Frank Sinatra was a household name for many decades, first starting in the 1940’s and extended all the way to his death in ’98 at the age of 82. People recognized him instantly, and he was one of those people who could be called by their first names. When you said, “Frank”, everyone knew that it was Sinatra. His was a legendary career that touched many lives over those years.
When it came to self-confidence, there were fewer self-assured people on stage than Ol’ Blue Eyes himself. He knew his singing voice was a wonder for his legions of fans and he was more than comfortable commanding an audience. The more eyes that were on him, the brighter he shone when he performed. This was the unquestioned leader, at least publicly, of the famed Rat Pack during the 1950’s and ‘60s. We see his charisma on display in this video from a concert.
Sinatra’s music was all about atmosphere, and this concert had it in abundance. Here’s the Chairman of the Board, leaning back in a chair. No standing here for Frank. He got to lean back and just sing with that beautiful voice of his. Antonio Carlos Jobim was masterful with his guitar playing and his accompaniment. There were stories of how difficult he could be to play with since he had a near-unmatched musical ear and could instantly tell if someone missed a note. Jobim held his own here.
Jobim actually co-wrote “The Girl From Ipanema”, the song that Sinatra is singing. It’s a Brazilian bossa nova jazz tune, and Frank actually slowed it down from its original recording speed. Many people like this version, since the lyrics are a little easier to understand. The original did hit No. 5 on the Billboard Top 100 and it was a worldwide hit. Ol’ Blue Eyes did do the song justice.
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