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.
What's New
Frank Sinatra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How is the world treating you?
You haven't changed a bit
Lovely as ever, I must admit
What's new?
How did that romance come through?
We haven't met since then
What's new?
Probably I'm boring you
But seeing you is grand
And you were sweet to offer your hand
I understand. Adieu!
Pardon my asking what's new
Of course you couldn't know
I haven't changed, I still love you so
Gee, but it's nice to see you again
What's new?
Probably I'm boring you
But seeing you is so grand
And you were sweet to offer your hand
I understand. Adieu!
Pardon my asking what's new
Of course you couldn't know
I haven't changed, I still love you so
The song "What's New" by Frank Sinatra is a classic love song that is both simple and elegant in its lyrics. The song is about seeing an old flame after a long time and asking what's new in their life. Sinatra asks his ex-lover about their love life, offers his own admiration, and expresses his affection. The opening lines, "What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't changed a bit Lovely as ever, I must admit," signify the amicable nature of their current meeting. Sinatra, who is smitten, compliments his former lover on her appearance and is genuinely interested in how her life has played out since they last met. The line "How did that romance come through?" suggests that the two have not been in touch in a while and is intrigued to know about the romantic aspects of his ex-lover's life.
The song is straightforward, with minimal use of imagery, metaphors, and other literary devices that are common in love songs. It is easy to relate to the song and absorb its meaning without feeling emotionally taxed by complex emotions. The song's overall melody is soothing, matching the message of the song. It is a simple yet elegant song that typifies Sinatra's style and his vocal range.
Overall, "What's New" is a timeless classic that captures the essence of love. The lyric's simplicity reflects the purity of emotions and makes this song one that stands the test of time.
Line by Line Meaning
What's new?
What's happened in your life that I may have missed?
How is the world treating you?
How have you been doing? Any ups or downs?
You haven't changed a bit
You look just as lovely as the last time I saw you
Lovely as ever, I must admit
You are still as beautiful as I remember
How did that romance come through?
Did things work out with that person you were seeing the last time we met?
We haven't met since then
It's been a while since we've last seen each other
Gee, but it's nice to see you again
I'm happy to be in your company once more
Probably I'm boring you
I hope I'm not being too dull for you
But seeing you is grand
Just being with you makes me happy
And you were sweet to offer your hand
Your gesture of offering your hand was kind and thoughtful
I understand. Adieu!
I comprehend that you must leave. Goodbye!
Pardon my asking what's new
I hope you don't mind me inquiring about what's been happening in your life
Of course you couldn't know
I don't blame you for not knowing what's new with me either
I haven't changed, I still love you so
My feelings for you remain the same, despite the time apart
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHNNY BURKE, BOB HAGGART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nestor Rodrigues Pereira Filho
O velho Frank está cada vez melhor!!!
John Gray
Simply perfect recording and rendition of this song
Cholla Public Radio
I wish artists of this era filmed video inside the studio while recording, then we could truly see the emotions!
Steve Silverman
Your wish came true around the time film was developed. Just because you were conceived in a test tube doesn't mean you have to live in one. See "It Was a Very Good Year" for starters. Forgive the joke/insult, sometimes I can't help myself. Perhaps I should try harder.
Gil Vicente
I remember very much this song and the album. It was one of Sinatra's best album.
Maria Thereza Montenegro
What's new????? maravilhoso! eterno.
Tita Evans-Santini
Good to hear his long notes and vibrato.
Estela Minondo
Beautiful 😍❤️
nemo227
Frank's version and Linda Ronstadt's version are the best versions I've heard.
Johnnyc drums
nemo227; Joanie Sommer’s version is right up there in my opinion.