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.
April Showers
Frank Sinatra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They bring the flowers that bloom in May
So if it's raining, have no regrets
Because it isn't raining rain, you know
It's raining violets
And when you see clouds upon the hills
You soon will see crowds of daffodils
Whenever April showers come along.
In Frank Sinatra's song April Showers, the first stanza suggests that life is not always easy and it does not always come with happiness, rather with hardships. Despite these hardships, there is still a share of bliss. The second line of the stanza mentions April showers following the sun, which is a metaphor for the difficult times following the good times. The point that is emphasized in these lines is that despite the difficulties, one should not lose hope and always look for the silver lining.
In the chorus of the song, April showers are personified and seen as an opportunity for growth and renewal. The flowers that bloom in May signify that beauty and growth can come from difficult times. The lyrics suggest that instead of regretting the rain or difficulties that life brings, one should embrace them and look for the good that will come out of it. Furthermore, the line "It's raining violets" adds a touch of whimsy and highlights that even in challenging times, there can be beauty.
The second stanza presents the metaphor of clouds turning into crowds of daffodils, signifying that even when things seem gloomy, there is always hope for a brighter future. The imagery of the bluebird and its song serves as a reminder to keep a positive outlook and listen for the good things in life. Sinatra's April Showers is a reminder to embrace life’s difficulties and to always look for the good, even in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
Life is not a highway strewn with flowers
Life is not a smooth ride and may have difficulties.
Still it holds a goodly share of bliss
Despite hardships, life still has moments of happiness.
When the sun gives way to April showers
When good times are followed by difficult times.
Here is the point you should never miss
This is an important lesson to remember.
Though April showers may come your way
Although difficult times may come.
They bring the flowers that bloom in May
These difficult times lead to future success and happiness.
So if it's raining, have no regrets
Don't feel sorry for yourself during hard times.
Because it isn't raining rain, you know
These hard times aren't as bad as they seem.
(It's raining violets)
The difficult times are actually bringing unexpected blessings.
And where you see clouds upon the hills
A difficult situation or task may seem daunting from far away.
You soon will see crowds of daffodils
However, perseverance will eventually lead to success and happiness.
So keep on looking for a blue bird
Stay optimistic and hopeful during these tough times.
And list'ning for his song
Pay attention to the positive things in life.
Whenever April showers come along
During hard times, remember that they won't last forever and good things are on the way.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Louis Silvers, B.G. Desylva
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Pacothehamster
Though April showers may come your way
They bring the flowers that bloom in May
So if it’s raining have no regrets
Because it isn’t raining rain, you know
It’s raining violets
And where you see clouds upon the hills
You will soon see crowds of daffodils
So keep on looking for a bluebird
And listening for his song
Whenever April showers come along
And where you see clouds upon the hills
You soon will see crowds of daffodils
So keep on looking for a bluebird
And listening for his song
Whenever April showers come along
@earthlingforever1269
My Dad and Mom were married in April of 1942. This among many remained "their" song.
@mcdeadsquirrel
Mine in 1947 !!! Same here!!
@lologilkey2699
My Tutorer would sing this to my sister and I in the 70's. 😊
@heideburge5602
I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have been looking for this song for years. My father could not carry a tune in a bucket. But....every time it would start raining he would sing "it's not raining rain you know" and once in a while the "it's raining violets" my father has been gone for years but every time it rains those words would come to mind. I found the song today. THANK YOU!
@mcdeadsquirrel
Great great comment!!! Thank you so much for this!!!!
@bookishcap
this makes my heart so happy ♥ glad you found it
@RLMARMEN
My father would sing this too whenever it rained but he only got the it isnt raining rain you know.... Ive always remembered this.
@RLMARMEN
My father would sing this to us too. Just the It isnt raining rain ,you know, Its raining violets. Ive never forgotten that either.
@gantmj
My aunt would only sing the "it's raining violets" part. I don't know when I last time I heard her sing it was, but I just randomly thought of trying to look it up. I think this is it.
@joeyfiesta1
Flawless voice. Growing up in the 60’s, I’m so grateful my parents saturated our weekends with Sinatra music! I was blessed to see him twice in concert during my lifetime!