On SINATRA

One of my favorite CDs is Sinatra's
IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS.

Recorded right after his violent break-up
with Hollywood Goddess Ava Gardner,



this is The Chairman of the Board
at his most vulnerable,
yet also at his strongest.

With Nelson Riddle's spare arrangements
combined with Sinatra at his smokiest,

this is the album every man should have,
the perfect soundtrack to drinking scotch,
cigarette in hand, in solitude at 3am.


*cough!* been there, done that!!



Sinatra comes to mind now
because having just finished reading
J.R. Moehringer's "The Tender Bar",

I've realized that my best friend Dr. HonHon and I,
both Frank Fanatics,
are kindred spirits with barflies
all over the world:

Sinatra is our Patron Saint of
Scotch, Smoke, & Sentimentality.

Moehringer explains it beautifully:

"Sinatra's voice is the voice most men hear in their heads.
It's the paradigm of maleness.
It has the power men strive for,
and the confidence.

And yet when Sinatra is hurt,
busted up,
his voice changes.

Not that the confidence goes away,
but just beneath the confidence
is a strain of insecurity,

and you hear the two impulses warring for his soul,
you hear all the confidence and insecurity
in every note,

because Sinatra lets you hear,
lays himself bare,
which men so seldom do."