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.
Can I Steal a Little Love
Frank Sinatra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can I steal a little love?
Cool me, honey, I'm on fire
To steal your love is my desire
Hug me, squeeze me, 'til I'm red
'Til my eyes bug out my head
Coo me, woo me, turtle dove
Please tell me why are you drivin' me crazy?
Why do I dig you like I do?
If I should steal a little kiss
And you can prove that it's wrong
I'll give it back to you
Tell me, honey, with a smile
I can walk you down the aisle
I won't even need a shove
Can I steal a little love?
Can I steal a little love?
Can I steal a little love?
Cool me, honey, I'm on fire
To steal your love is my desire
Hug me, squeeze me, 'til I'm red
'Til my eyes bug out my head
Coo me, woo me, turtle dove
Can I grab a little love?
Please tell me why are you drivin' me crazy?
And why do I dig you like I do?
If I should steal a little kiss
And you can prove that it was wrong
Hey, I'll give it back to you
Tell me, honey, with a smile
I can walk you down the aisle
I won't even need a shove
Can I steal a little love?
Can I steal a little love?
Can I grab a little love?
The lyrics of Frank Sinatra's "Can I Steal A Little Love" are about a man who is deeply infatuated with someone and desires their love. The singer starts by asking the object of his affection if he can "steal a little love," showing that he is willing to do whatever it takes to win this person's heart. He asks for a physical embrace, begging to be hugged and squeezed, promising that he won't need much persuasion to walk this person down the aisle.
Throughout the song, the singer tries to understand why this person is driving him crazy, and why he is so drawn to them. He acknowledges that stealing a kiss might be wrong, but if it is returned, he is more than willing to give it back. The song's jovial tone and upbeat tempo make it clear that the singer is smitten and that he views his desire for this person's love as a playful pursuit.
Overall, "Can I Steal A Little Love" is a classic example of Sinatra's charm, with its catchy melody and lyrics that are playful yet sincere in their affection. It speaks to the timeless human condition of wanting to be loved and may resonate with anyone who is experiencing a similar desire.
Line by Line Meaning
Can I steal a little love?
Can I have a little bit of your love?
Can I steal a little love?
Can I have a little bit more of your love?
Cool me, honey, I'm on fire
I need some relief from my desire for you.
To steal your love is my desire
I really want to have your love for myself.
Hug me, squeeze me, 'til I'm red
Hold me tight and make me feel overwhelmed with love.
'Til my eyes bug out my head
Hold me so tight that I cannot think straight, but only of you.
Coo me, woo me, turtle dove
Flatter me, charm me, my darling.
Can I grab a little love?
Can I have a little bit of your affection?
Please tell me why are you drivin' me crazy?
What is it about you that makes me feel so obsessed with you?
Why do I dig you like I do?
Why do I like you so much?
If I should steal a little kiss
If I were to kiss you without permission,
And you can prove that it was wrong
And it turns out that you did not want to be kissed,
Hey, I'll give it back to you
I will take it back and apologize.
Tell me, honey, with a smile
If you smile at me while you answer,
I can walk you down the aisle
I can be the one to escort you to the altar on your wedding day.
I won't even need a shove
I will happily do so without any force needed.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Phil J. Tuminello
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
patricio amenabar
Such a perky song, should‘ve been a #1 hit for Frank.
patricio amenabar
Agree!
R J Molina
Frank Sinatra was one cool singer. He had class dressed in a tuxedo in his performances and always thank the audience and also proposed a toast to the attendees.
Fielding Mellish
Thank you so much for posting this, one of my most favorite Sinatra songs!
Debra Radke
there is no one better than Frank.
Sumitra Prasitthanurak
Love this song !!!
chantelle13able
Love the big band sound !!! And the voice .. Sometimes you just have to go back!!
eddiemoss9950
More proof that Ole Blue Eye's songs age like a fine wine !
Stunatra
Frank could rock n roll with the best of them.
dustincrops
Well my Dad did try to wake us up with Sinatra and other great music of his time which I have grown to love. Thanks, dad.