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The best of Ol’ Blue Eyes: The top six Frank Sinatra items you should consume

The Columbian
Published: June 6, 2015, 12:00am
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KEG Productions
KEG Productions Photo Gallery

I’ve had some emails after our “Why Sinatra Still Matters” piece asking for specific listening recommendations. Easy enough. You really can’t go wrong, unless perhaps you pop on the future section of “Trilogy.”

But let’s not restrict ourselves to music. Sinatra was an entertainer who crossed media lines. And his life story, from the age of the Model-T through Hollywood, Vegas and finally Los Angeles, also is remarkable and worth examining.

1) “Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely” (1958) — None of the Capital records are stinkers, but this torch song classic is a big candy bowl of downers … and I mean that in a good way. “What’s New.” “Ebb Tide.” And, of course, “One for My Baby.” “So, set ’em up, Joe …”

2) “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962) — Frank had his ups and downs (“Cannonball Run II”) on the big screen, but this is by far his greatest moment. So committed to John Frankenheimer’s thriller was Sinatra that he let the filmmakers use his private plane for a scene and also broke his hand during production. If that’s not enough, there’s also Angela Lansbury’s deliciously nasty turn.

3) “The Way You Wear Your Hat: Frank Sinatra and the Lost Art of Livin’ ” (1997) — There are several more definitive biographies, as well as a series of slash-and-burn tell-alls. Bill Zehme’s book is something else. It’s breezy and as conversational as a gig at the Sands, plus it might feature Sinatra’s final exchange with the press.

4) “Sinatra & Sextet: Live in Paris” (1962) — A complete show from 1962, the set is packed with classics, from the dark and moody to up-tempo swing. The between-song banter is rich, even when it makes you cringe. Does Frank really say, after “Old Man River,” that it’s a “song about Sammy Davis’ people and this is a song about my people” before sliding into “The Lady Is a Tramp.” You bet.

5) “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold” (1966) — This is how Gay Talese invented a new style of journalism. This piece, done without Sinatra’s participation for Esquire, penetrates more than any interview the singer did. Watch Frank mope, pick fights and get followed around by his toupee handler. Not a word you’ll want to skip.

6) “Duets I & II” (1993, 1994) — I know. These sterile “duets” feature singers who didn’t even perform in the same room as Sinatra. But listen more closely. First, the man is committed, even if some of the pairings are beyond odd. (Gloria Estefan? Kenny G?) The influence of these records is wide. Second, Sinatra’s success likely gave a boost to the Great American Songbook, sparking far more good (Michael Bublé) than bad (Rod Stewart). And can inspiring others to record Cole Porter ever be a bad thing?

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