My thanks to John (JSD) for his suggestion of the subject (I actually think he's trying to finish me off with this one:)
Song titles have been used for the poetic purpose of the biography and may not necessarily relate to the context of the songs or the period. They may also be slightly amended or shortened to accommodate the meter.

Stanza 1 An only child, born to Italian immigrant parents, Sinatra weighed in at 13.5 lbs (6.1 kg) at birth and had to be delivered with forceps which left severe scarring to his cheek, neck and ear as well as a perforated eardrum. He had to be resuscitated by his grandmother.

Stanza 2 Dream (1945, 1960) His father boxed for a living under the name of Marty O'Brien.

Stanza 3 My Way (1969,1994) According to biographers, his mother was energetic and driven and believed to have been the influential force behind her son's self-confidence. Barbara Marx, his 4th wife, would later claim that his mother was abusive and would knock her son around, as well as being strongly opposed to his choice of career.

Stanza 4 Stardust (1940, 1961); Secret Love (1964); Fly me to the Moon (1964).
Sinatra, from teenage, idolized *Bing Crosby (one of the most popular vocalists of all time). Bobby Soxers was the term coined for the wildly enthusiastic female fans of 1940s traditional pop music, particularly that of Sinatra.

Stanza 5 Stormy Weather (1944, 1959, 1984) The war was, of course, WW2. Sinatra was unable to enlist due to his perforated ear injury.

Stanza 6 Ol' Blue Eyes is Back (1973 studio album). *Rat Pack was an informal press term for a loose confederation of actors, singers, comedians centred on the las Vegas casino scene in the 60s. Such other names included: Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Junior. Sinatra was given the moniker of Ol' Blue Eyes.

Stanza 7 Blue Skies (1941,1946); That Old Black Magic ( 1946, 1961, 1975).

Stanza 8 The Tender Trap (1955 comedy film); Young at Heart (1954 film with Doris Day). His fame was being boosted by his acting roles in a number of successful films.

Stanza 9 - 10 A Man Alone (1969 studio album); Star (1968); Day by Day (1945, 1961); Chicago (that toddlin' town 1957);
*Cachet ( pronounced caSHAY - meaning prestige).
Sinatra's interest in Democratic politics spurred him on to align himself with Kennedy, at first an asset to the party campaign. But, when his links to a Chicago mobster came to light, Kennedy promptly distanced himself from him.

Stanza 11 Love and Marriage (1955, 1965); More (1964); Strangers in the Night (1966). Sinatra's 4 marriages were to Nancy Sinatra (1939 -1951) with whom he had 3 children: Tina, Frank Jnr and Nancy); Ava Gardner (1951-1957); Mia Farrow (1966-1968) and Barbara Marx (1976 until his death in 1998).

Stanza 12 Make Believe (2005); Witchcraft (1957,1963,1993).

Stanza 13 Misty (1961); Mistletoe and Holly (1957); Tenderly (1980). His wealth of Christmas songs still stand the test of time.

Stanza 14 Sinatra had his faults and, when he lost his temper, it's said that you wouldn't want to be around! But much of this was linked to his striving to be the best and, allegedly, to challenge his mother's drive that he should have pursued another career. He was always drawn to politics and, from a young man, advocated for racial equality and strongly supported the working man. He never lost sight of his roots and growing up in the recession, despite the fact that his mother would deliberately dress him to appear more wealthy than his peers; perhaps explaining why, paradoxically, he was also described as a *bon viveur (liking the good things in life)!

Stanza 15 Always (1946, 1947, 1960); Blue (1956); Side by Side (1957, 1988); From Here to Eternity (1953 film in which Sinatra is one of three United States Army officers stationed in Hawaii in the months leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbour. He received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor).


Sinatra died in 1998 following two heart attacks. He is ranked amongst the greatest singers of the 20th century, his popularity matched only by Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, The Beatles and Michael Jackson. His magic came from his ability to create his own world and dominate it, perfecting the ability to capture his audience.

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