My Favorite Frank Sinatra Songs

When the topic at hand asked me to give "(the name of your favorite artist or band)" I was so excited! Finally, here was a chance to give my rather one-sided view on the subject.

I was raised on classics, not because it was a punishment, but because I enjoyed the melodious sounds of crooners from the twenties through the thirties, forties and fifties. No wonder I would pick Frank Sinatra as man of the hour. Each song number has a precious antiquity about it. Representing that day and age, times were different in that era. As an idealist every song holds a special meaning to me. Giving me a hope for true romance tossed in with some tragedy, melancholy and a bit of soul. Old fashioned kind of perspective maybe but it isn't out of date it's a way of how life used to be. Each song tells its own story. A different point of view into the life of how it was, pardon the cliché 'back then.' The first song I picked was "Witchcraft ," Frank Sinatra was referring to a bewitching kind of love in the song. I like to refer to the title of the song as a whole overview of his voice. Entrancing in its smooth rich sound, his voice holds its own kind of magic.

You can't help but love some of the old classics. Frank Sinatra's version of "OL' Man River," most who've seen Show Boat would recognize that song. Another song "Stormy Weather," sang before by Lena Horne who is a favorite jazz singer of mine. But Sinatra always makes any song he sings one of a kind. How it just flows, captures your attention if you let it. Many a time, before work I would just sit in my car, and relax to the sounds of Sinatra's vocals. What I would do to have a voice with that kind of power and feeling. He makes it sound so easy to do. Even if I'm the worst singer in the world, it feels to me by listening to his voice that it doesn't matter. Enjoyment of music is what matters. Listening to the casual swing, or the moody blues makes me feel that I can accomplish anything. It gives me a little hope when times seem so troublesome. Now personally if I would ask someone my age to give "(the name of your favorite artist or band)" usually the response would have to do with some new and upcoming rock band. I guess I'm not typical but uniqueness makes us who we are. Honestly being who I am I appreciate all different kinds of music, but Sinatra stands out in my eyes.

Just skimming through what I listed, another famous song and a favorite of mine is "Over the Rainbow," sung also in The Wizard of Oz, representing when dreams and realities collide. It may be a case of romanticism, but I love the feeling of looking forward to every day and that song has a habit of making me feel like I can. "Over the Rainbow" has a traces of melancholy threaded through it. It makes it slightly dark, but even so deeply moving. Sinatra's voice causes me to drift back into a whole different genre of living. A 'joie de' vivre' that seems lost in the everyday hustle and bustle. Basically what I love most about Frank Sinatra and his whole style is the effect it has over me. Things slow down, and I take a journey to a world I wish I'd known.

Songs such as "Come Fly With Me," and "Night And Day," are two of the more 'upbeat' songs. At least what I would consider as having a kind of lilt to them. Those two songs both give me a feel good kind of attitude. Not to say they don't all but they more so then most. Maybe it's the way Sinatra sings them, I'm not sure but it just sounds right. When I'm feeling rather 'grizzly' both those songs cause me to tap my foot and tell myself that it's alright to be feeling this way because everyone does once in awhile. As for the songs: "I See Your Face Before Me," "It's Magic," " All Or Nothing At All" and "My Funny Valentine," that's for the truly romantic listener. Relationships are constantly tumultuous, filled with ups and downs and bumps in the road. Every one of those songs I've hummed along to or sung a few chords of and every time I've felt a little bit better afterwards. Usually when I listened to those kinds of songs it was after a tough time in the rocky relationship section of my life. I used those various songs as a tribute to the; 'There's always other fish in the sea,' adage. Over all its hard to judge really which song I like the most. I listed them in kind of time line of my life. Which song applied to me at which time in order from one to ten. Not one of them are singularly my favorite all of them are favorites. Music can simply be expressions of life, a different face on every note. Music speaks and sometimes all I can do is listen. Frank Sinatra's voice has the ability to show me reality but fill it with beauty instead of sadness.

1. Witchcraft
2. I See Your Face Before Me
3. It's Magic
4. Come Fly With Me
5. All Or Nothing At All
6. Ol' Man River
7. Over The Rainbow
8. My Funny Valentine
9. Stormy Weather
10.Night and Day