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.
Style
Frank Sinatra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But he gets dressed to get dressed
(It's only a hunch but I bet you a bunch)
(He wears suspenders, a belt and a vest)
[From the tip of his toes to his head]
[He looks like an unmade bed]
You've either got or you haven't got style
A flower's not a flower if it's wilted
(A hat's not a hat till it's tilted)
[You either got or you haven't got class]
[How it draws the applause of the masses]
(You either got, or you haven't got)
[Got or you haven't got]
You've either got or you haven't got style (got or you haven't got style)
[If you got it, it stands out a mile] (if you got it, it stands out a mile)
With mother of pearl kind of buttons
(You look like the Astors and Huttons)
[You either got or you haven't got class] (got or you haven't got class)
How it draws the applause of the masses
(You've either got, or you haven't style) [got or you haven't got style}
(Style and charm seem to go arm in ar) [seem togo arm in arm]
[A flower's not a flower] (if it's wilted)
[A hat's not a hat till it's tilted]
(You've either got or you haven't got style) [got or you haven't got style]
[If you got it, you stands out a mile] if you got it, you stand out a mile
(Got it you stand out) got it you stand out a mile
In Frank Sinatra's song Style, he sings about how some people get dressed just because it's a necessity, while others like the singer in the song get dressed because they enjoy the process of getting dressed itself. The persona admires the singer's sense of style, which is evident in his choice of clothing - he wears suspenders, a belt, and a vest, from the tip of his toes to his head, he looks like an unmade bed. The song talks about how style is something that one either has or does not have. If one has it, they stand out a mile.
The song highlights how the masses are drawn towards individuals with style and class. The lyrics suggest that one's choice of clothing can draw the applause of the masses when done right. The song emphasizes attention to detail, where a flower is no longer a flower once it has wilted, and a hat is not a hat until it is tilted. Style and charm seem to go arm in arm, as the song suggests. The singer's mother of pearl buttons give him a classic look, making him appear like the Astors and Huttons.
Line by Line Meaning
Some people dress 'cause they dress when they dress
Some people put on clothes just because they need to wear clothes
But he gets dressed to get dressed
He dresses up to feel good about himself
(It's only a hunch but I bet you a bunch)
(It's just a feeling but I'm pretty sure)
(He wears suspenders, a belt and a vest)
(He wears multiple layers of clothing)
[From the tip of his toes to his head]
[Every inch of him looks messy]
[He looks like an unmade bed]
[His appearance is unorganized]
You've either got or you haven't got style
Either you have style or you don't
(If you got it, you stand out a mile)
(If you have style, people will notice you)
A flower's not a flower if it's wilted
A flower loses its charm if it's not fresh
(A hat's not a hat till it's tilted)
(A hat looks best when it's on an angle)
[You either got or you haven't got class]
[Either you have class or you don't]
[How it draws the applause of the masses]
[How the public reacts to your appearance]
(You either got, or you haven't got)
(You either have it or you don't)
[Got or you haven't got]
[You have it or you don't]
With mother of pearl kind of buttons
With shiny white buttons
(You look like the Astors and Huttons)
(You look like a high-class individual)
(Style and charm seem to go arm in ar)
(Style and charm usually go hand in hand)
[A flower's not a flower]
[A flower loses its value]
(if it's wilted)
(if it's not fresh)
[A hat's not a hat till it's tilted]
[A hat looks best when it's on an angle]
(You've either got or you haven't got style)
(You either have style or you don't)
[If you got it, you stands out a mile]
[If you have style, people will notice you]
(Got it you stand out)
(If you have it, you will be noticed)
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALESHA ANJANETTE DIXON, MIKKEL STORLEER ERIKSEN, TOR ERIK HERMANSEN, HALLGEIR RUSTAN, CHRISTOPHER LOWE, NEIL FRANCIS TENNANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ramsestapsi5283
Some people dress 'cause they like to get dressed;
But you just dress to get dressed.
It's only a hunch, but I bet you a bunch:
He wears suspenders, a belt, and a vest.
>From the tip of your toes to your head...
You look like an unmade bed.
You've either got, or you haven't got style;
If you got it, you stand out a mile.
A flower's not a flower if it's wilted;
A hat's not a hat till it's tilted.
You've either got, or you haven't got class;
How it draws the applause of the masses.
When you wear lapels...
Like the swell of the swells...
You can pass any mirror and smile.
You've either got, or you haven't got...
....got, or you haven't got...
....got, or you haven't got style.
You've either got, or you haven't got style.
....got, or you haven't got style;
If you got it, you stand out a mile.
....got it, you stand out a mile.
With mother-of-pearl kind of buttons...
You look like the Astors and Huttons.
You've either got, or you haven't got class;
....got, or you haven't got class.
How it draws the applause of the masses.
When you wear lapels...
Like the swellest swells...
You can pass any mirror and smile.
You've either got, or you haven't got charm;
....got, or you haven't got charm.
Style and charm seem to go arm in arm;
....seem to go arm in arm.
A flower's not a flower if it's wilted;
A hat's not a hat till it's tilted.
You've either got, or you haven't got style;
....got, or you haven't got style;
....got, or you haven't got style.
If you got it, you stand out a mile;
....got it, you stand out a mile;
....got it, you stand out a mile.
When you were those duds,
Those with black-tie and studs,
Watch those dolls lining up single file.
You've either got, or you haven't got...
....got, or you haven't got...
....got, or you haven't got...
....got, or you haven't got...
....got, or you haven't got style..
@chrisgray3195
My grandfather never wore a pair of jeans. Only once did I see him in a t-shirt and that was because he was shaving. He was an engineer by trade and always dressed in a suit. Even on his days off, he wore a suit.
@m.p.2534
Same thing for my grandfather (a train engineer). Nowadays, whenever my grandmother talks of him, she keeps saying he used to be the greatest and most dashing gentleman she ever knew. ^^
@Gueroleon83
My grandfather’s were the same.. one never wore a pair of shorts in his entire life. They always dressed in suites didn’t ever have a pair of sport shoes (sneakers).belt shoes hat all matched.. impeccable 👍
@thefreeman8791
My grandfather was a dairy farmer but on Sunday he dressed with the best. Men back then at least understood how to be classy even if they couldn’t be daily.
@leerusz5032
My Grandad always wore his Sunday best. Any time he went out, he’d wear a suit. He shaved every day, sometimes twice if he was going out that night. He passed away in 2000 at the age of 88. But right to very end he always tried to look his best.
@kailashpatel1706
My dad was a Tailor, never wore a pair of jeans and neither did any of his 3 children..
@joedayer9755
Crosby: wears fancy clothes
Sinatra: “you look like an unmade bed.”
@carltrotter7622
Crosby is breaking many style rules from wearing a frock coat to matching vest and trousers and contrasting jacket.
It is also mentioned in the song that he is wearing ‘suspenders a belt and a vest’. What is meant here is that you should never wear a belt with a vest as it makes creases at the bottom (despite the fact that Sinatra is wearing one but I’d blame that on poor tailoring from the wardrobe department) and that instead you should wear suspenders, never together because they wear the same thing.
Later on, as Crosby gets changed into various clown-ish outfits with over-the-top pieces matched together we can see these similar errors again but in a more extreme form.
@carltrotter7622
seaweedWorkers no, I’d be very worried if a 16 year old could become a teacher. Why do you ask dear fellow?
@Danadop
Nothing but the best is enough for him