Tag Archives: Frank Sinatra

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Song of the Day #1,161: ‘Michael & Peter’ – Frank Sinatra

‘Michael & Peter’ doesn’t fall at the exact center of Frank Sinatra’s Watertown, but it is nonetheless the emotional centerpiece of the album. So much hope, pride and regret is packed into the song’s five minutes.

It starts off with a slow intro in which the abandoned husband describes his two sons. “If you look at them both for awhile, you can see that are you, they are me,” he says, beautifully summing up the way we see ourselves in our children, not just physically but emotionally.

The song then kicks it up a gear, and we get our first glimpse of the life this man is leading on his own. Unlike in ‘For Awhile,’ it now feels like he really is moving on and making the best of things.

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Song of the Day #1,160: ‘For a While’ – Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra’s Watertown is wonderful from start to finish, but I consider ‘For a While’ its first truly transcendent moment.

The song swells to life with an orchestral flourish before settling into an easy stroll over which Sinatra gives one of his most effective vocal performances.

I’ve read criticism of Sinatra’s voice on this album, and certainly he was on the other side of his best years when he recorded it, but I find these among his most heart-breaking vocals.

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Song of the Day #1,159: ‘Goodbye (She Quietly Says)’ – Frank Sinatra

Song Two of my ten-day exploration of Frank Sinatra’s Watertown takes place chronologically earlier than the opening track. Here Sinatra sets the scene of the married couple’s break-up.

One of my favorite things about Watertown is how much lyricist Jake Holmes conveys about these characters in very few words. In the excellent liner notes of my Watertown CD, Holmes is interviewed about his use of subtext throughout the song cycle and touches on some of the moments I’ve always loved in these tunes.

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Song of the Day #1,158: ‘Watertown’ – Frank Sinatra

Last November I dedicated a theme week to an entire album for the first time. That was Ben Folds Five’s self-titled debut. Over the next two weeks I’m doing the same thing, with a very different record: Frank Sinatra’s Watertown.

Watertown was released in 1970 to tepid sales and lukewarm critical reception. It probably doesn’t show up on most lists of Sinatra’s best albums, regarded more as a curiosity than an essential recording.

But this tear-soaked concept album is both a touchstone of my childhood and one of my favorite Sinatra records. I’ll be thrilled if I can give it some much-deserved exposure (no matter how little) through my blog.

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Song of the Day #1,074: ‘Moonlight in Vermont’ – Frank Sinatra

My family is on vacation for the next two weeks, and I’ve decided to take a vacation from the blog as well. But I’d hate to break my streak of consecutive SOTD posts, so I’ll continue featuring a song each day during our trip, only without commentary (don’t worry, I’ll still post my Ron Sexsmith Weekend as usual… I know you were concerned).

My selections will center around our travel destinations: Vermont and New York City. OK, to be honest, today’s song will be the only one about Vermont — nothing against The Green Mountain State, but it hasn’t been the subject of very many songs. New York, on the other hand…

Enjoy!

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