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.
A Little Bit of Heaven
Frank Sinatra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And wondrous wishing wells
And nowhere else on God's green Earth
There be such lakes and dells
No wonder that the angels love
That shamrock covered shore
It draws my heart home again
Have you ever heard the story of
How Ireland got its name
Well, I'll tell you so you'll understand
From whence old Ireland came
No wonder that I love
That dear old land across the sea
For here's the way my dear old Father
Told the tale to me.....
Shure, a little bit of heaven fell
From out the sky one day
And it nestled on the ocean
In a spot so far away
And when the angels found it
Shure, it looked so sweet and fair
They said, "Suppose we leave it
For it looks so peaceful there"
So they sprinkled it with stardust
Just to make the shamrocks grow
â??Tis the only place you'll find them
No matter where you go
Then they dotted it with silver
To make its lakes so grand
And when they had it finished
Shure, they called it Ireland!
In Frank Sinatra's song "A Little Bit of Heaven," the lyrics describe the beautiful and enchanting qualities of Ireland, also known as the "Emerald Isle." The song portrays Ireland as a magical land, filled with leprechauns, wishing wells, lakes, and picturesque landscapes. The singer expresses their deep admiration and love for Ireland, as it holds a special place in their heart.
The first verse highlights the unique wonders of Ireland, emphasizing its unmatched beauty with references to leprechauns and wishing wells. The mention of "God's green Earth" signifies the awe-inspiring natural landscapes found in the country. The singer reflects on their affection for Ireland, describing how their heart is drawn back to the land, and their love for it continues to grow.
The second verse delves into the origin of Ireland's name, narrating a story passed down from the singer's father. The lyrics explain that a "little bit of heaven" fell from the sky and found its home nestled on the ocean, far away. When the angels discovered this serene and peaceful spot, they decided to leave it there. They sprinkled stardust to nurture the growth of shamrocks, which are associated with Ireland, and dotted the land with silver to create its grand lakes. The culmination of their work led to the birth of Ireland, a name befitting its ethereal and captivating qualities.
Overall, this song serves as a heartfelt tribute to the idyllic beauty and charm of Ireland, invoking a sense of wonder and appreciation for the land.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a dear old land of leprechauns
There is a beloved and ancient land full of folklore and magic
And wondrous wishing wells
And enchanting wells where dreams come true
And nowhere else on God's green Earth
And no other place on this beautiful Earth
There be such lakes and dells
Exist such magnificent lakes and valleys
No wonder that the angels love
It's no surprise that even the angels adore
That shamrock covered shore
That shore adorned with shamrocks
It draws my heart home again
It captivates my heart and beckons it back
And I love it more and more
And I love it increasingly
Have you ever heard the story of
Have you ever been told the tale of
How Ireland got its name
How Ireland was given its name
Well, I'll tell you so you'll understand
Well, let me explain it to you so that you comprehend
From whence old Ireland came
From where ancient Ireland originated
No wonder that I love
It's no surprise that I have affection for
That dear old land across the sea
That beloved land situated across the sea
For here's the way my dear old Father
Because this is how my beloved Father
Told the tale to me.....
Recounted the story to me...
Shure, a little bit of heaven fell
Indeed, a small portion of paradise descended
From out the sky one day
From the heavens above one fateful day
And it nestled on the ocean
And it settled upon the vast ocean
In a spot so far away
In a location that is distant
And when the angels found it
And when the angels discovered it
Shure, it looked so sweet and fair
Indeed, it appeared so lovely and beautiful
They said, "Suppose we leave it
They said, "Perhaps we should leave it
For it looks so peaceful there"
Because it appears so serene in that place"
So they sprinkled it with stardust
So they scattered stardust upon it
Just to make the shamrocks grow
To ensure that the shamrocks would flourish
â??Tis the only place you'll find them
It is the sole location where you will find them
No matter where you go
No matter where you travel
Then they dotted it with silver
Then they adorned it with silver
To make its lakes so grand
To enhance the grandeur of its lakes
And when they had it finished
And once they had completed it
Shure, they called it Ireland!
Indeed, they named it Ireland!
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERNEST R. BALL, J. KEIRN BRENNAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bob&Missy Meyer
Proud of FS for doing this song with such respect & feeling.
Phil Gallagher
Nice job, wish he had done the Town I love so well,
Eleanor Bersano
Great ..Happy St Pat's Day...