Frank Sinatra's angry letter (1976)

In 1976, Frank Sinatra wrote the letter below to Chicago Daily News writer, Mike Royko. Royko was a Sinatra fan, but he had written an article questioning the special treatment Frankie had received while visiting Chicago for a concert. Read about the origins of this great piece of ephemera here.

Nightclubbing gets gaga over Frankie

This week, Pat & Emily go slumming with Sinatra, and discuss Ol' Blue Eyes' influence on the punk generation...the results may surprise you.

Time’s a funny thing, especially where musicians are concerned. If the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Rolling Stones doesn’t scare you, perhaps the realization that we’ve shared nearly 36 years with Bono and 29 with Madonna will.

Still, it’s a little surprising that a mere 21 years separates the release of “Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely” in 1958 and the above video of Iggy Pop covering the LP’s iconic track, “One for My Baby,” at Hurrah’s in 1979. At first glance, the culture wars of the ’60s would seem to render irrelevant the bars, broads and bruisers ethos that Ol’ Blue Eyes represented. But for the generation that made up the original punks, those childhood memories of cigarette smoke, parents’ late nights and Sinatra’s music ran deep. Continued here.

As always, visit Go Nightclubbing.

NYNS - It happened in Brooklyn

Time to give Brooklyn some love. I found this clip of ol' Blue Eyes singing the praises of the Brooklyn Bridge on some sort of Russian version of YouTube. It may load a bit slowly. The scene is from It Happened In Brooklyn, a film that came out in 1947. "Isn't she a beauty? Isn't she a queen? Nicest bridge that I have ever seen."

Go fly with him

From the days when movie stars made pictures, and singers did numbers, I strongly suggest you download this recording of Frank Sinatra performing in Monte Carlo in 1958. Thanks to Dino & Princess for the link. Pow!