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.
4 Michael and Peter
Frank Sinatra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Remember, Peter is me, 'cept when he smiles
And if you look at them both for a while
You can see they are you, they are me
This spring we had some heavy rain, my summer it was dry again
The roses that we planted last fall climb the wall
I think the house could use some paint,
She takes the boys whenever she can, she sure needs a man
All those years I've worked for Santa Fe, never ever missed a single day
Just one more without a raise in pay, and I'm leavin'
And the air still has a country smell, and everyone is looking well
As far as anyone can tell, the sun will rise tomorrow
You'll never believe how much they're growin'
John Henry came to cut the lawn, again he asked me where you'd gone
Can't tell you all the times he's been told, but he's so old
Guess that's all the news I've got today,
least that's all the news that I can say
Maybe soon the words will come my way tomorrow
And the air still has a country smell, and everyone is looking well
As far as anyone can tell, the sun will rise tomorrow
You'll never believe how much they're growin'
You'll never believe how much they're growin'
You'll never believe how much they're growin'
You'll never believe how much they're growin'
The lyrics of "4 Michael and Peter" tell a story of a man who is writing a letter to his absent partner, who has left to work for Santa Fe. He uses two names, Michael and Peter, to refer to himself and his partner, respectively. While he is updating his partner on their lives and the state of their home, he also reflects on the similarities between Michael, Peter, and themselves – they are all interconnected and parts of each other. The lyrics also include observations about the passing of time and the growth of their children. The final lines of the song express the hope that tomorrow will bring more words to share with each other.
The story of the song is one of love, longing, and the passage of time. The lyrics highlight the importance of family and how even when apart, those we love remain parts of ourselves. The references to the changing seasons and the growth of the children serve to remind the listener of the constant evolution of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Michael is you, he has your face, he still has your eyes
Michael, my dear friend, looks just like you, with the same eyes we used to stare into while laughing and talking.
Remember, peter is me, 'cept when he smiles
Peter, who I mention often, reminds me of myself, except when he flashes that charming smile.
And if you look at them both for a while
You can see they are you, they are me
When I observe Michael and Peter together, I realize that they embody both of us - our experiences, our personalities and our memories.
This spring we had some heavy rain, my summer it was dry again
The roses that we planted last fall climb the wall
I think the house could use some paint,
You know your mother's such a saint
She takes the boys whenever she can, she sure needs a man
I reflect on the passing seasons and the changes that bring - from heavy rain to a dry summer. The roses we planted long ago have grown tall and strong. The house looks a little shabby, but your mother is always there to lend a hand, taking care of the boys as best she can. She could use a man in her life though.
All those years I've worked for santa fe, never ever missed a single day
Just one more without a raise in pay, and I'm leavin'
I've spent countless years working hard for Santa Fe, never missing a single day. But if I go longer without a raise, I may have to bid them adieu.
And the air still has a country smell, and everyone is looking well
As far as anyone can tell, the sun will rise tomorrow
The air still carries the familiar scent of the countryside, and everyone seems healthy and content. The world keeps turning, and the sun will rise again tomorrow.
You'll never believe how much they're growin'
John henry came to cut the lawn, again he asked me where you'd gone
Can't tell you all the times he's been told, but he's so old
You wouldn't believe how much the kids have grown since we last talked. John Henry, our lawn-cutter, came by again today, asking where you've gone. I told him several times, but he's getting quite old and forgetful.
Guess that's all the news I've got today,
Least that's all the news that I can say
Maybe soon the words will come my way tomorrow
That's about all the news I have for now, or at least all that I can share. But who knows, maybe there will be something more to say tomorrow.
You'll never believe how much they're growin'
You'll never believe how much they're growin'
You'll never believe how much they're growin'
You'll never believe how much they're growin'
I can't emphasize enough just how much the kids are growing up. Time moves fast, and they are blossoming into wonderful young people.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOB GAUDIO, JAKE HOLMES, ROBERT GAUDIO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@barbaranugnes5800
A forgotten pearl. So quiet, so poetic...It takes a fantastic actor to sing these lyrics. It takes nobody less than Frank. Love forever, 🌹
@dianeiselin7678
Entièrement d'accord avec vous.
@rimanargish4236
So beautiful sounds and lyrics.... Wonderful music. 🎧✨🎤🎶💞💞💞👏👏👏👍👍👍
@meek_giraffe7180
Just an absolutely spine tingling performance. One of my favorites of Franks. Gorgeous.
@pedroballadares5253
Ladies and gentlemen, the one and only Francis Albert Sinatra, thanks so much for this beautiful interpretation!👍🏼
@elmiguel6725
Wow! I never heard this one from Mr Sinatra. It truly shows what a great singer he was.
@jackyworsley431
My dad bought this album the year it came out, played it constantly, he looked so melancholy listening to it, now I know why, the lyrics are beautiful. Miss my dad so much.
@johnedwards965
One of Sinatra's hidden gems... 'til now!
@dianeiselin7678
Éternellement. Cette voix indispensable. Pensées vers vous, monsieur Sinatra.
@Jerakona
I personally own this album and it is the most tender and genuine I have heard Sinatra, ever.
Such a heartbreak it doesnt get the praise it deserves