned for his dress sense and performing presence, he always insisted on recording live with his band. His bright blue eyes earned him the popular nickname "Ol' Blue Eyes". Sinatra led a colorful personal life, and was often involved in turbulent affairs with women, such as with his second wife Ava Gardner. He went on to marry Mia Farrow in 1966 and Barbara Marx in 1976. Sinatra had several violent confrontations, usually with journalists he felt had crossed him, or work bosses with whom he had disagreements. He was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors in 1983, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan in 1985, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1997. Sinatra was also the recipient of eleven Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Trustees Award, Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. After his death, American music critic Robert Christgau called him "the greatest singer of the 20th century", and he continues to be seen as an iconic figure.
Sinatra died with his wife at his side at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on May 14, 1998, aged 82, after a heart attack. Sinatra had ill health during the last few years of his life, and was frequently hospitalized for heart and breathing problems, high blood pressure, pneumonia and bladder cancer. He was further diagnosed as having dementia. He had made no public appearances following a heart attack in February 1997. Sinatra's wife encouraged him to "fight" while attempts were made to stabilize him, and his final words were, "I'm losing." Sinatra's daughter, Tina, later wrote that she and her sister, Nancy, had not been notified of their father's final hospitalization, and it was her belief that "the omission was deliberate. Barbara would be the grieving widow alone at her husband's side." The night after Sinatra's death, the lights on the Empire State Building in New York City were turned blue, the lights at the Las Vegas Strip were dimmed in his honor, and the casinos stopped spinning for a minute.
Sinatra's funeral was held at the Roman Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills, California, on May 20, 1998, with 400 mourners in attendance and thousands of fans outside. Gregory Peck, Tony Bennett, and Sinatra's son, Frank Jr., addressed the mourners, who included many notable people from film and entertainment. Sinatra was buried in a blue business suit with mementos from family members—cherry-flavored Life Savers, Tootsie Rolls, a bottle of Jack Daniel's, a pack of Camel cigarettes, a Zippo lighter, stuffed toys, a dog biscuit, and a roll of dimes that he always carried—next to his parents in section B-8 of Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California.
His close friends Jilly Rizzo and Jimmy Van Heusen are buried nearby. The words "The Best Is Yet to Come", plus "Beloved Husband & Father" are imprinted on Sinatra's grave marker. Significant increases in recording sales worldwide were reported by Billboard in the month of his death.
She's Funny That Way
Frank Sinatra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just glad I'm livin' and happy to be
I got a woman, crazy for me
She's funny that way
I can't save a dollar, ain't worth a cent
She'd never holler, she'd live in a tent
I got a woman, crazy for me
Though she'd love to work and slave for me every day
She'd be so much better off if I went away
But why should I leave her, why should I go?
She'd be unhappy without me, I know
I got a woman, crazy for me
She's funny that way
When I hurt her feelin's once in a while
Her only answer is one little smile
I got a woman, crazy for me
She's funny that way
In Frank Sinatra's song "She's Funny That Way," the singer describes his significant other as being "funny" because of her unwavering love for him, despite his flaws and shortcomings. He acknowledges that he is not particularly attractive or wealthy, but he is grateful to have her in his life. The singer also notes that his partner would still love him even if he could not provide for her financially, which speaks to the depth of their connection. However, he also recognizes that he may not be the best partner for her as he often hurts her feelings, but she continues to forgive him with a smile.
The overall message of the song is that true love surpasses material and physical qualities. While the singer may not be the most desirable partner on paper, his significant other loves him for who he is and not what he can give her. There is a level of acceptance and understanding in their relationship that allows them to overcome hardships and continue to love each other unconditionally.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not much to look at, nothin' to see
I may not be physically attractive or exceptional in any way.
Just glad I'm livin' and happy to be
Despite not having much going for me, I'm content with my life and grateful for the opportunity to live.
I got a woman, crazy for me
I have a woman who is madly in love with me.
She's funny that way
Her love for me is unique and special in its own way.
I can't save a dollar, ain't worth a cent
I'm not good at managing money and don't have much of it to begin with.
She'd never holler, she'd live in a tent
My woman would never complain or make a fuss about our living situation, even if it meant living in a tent.
Though she'd love to work and slave for me every day
She would be willing to work tirelessly to support me every day if I let her.
She'd be so much better off if I went away
Despite her devotion to me, she would actually be better off without me.
But why should I leave her, why should I go?
Even though it might be better for her, I don't want to leave her because I love her too much.
She'd be unhappy without me, I know
I truly believe that my woman wouldn't be happy without me in her life.
When I hurt her feelin's once in a while
Sometimes I unintentionally hurt her feelings.
Her only answer is one little smile
But even when I hurt her, she forgives me with a gentle smile.
I got a woman, crazy for me
I have a woman who is deeply and passionately in love with me.
She's funny that way
Her love for me is quirky and unique, but I wouldn't want it any other way.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Neil Moret, Richard Whiting
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chuck C
Perfection at it’s best. What a voice. No one will ever top Sinatra.
Patricia Peres
Eternally magnificent Sinatra! Thanks for sharing.
Real Fagnan
Frank is in great, controlled voice here- beautiful rendition of this classic- nobody defined smooth as compellingly as Sinatra.
De Bishop
Real Fagnan was this before he snapped his vocal cords? Cuz his voice is a lot different in his capitol years
LRN_News
@De Bishop He sounded even more different in the 1940s
Jasmine Walker Ashat
Honestly I wish Frank Sinatra was immortal. The world has ALWAYS needed him
makimaki papura
yes!
Ben Jonson
He is.
mark hieatt
He’s immortal with what he’s given.
murp h
He was and is the master. He left us fantastic music. Thanks Francis .