Francis Albert Sinatra (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American s… Read Full Bio ↴Francis Albert Sinatra (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer, actor, and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide.

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.

The Bells Of Christmas
Frank Sinatra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The bells, the bells, ringing everywhere for the sound of Christmas is in the air,
The bells, the bells, from the steeple above, telling us it's the season of love,
Ring out, let the tale be told that inspires the dream of the young and old,
Love, love, let your hearts unfold, for the bells of Christmas are ringing.
The bells, the bells, on a wintry night, with the friendly fire burning warm and bright,
The bells, the bells, on the steeple above, telling us it's the season of love.
Ring out, let the tale be told, that inspires the dream of the young and old,
Love, love, let your hearts unfold, for the bells of Christmas are ringing.

The bells, the bells, they've been here and now, to a world that almost forgotten how
The bells, the bells, from the steeple above, telling us it's the season of love.
Ring out, let the tale be told that inspires the dream of the young and old,

Love, love, let your hearts unfold, for the bells of Christmas are ringing.
The bells of Christmas are ringing.

Overall Meaning

Frank Sinatra's song "Christmas Bells" is a festive anthem that exalts the joy and beauty of the holiday season. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of Christmas time, where bells are ringing everywhere, and the sound of Christmas can be felt in the air. The song begins with the bells, bells, bells ringing everywhere, creating a perfect atmosphere for the season of love. The bells, bells, bells on the steeple above remind us that the holidays are the season of love. The lyrics encourage people to let their hearts unfold and inspire the dreams of both young and old.

The song then goes onto describe the warmth and beauty of the Christmas night. The bells are heard on a wintry night, and there is a friendly fire burning warm and bright. The lyrics again remind us that the bells are on the steeple above, leading us to the conclusion that it's the season of love. The song concludes on a hopeful note, that the bells of Christmas have been here and now, to a world that has almost forgotten how to love. Therefore, the bells of Christmas should ring out, inspiring the young and old to love, and let their hearts unfold.

Overall, "Christmas Bells" is a beautiful declaration of the joyous atmosphere and the love that surrounded this festive holiday. The lyrics paint a picture of a time when people come together to celebrate and love each other. As the holiday season approaches, this song reminds us to cherish the moments, to let our hearts unfold, and to embrace the spirit of Christmas.

Line by Line Meaning

The bells, the bells, ringing everywhere for the sound of Christmas is in the air,
The cheerful sound of Christmas is all around us and the bells signify the arrival of this festival.

The bells, the bells, from the steeple above, telling us it's the season of love,
The bells from the church steeple remind us that this is the time to spread love and joy to others.

Ring out, let the tale be told that inspires the dream of the young and old,
Let's spread the story of Christmas that creates hope for everyone, irrespective of their age.

Love, love, let your hearts unfold, for the bells of Christmas are ringing.
Allow your heart to be filled with love and warmth, as Christmas is here to celebrate that feeling.

The bells, the bells, on a wintry night, with the friendly fire burning warm and bright,
On a cold winter night, the bells continue to ring and the warm fire in the fireplace creates an inviting atmosphere.

The bells, the bells, they've been here and now, to a world that almost forgotten how
The bells have arrived to remind us of the joy and happiness that we have forgotten in our busy lives.

The bells of Christmas are ringing.
The sound of bells during Christmas signifies the arrival of this festival and spreads joy and love all around.

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SAMMY CAHN, JIMMY VAN HEUSEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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