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.
Just As though You Were Here
Frank Sinatra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll say good morning to your old photograph
And I'll speak to you, dear
(Just as though you were here)
When purple shadows start to welcome the dark
I'll take the same old stroll we took through the park
And I'll cling to you, dear
(Oh, don't be afraid that distance and time)
Will finally tear us apart
(The farther you go, the longer you stay)
(The deeper you grow in my heart)
Each night before I wander off into sleep
I'll bring to light the tears I've buried so deep
Then I'll kiss you, my dear
(Just as though you were here)
Each night before I wander off into sleep
I'll bring to light the tears I've buried so deep
Then I'll kiss you, my dear
And though you're gone, my love for you goes on, darling
(Just as though you were here)
In this song, Frank Sinatra talks about how he'll go through his day-to-day life after his loved one has left him. He promises to wake up each morning with a smile and greet a photo of his beloved, talking to it as if they were still together. When the sun starts to set, he takes a walk through the park that they used to stroll together, imagining that she is still by his side. Despite being apart, he knows that distance and time won't tear them apart because the farther she goes, the more she grows in his heart. At night, before he sleeps, he lets himself cry and kiss a photo of her, holding onto the love that he still has. The song suggests that even though they're not physically together, their love is still present and strong.
The lyrics of the song are quite poignant and explore the different emotions that come with the loss of a loved one. Sinatra portrays a sense of hopelessness in the sense that he misses his loved one and can't be with them. He also portrays a sense of devotion and commitment as he promises to keep their love alive in his memory. This song is often associated with World War II because it was a hit during that time, and the lyrics may have resonated with soldiers who were away from their loved ones. Overall, the song speaks to the universality of loss and how even though we may be separated from our loved ones, we can still keep their memory alive through our actions and thoughts.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll wake each morning, and I'll promise to laugh
Every morning, I vow to start the day with laughter and positivity.
I'll say good morning to your old photograph
I will greet a picture of you as if you're still here with me in person.
And I'll speak to you, dear
I will talk to you as if we're still together, even though you're gone.
(Just as though you were here)
I'll imagine that you're still present and interact with you as if you're with me.
When purple shadows start to welcome the dark
As the day turns into night, and the sky begins to darken, I'll reminisce about our time together.
I'll take the same old stroll we took through the park
I'll take the same path in the park that we once walked together and remember our memories.
And I'll cling to you, dear
In my mind, I'll hold onto the memory of us being together and cherish it deeply.
(Just as though you were here)
I'll imagine that you're still with me and experience the comfort of your presence.
(Oh, don't be afraid that distance and time)
Don't worry that the geographical or temporal distance between us will weaken our bond.
Will finally tear us apart
Our relationship will endure despite the physical separation between us.
(The farther you go, the longer you stay)
As you move away, your presence lingers and becomes more significant to me.
(The deeper you grow in my heart)
Your memory becomes more meaningful to me over time and will always hold a special place in my heart.
Each night before I wander off into sleep
Before I go to sleep each night, I'll take time to reflect on our relationship.
I'll bring to light the tears I've buried so deep
I'll allow myself to feel the emotions I've tried to hide and let them come to the surface.
Then I'll kiss you, my dear
In my mind, I'll give you a kiss as a symbol of my everlasting love for you.
And though you're gone, my love for you goes on, darling
Even though you're no longer with me physically, my love for you remains as strong as ever.
(Just as though you were here)
I'll continue to imagine that you're still by my side and will honor our love by keeping your memory alive.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Eddie De Lange, John Brooks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
dennis guerrerio
Oh, wow, what a sleeper this song is. Brillantly interpreted by Mr. Sinatra.
ALEX MM
Me despertaré cada mañana y prometo reír
I'll wake each morning, and I'll promise to laugh
Le diré buenos días a tu vieja fotografía
I'll say good morning to your old photograph
Y te hablaré querida
And I'll speak to you, dear
(Como si estuvieras aquí)
(Just as though you were here)
Cuando las sombras púrpuras comienzan a dar la bienvenida a la oscuridad
When purple shadows start to welcome the dark
Daré el mismo viejo paseo que dimos por el parque
I'll take the same old stroll we took through the park
Y me aferraré a ti, querida
And I'll cling to you, dear
(Como si estuvieras aquí)
(Just as though you were here)
Finalmente nos destrozará
Will finally tear us apart
(Cuanto más lejos vas, más tiempo te quedas)
(The farther you go, the longer you stay)
(Cuanto más profundo creces en mi corazón)
(The deeper you grow in my heart)
Cada noche antes de que me duerma
Each night before I wander off into sleep
Traeré a la luz las lágrimas que he enterrado tan profundamente
I'll bring to light the tears I've buried so deep
Entonces te besaré querida
Then I'll kiss you, my dear
(Como si estuvieras aquí)
(Just as though you were here)
Cada noche antes de que me duerma
Each night before I wander off into sleep
Traeré a la luz las lágrimas que he enterrado tan profundamente
I'll bring to light the tears I've buried so deep
Entonces te besaré querida
Then I'll kiss you, my dear
Y aunque te hayas ido, mi amor por ti continúa, cariño
And though you're gone, my love for you goes on, darling
(Como si estuvieras aquí)
(Just as though you were here)
Mark Blackburn
FRANK SINATRA – Just As Though You Were Here
At this moment, savoring one of those lesser-known gems, JUST AS THOUGH YOU WERE HERE playing on channel 71. Can't imagine anyone else singing this song, let alone so well! But what's it from? Not the 'September of My Years' recordings -- I just can't place it in time. No clue provided by the graphic that is streaming on my computer screen – a box set I don't own, labeled “The Complete Reprise Recordings." So beautiful. Is it at YouTube? Yes! And the enigmatic graphic, of an expensive-looking cover with some initials, confirms its rarity: found on “Disc 17” of that ultimate Reprise collection.
Thanks, Sinatra 80 for sharing. Celebrated this day at Sinatra Family - Forum - Frank Sinatra - Favorite song of the moment" https://sinatrafamily.com/forum/showthread.php/19118-Favorite-Frank-Sinatra-song-of-the-moment/page169
birdsbestfriend
@Sinatra 80 Prefer the 74 version, slow it down and with expression like no one else on the planet....wow!
Sinatra 80
You're welcome. It's from a Gordon Jenkins session in 1974 but originally from his Dorsey years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJb-AYHQGi0
Jesse Murphy
I like it!! :-)
Benjamin Hogan
Also recorded this evening was, The Saddest Thing of All and Everything Happens to Me. This was an early attempt to release a Jenkins arranged "saloon songs" album prior to the She Shot Me Down album. Sinatra "owed" Mr. Jenkins one b/c at the time of the later release he was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and didn't have much time left.