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 Brooklyn Bridge
Frank Sinatra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like to plant my feet on the Brooklyn Bridge
What a lovely view from
Heaven looks at you from the Brooklyn Bridge
I love to listen to the wind through her strings
The song that she sings for the town
I love to look up at the clouds in her hair
If you've been a rover
Journey's end lies over the Brooklyn Bridge
Don't let no one tell you
I've been tryin' to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge
All the folks in Manhattan are sad
'Cause they look at her and wish they had
The good old Brooklyn Bridge
If you've been a rover
Journey's end lies over the Brooklyn Bridge
Don't let no one tell you
I've been tryin' to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge
You'll miss her most when you roam
'Cause you'll think of her and think of home
The good old Brooklyn Bridge
Frank Sinatra's The Brooklyn Bridge is a song that reflects on the beauty and charm of the bridge from different perspectives. The lyrics convey a sense of affection and nostalgia for this majestic landmark. The song begins with the singer expressing a desire to plant his feet on the bridge, to absorb the lovely view it presents. The lyrics suggest a feeling of peace and contentment that comes from standing on a bridge that offers a breathtaking view of the city. The bridge is like a gateway to paradise, with heaven looking down on the viewer from above. This theme of heavenly transcendence is reinforced throughout the song.
The second verse continues the appreciation for the bridge's beauty, as the singer describes the sounds of the wind through the bridge's strings, as if the bridge itself were singing. The singer sees the bridge as a beautifully adorned and regal figure with clouds in her hair and a crown to wear. The song then takes a slight turn, as the singer urges the listener, who may have been a rover, to journey's end over the bridge, but not to let anyone sell them the bridge. The song ends with the singer leaving the listener with the sentimental feeling that they will always miss the bridge, as it will always be a symbol of home and comfort.
Line by Line Meaning
Like the folks you meet on
Just like the diverse groups of people you encounter while strolling on
Like to plant my feet on the Brooklyn Bridge
I find peace while physically standing on the Brooklyn Bridge
What a lovely view from
Observing the picturesque sights from atop the Brooklyn Bridge is captivating
Heaven looks at you from the Brooklyn Bridge
Being on the Brooklyn Bridge means being closely watched by heaven
I love to listen to the wind through her strings
A melodious tune is played by the wind passing through the cables of the Brooklyn Bridge
The song that she sings for the town
This music is dedicated to the city of Brooklyn
I love to look up at the clouds in her hair
Gazing at the formations of clouds above the Brooklyn Bridge, which sometimes make it appear to have a head full of hair, is a beloved activity.
She's learned to wear like a crown
The Brooklyn Bridge has majestically earned her place among iconic jewels like a crown
If you've been a rover
For those who've wandered or travelled a lot
Journey's end lies over the Brooklyn Bridge
Their awaited destination is across that famous suspension bridge
Don't let no one tell you
Do not permit anyone to dupe you
I've been tryin' to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge
I never intended to sell you the landmark; it refers to a famous scam where the bridge was sold to unsuspecting tourists.
All the folks in Manhattan are sad
People in Manhattan are disappointed by their lack of a bridge as famous and influential as the Brooklyn Bridge
'Cause they look at her and wish they had
They are envious of the beauty and significance of the Brooklyn Bridge
The good old Brooklyn Bridge
The treasured and renowned Brooklyn Bridge
You'll miss her most when you roam
When you are away from the bridge, it will be sorely missed
'Cause you'll think of her and think of home
The Bridge reminds one of all that is familiar and comforting
The good old Brooklyn Bridge
Once more we are reminiscing about the nostalgic and beloved Brooklyn Bridge
Lyrics © THE MUSIC GOES ROUND, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JULE STYNE, SAMMY CAHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Licelot Diaz
The Brooklyn Bridge
Frank Sinatra
Like the folks you meet on
Like to plant my feet on the Brooklyn Bridge
What a lovely view from
Heaven looks at you from the Brooklyn Bridge
I love to listen to the wind through her strings
The song that she sings for the town
I love to look up at the clouds in her hair
She's learned to wear like a crown
If you've been a rover
Journey's end lies over the Brooklyn Bridge
Don't let no one tell you
I've been tryin' to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge
All the folks in Manhattan are sad
'cause they look at her and wish they had
The good old Brooklyn Bridge
If you've been a rover
Journey's end lies over the Brooklyn Bridge
Don't let no one tell you
I've been tryin' to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge
You'll miss her most when you roam
'cause you'll think of her and think of home
The good old Brooklyn Bridge
Traducir al español
Compositores: Cahn Sammy / Styne Jule
Jim Thompson
The Brooklyn Bridge is a beautifully hand built edifice and a truly remarkable structure even by today's standards. Every time I travel to New York and view this structure I am in amazement of the engineering and skill that was required in the construction. It is analogous to the Pyramids of Egypt.This beautiful song is a fitting compliment to this bridge.
Dr Hashem Thinkers
I like your passion about the iconic bridge .. im writing its story ..
joseph machol
great song,sang by one of the best singers of all time.i was born and raised in brooklyn and have always been a huge fan of frank, dean and the rat pack.franks's voice is just perfect as he sings this.
Joan Baguley
I love this song and really enjoyed the movie too! Thank you for sharing this song! Love Frank Sinatra
:-)
Karl Hungus
Here's another tune from the film, though this version is a decade later:
https://youtu.be/qeq3d38F4xc
KAISO Records
One of the best song sung by Frank Sinatra.
Licelot Diaz
The Brooklyn Bridge
Frank Sinatra
Like the folks you meet on
Like to plant my feet on the Brooklyn Bridge
What a lovely view from
Heaven looks at you from the Brooklyn Bridge
I love to listen to the wind through her strings
The song that she sings for the town
I love to look up at the clouds in her hair
She's learned to wear like a crown
If you've been a rover
Journey's end lies over the Brooklyn Bridge
Don't let no one tell you
I've been tryin' to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge
All the folks in Manhattan are sad
'cause they look at her and wish they had
The good old Brooklyn Bridge
If you've been a rover
Journey's end lies over the Brooklyn Bridge
Don't let no one tell you
I've been tryin' to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge
You'll miss her most when you roam
'cause you'll think of her and think of home
The good old Brooklyn Bridge
Traducir al español
Compositores: Cahn Sammy / Styne Jule
Antonio Carlos Novelli
Sinatra era ótimo nessa época!
patriciobsas278
Hi again! I spent last week in NYC on business and on Saturday afternoon, as I was staying in the financial district area, I decided to go visit my beloved bridge...it was really magic, in the morning the day had been chilly and overcast...went to Pier 17 and saw her with that misty outfit...all of a sudden a faint sunbeam went through the clouds and was the prelude of a sunny afternoon that led me to also "plant my feet" on the Brooklyn Bridge. Unforgettable... (continue reading)
JoggingOnTheMoon
good point - frank did seem to impart a great sort of NY atmosphere with his early recordings that faded as he moved out west. i think that's a big part of why, in spite of my deep affection for 'In the Wee Small Hours', i favor these Columbia sides.