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March 21, 2016

History of a vintage song: My Way by Frank Sinatra


First and foremost, happiest start of springtime wishes! And to those south of the equator, joyful start of autumn wishes alike. No matter if the weather in your area is jiving with the calendar, the fact remains that winter is on its way out the door and we'll soon be rotating in our warm weather threads, wearing open toed shoes, and awakening, like the earth itself, to all of pleasures, beauties and wonders of this gentle, marvelous season!

Last year I had the pleasure of interviewing big band jazz musician Glenn Crytzer. I capped off that post by discussing how I'd like to involve more music as part of my blog and that desire has not wavered. With spring's return, I feel like cranking up the volume on life and the tunes I listen to alike, and as such put on my thinking cap as to how I, someone who adores music but is not a musician or singer themselves, could do that on a regular basis.

Given the very nature of this blog, the answer burst out at me quite quickly: start a new randomly occurring blog post series in which I shine the spotlight on a particular vintage song and by extension the artist or group behind it (of course some songs have been covered many times by a wide range of artists and in such instances, I will likely focus on the - or one of the - best known/most famous).

My tastes in music, as in so many areas of my life, is eclectic. I was fortunate to have grown up in a home where music was highly appreciated and where a vast array of genres and artists were on heavy rotation. From Motown to Mozart, The Bee Gees to The Cure, Abba to ZZ Top, on vinyl, 8-track, cassette tape, and CD, music was a both a point and a highlight of my youth and the appreciation for it that took root then has only deepened as time has passed.

As a mid-century vintage lover, wearer and blogger, I'm sometimes asked if I "only listen to vintage (aka, in many people's minds, correspondingly 1930s - 1950s) music". I understand why some folks might think as much, but the answer to that query is a resounding "no!".

I certainly adore and have many favourites from that time period, but my tastes in music far broader and I listen to songs that are hundreds of years old (classical music) to bracingly new releases from artists around the world. I couldn't personally imagine not enjoying at least a few different types of music and feel that limiting oneself in such a way would be akin to, by choice, only eating a tiny handful of foods or just watching a couple of TV shows throughout your whole life.

For the sake of this post series however, I am going to focus on vintage songs, though not strictly ones from the 1930s - 50s, particularly since I am massive fan of classic rock from the 1960s, 70s and 80s and it would be a disservice to fellow music lovers everywhere if I didn't feature a wide range of genres, time frames and artists.

So all that said, on with the show! But what song to pick first? It wasn't an easy choice at all, thanks to the unending bevy of fantastic, beautiful, culturally significant and/or just plain fun tunes that have been produced over the years. Ultimately, my gut kept going back to the same song however, one that Tony and I both adore.
 
Maestro, a drum roll, if you please.......
 
For the first ever edition of History of a Vintage Song, let's take a peek at none other than Frank Sinatra's 1969 classic, My Way.



{Man, legend, and sensational crooner, Frank Sinatra's dynamic career spanned both decades and generations, ensuring his rightful place as one of the best there ever was - a point that was only aided further by his 1969 smash hit "My Way". Vintage image source.}


The lyrics of this song were penned by none other than recording artist Paul Anka and were partnered with music that had originally belonged to a French song called Comme d'habitude (from composers Jacques Revaux and Gilles Thibault). Though the music itself is very similar, the words of the two songs are not the same and deal with different subject matters.

It was while on holiday to the south of France that Anka first heard the French pop song that had been released in 1967. He was struck by the melody (though later claimed that he thought the album itself was "bad") and knew that he wanted to work with it stateside, so he bopped over to Paris to negotiate rights to use the music.

Anka received as much and returned to the States, where he subtly altered the music and rewrote the words. Intending them, from the get-go for Sinatra, whom Anka has said in interviews he kept squarely in mind when doing so, trying to imagine what Sinatra might say were he the one writing the lyrics (right down to the kind of Rat Pack era lingo that Frank himself was using in his daily speech at the time).



{Canadian born teen heartthrob and legendary musician Paul Anka, seen here as a young man, penned the words to My Way, one the most famous songs Frank Sinatra would ever sing. A highly gifted song writer, Anka is also the man behind such hits as Tom Jone's "She's a Lady". Vintage image source.}


Interestingly, Anka's recording company was initially irked that he hadn't kept the song for himself. However, rather sweetly, if one thinks about - he said that he felt that he wasn't the right person to sing the song, specifying from the get-go that he knew it was meant for Frank and Frank alone (though, perhaps not surprisingly, Paul Anka would go on to release the song himself five times, the first of which was in 1969, the same year that Frank's hit debuted on the airwaves).


Sinatra's version was first recorded on December 30, 1968, and was released shortly thereafter on an eponymously named single and (full) album.


{The album cover of Frank Sinatra's highly successful and hugely popular My Way album from 1969.}

In the midst of an era filled with politic ballads, fluffy pop songs, experimental sounds, and the melodies of the hippie counterculture, My Way - itself symbolic in many regards of the emergence of independence for numerous groups in society at the time - was a bold, no holds barred celebration of the melodic power ballads, if you were, that made artists like Frank, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and many others of their era irrefutable stars and beloved households names.

As a song and a message, it is thrilling. One cannot listen to My Way and not feel inspired, energized and fueled by the soul and strength that Frank poured into every silken voice filled word.

Even in the electrically charged, uncertain times that it was released in, My Way was very well received by the listening public, reaching the 27th spot on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and the second spot on the Easy Listening chart in the United States.

Across the pond in the UK, May Way spent a still-unmatched record of the most number of weeks (75) a song has ever remained in the Top 40, with an additional forty-nine weeks in the Top 75.


                     
 
{Sinatra performing My Way on stage to a live crowd in London, England in 1971.}


Though more than 100 (seriously!) different artists around the world have since recorded their own versions of My Way, not surprisingly, Frank's original remains the seminal standard and most beloved of them all. 

Recorded at a time when Sinatra had already been in the music business for more than 30 years, experiencing waves of popularity and decline alike in both the 50s and 60s, this song cemented his place in the halls of the best musicians of all-time. 

It was brazen, honest and spoke deeply to Frank's very full life and career itself. With confidence, swagger and unmatched showmanship, Sinatra belted out that "I took the blows and did it my way" and the world nodded. The public knew, and still knows, that he did. That he was the king of his era's music and a timeless classic in the same go. 

Fascinatingly, various sources, including Sinatra's daughter Tina herself, have said that Frank wasn't a huge fan of a song that many hold up as the crowning glory of his illustrious, multi-decade spanning career. 

Personally however, I have a hard time believing that in his heart of hearts, he didn't appreciated and secretly like, if not love, the song that further established his place as one of the greatest and most talented singers to ever walk the face of the earth.

As someone for whom personal independence (something that at various points I have had had to fight tooth and nail for) has always been of unmatched importance, My Way has been an anthem of sorts for me throughout my life. I am not alone on this front in the slightest. 



{Image source}


Countless people for decades now have been touched and motivated by the "walk your own path" message that this My Way encourages. And even if it wasn't personally Sinatra's absolute favourite tune, I can't help but think that, surely, he must have loved knowing what an important role it had on the lives of countless others - both in the moment and for the rest of time - who have been inspired to "do it their own way", too, because of this incredible song. 



48 comments:

  1. Fascinating stuff Jessica! I do love that classic song, and it's interesting to hear a bit more about it. I can add a fun fact - Welsh singer Dorothy Squires did a version that was more successful than anybody elses (even Frank's) in terms of sales. I hope you have a good week xx

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    1. Very interesting fact. It's awesome how many great singers have come out of Wales over the years. Is there a particular Welsh singer (or group) that you absolutely adore above all the rest?

      Big hugs & many thanks for your terrific comment,
      ♥ Jessica

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  2. Oh, I love Frank! Especially in musicals. I just watched "My Pal Joey" and it was soooooo good! :)

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    1. That's such a great mid-century flick. I want all of Rita and Kim's outfits from it! :)

      Thank you very much for your lovely comment, Laurie. I hope that you're having a splendid first week of spring!

      ♥ Jessica

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  3. Very interesting! Maybe Frank got tired of hearing it, so that's why he wasn't a fan ;) Unfortunately, I can't bring myself to associate this song with anything other than funerals - particularly since I heard it was the #1 most-picked song to play guests out in the UK. I don't know if that still stands, but I've never forgotten it!

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    1. Totally possible. Tony received a copy of Sinatra: The Chairman for Christmas, which just came out last fall. It's a major tomb of a book on Frank's life and one that I can't wait to read myself, too (we always share books when one of us gets a title that the other will enjoy). I wonder if there will be any further clues in there as to why he wasn't overly wild about this smash hit.

      That's really interesting about this song being used so heavily at funerals. I'm not sure what the most frequently played ones are here in Canada, but two that have appeared at some of the funerals and celebrations of life that I've attended have been Clapton's "Tears in Heaven" and Sarah Mclachlan's "In The Arms of An Angel".

      Many hugs & joyful start of springtime wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  4. this is such an interesting story. Ive always liked Frank and I find the origins of different songs very intereting. Fred astaire is my favorite singer, and dancer, and I think an interesting fact is he same one more for my baby and one more for the road in a musical before Frank ever did

    retro rover

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    1. Same here! The history of just about anything intrigues me, but with music, there's that tangible element of having your own memories tied to so many different songs, and thus the stories behind them are even more meaningful.

      Fred was a true dynamo, too, and I'll definitely keep one (or more) of his tunes in mind for inclusion in future editions of this new post series.

      Big hugs & happy Easter week wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  5. I adore midcentury music. I grew up with my parents' rock'n'roll records, but now I mostly listen to the what the adults listened to in the fifties. In fact I've just sold the My Way LP in my Etsy shop. I have so many Sinatra records, so I had to sort some out. My all time favourites are Sam Cooke, Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole. I never get tired of listening to them. As a child I was a HUGE Elvis fan, and do listen to his music now and then. Lately I've listened to Credence, I had completely forgotten how great they are. I also love rock, but DH doesn't, and he doesn't complain when I play fifties entertainment music. Great series, I will look forward to seeing more posts like these. Have a lovely day, dear. :)

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    1. Oh my word, yes! CCR for the win always and forever! They're one of my favourite groups of all-time and such a true (musical) symbol of the early to mid years of classic rock.

      I adore Elvis, too, and would be shocked if one or more of his songs doesn't make it into this series as time goes on.

      I'm really looking forward to future songs, too, and have started a list of ones that I might like to include here as time goes on. It's fascinating, to me, already to see the diverse array of responses in regards to this famous offering from Frank. I think music is an area where a lot of people have strong tastes and opinions and I'm sure I'll continue to get to know those of my readers better through these fun song history posts.

      Sending oodles of hugs your way!
      ♥ Jessica

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  6. PS: A funny anecdote just came to my mind. I remember many years ago I saw an interview with David Bowie, he said he had translated the song for Sinatra, but since Sinatra chose Anka's version, Bowie made a reference to it in one of his songs. I am sure we can google it more precisely than my old memory, but it is just fun to know. :)

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    1. That's super interesting. Thank you for expanding on the history of this classic hit, lovely lady.

      xoxo ♥ Jessica

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  7. I watched his biography recently in Netflix - it was amazing ! I was thrilled to learn that the hotel I stayed in Cuba was where he sealed his relationship with Ava Gardner (who's room I slept in!).
    I was thrilled to see how ample his career was and of course I think MY WAY is one of the best songs ever.

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    1. Ooohhh, I wonder if it's on Netflix Canada? I'm going to look into that pronto. Thank you for mentioning that there's one about Frank up there now.

      It truly is. I know that it's not everyone's favourite tune of Franks, but it's sure up there for me and Tony alike, and I find it to be such a hugely motivational song, too, so I play it quite often.

      Thank you for your great comment, sweet Lorena. Have a beautiful week!

      xoxo ♥ Jessica

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  8. This is so interesting! I love this song. It's one of my favorites :)

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    1. Same here! It's a brilliant, gripping, inspiring song and will forever be a firm favourite of mine, too.

      Wishing you an awesome Easter week, dear lady!
      ♥ Jessica

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  9. Very interesting! I love reading about the history behind things especially some of my fave songs. Really good post can't wait to read your next history music post.

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    1. Thank you very much, lovely Akram. I'd delighted to know that you're keen on this new post series. I'm really looking forward to (penning) future editions, too. I haven't settled on the next song quite yet, but did start a list of possible ideas and have a feeling I know which one it's going to be. :)

      Many hugs & happy Tuesday wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  10. I love Frank Sinatra! Thanks for sharing the story behind this song!

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    1. My pleasure, dear Grace. Thank you very much for your supportive comment. I'm really excited about this new post series and can hardly wait to pen the next one (though will, mostly likely, be spacing them out at least a few weeks apart so as to not overload my readers with vintage music posts and run the risk of having the series go stale).

      Big hugs & joyful Easter week wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  11. Jessica,

    Knowing how much I love Sinatra, I absolutely adore this post. The history behind songs is quite fascinating, and I am delighted that you chose to focus on "My Way" first.

    Wonderful post, and I am joyously looking forward to the rest of this series. Cheers!

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet gal. I swear, I was thinking about you and your unending passion for Frank and his work while I was penning this entry. Given the incredible breadth of his career and discography, I'd be surprised if this was the only tune of Sinatra's to appear in this series as time goes on.

      Big hugs & joyful start of spring wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  12. Oooh I'm excited for this new series, Jessica! I do love inspiring, self-confidence, independence songs too, and this is certainly a classic in that category.

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    1. Isn't it though! If I was making a list of the top ten songs that light a fire under, or help to empower, me, "My Way" would definitely be on it.

      Thank you very much for your lovely comment. Have a fantastic Easter week!

      ♥ Jessica

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  13. What a wonderful post Jessica. I do love Frank Sinatra, but I prefer his older work though. I also love his work with Tommy Dorsey. Nevertheless, My Way is a real classic! xxx

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    1. I think a lot of people, both inside and out of the vintage world share your feelings on his earlier work. I love just about everything he ever recorded (or acted in), but do see his earlier and later works in somewhat varying lights, if only because of the vastly different sociological backgrounds that they appeared against.

      Many thanks for your lovely comment. Have a splendid start of spring!

      xoxo ♥ Jessica

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  14. Off topic from the subject of this post, but - oh wow, you interviewed Glen Cryzter? As a lindy hopper, I dance to his music all the time! I must admit I'm not such a fan of 'My Way', but Sinatra was something else.

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    1. Off-topic comments are always welcome, no worries there, my dear. Yes, ma'am, I had the pleasure of chatting with Glenn via email last year and really enjoyed the post that came about from our Q&A chats. It's great to know you're a big fan of his fantastic work as well.

      Wishing you a terrific start of spring!
      ♥ Jessica

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  15. Happiest of springtime wishes to you too, Jess!!
    Oh my goodness what fun it was to read this. I love music in general, not to mention all the good old music i love. And dear dear Frank, how i just adore his voice!! Your writing takes on such a warm and insightful tone, such an awesome post!!

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    1. Thank you deeply, dear Abigail. This post very much ties back to my recent entry regarding being an eclectic person and my desire, due to such, to share a wider array of things/topics/people/etc that I adore with my readers and I it was a genuine joy to pen a piece on a song that has always been near and dear to my heart.

      Many hugs & joyful Easter week wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  16. Of all singers I do love Frank Sinatra. I fell "in love" when I was a little girl and saw him in a film singing and dancing "New York" dressed as a Marine. My father had worked as Marine as well and it was, as I said before, love at first sight, ups! Have a Great Easter Time, Eva (from Luxembourg/Germany).

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    1. Isn't it fascinating how our early childhood experiences can have such a profound and lasting impression on our tastes in music (and many other elements of our lives)? Thank you for sharing that special memory with me/us here, dear Eva.

      Wishing you a beautiful, serene Easter season as well.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  17. Thank you for sharing the history behind this song Jessica! I enjoyed reading more about Frank Sinatra's life as well as the history of the song.
    I can't wait to see what other songs you cover in future editions of this series.

    Cheers!

    Brigid
    the Middle Sister and Singer

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet Brigid. Penning this post has really sparked a fire under me to share more about music here on my blog and my mind is already swirling with possible songs to include in future editions of this series. There are countless wonderful, socially important, catchy, or just plain fun songs out there and while it would be impossible to cover them all, I really hope to delve into the history of many more as time goes.

      Joyful Easter week wishes to you and your family!

      xoxo ♥ Jessica

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  18. I am very happy to find a post dedicated to the music of Frank Sinatra, a true legend of the music and style .. "My Way" is a favorite of mine (also in punk version, ehehhehe !!). I often listen to Frank Sinatra, for three reasons: he is a great, his songs are ever green, and finally are very useful in vintage dance (I am studying boogie and lindy hop, but my favorite is dancing the Charleston, because you can dance alone, and even at parties 80s!) .. Then it's nice to discover that you were born and raised in the middle of the music, different periods and styles .. is exactly the same for me! Ah! A special wish for you and Tony, why on March 21, although late!

    baci

    serena

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    1. It's a huge favourite of mine as well. Few songs can ramp up my energy and lift my spirits quite like this iconic tune does.

      Thank you very much for your terrific comment, my fellow music loving lady.

      Have a splendid start of spring!
      ♥ Jessica

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  19. Really an interesting read! I can't say I knew much about the song, but I had no idea that it was a reworking of an older song. I'm a little sad that Frank didn't love it more, because you're right - it's an incredible statement about who he was as a person, and I know it resonates with a lot of folks.
    I can't wait for the next song!

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    1. Objectively, I find that hard to believe, too. It was such a massive hit, surely he must have appreciated that element of it at least. It's a shame we lost him in 1998. It would have been fascinating to see if, as time went on, he changed his tune (pun sort of intended ;D) much later in life regarding this iconic song.

      Many hugs & happy Easter countdown wishes!
      ♥ Jessica

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  20. I love Frank Sinatra! I didn't know about the story behind this song, that's really neat. I love learning the backstory behind favorite songs :)

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    1. Same here! Not every song has an epic tale behind it, must a surprising number of older songs in particular are rich in history and fun facts. I'm really excited about this new series and look forward to bringing my readers many more enjoyable posts about some of our favourite songs.

      Big hugs & joyful weekend wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  21. Thanks for sharing! As a musician and vintage enthusiast, I love learning more about the history of music.

    Sarah

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    1. It's my sincere pleasure, Sarah. Thank you very much for your lovely comment. My mind is already swirling with ideas for future posts in this series and I hope to have another one up towards the end of the season (I'm leaning towards picking a very summery song to celebrate the warmer months).

      Sending oodles of hugs & happy Easter wishes your way,
      ♥ Jessica

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  22. i really like sinatra - but i´v been always more of a dean martin gal :-) his italien style songs are sooo charming!!!!!
    hugs&kisses
    <3 <3 <3

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    1. Goodness, are they ever! I'm a huge fan of Deano's as well and am as good as certain that I'll be shining the spotlight on at least one or two of them over the course of this new post series' life.

      Big hugs & happy tail end of March wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  23. This will be such an interesting series if this first post is anything to go by. I learnt loads about this classic song.

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    1. Thank you very much! I'm really jazzed (music pun intended :D) about this new series and already know what the second song that I'll be shining the spotlight on is going to be. Watch for it around the end of spring (I want to help try and keep this series fresh by spacing entries out a bit).

      I hope that things are well on your end this week, my sweet friend. I can scarcely believe that March is as good as over. What a speedy month this was!

      Many hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  24. This was very interesting and informative. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. My pleasure, sweet lady. Many thanks in turn for your lovely comment. I greatly enjoyed penning this post and already know what song will be in the limelight here for the second edition (which will be coming down the pipeline towards the end of spring).

      Big hugs & joyful weekend wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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