Blue-Eyed Soul
The summer wind has blown a lot of witchcraft into the Blue Angel Theatre here in New York, New York, where Our Sinatra, a two-act musical celebrating the musical magic of Ol’ Blue Eyes has been packing ’em in nightly. I ran into the very talented cast, and thought it might be interesting to hear what song has, quite frankly, gotten under their skin.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FRANK SINATRA SONG?
Eric Comstock
Performer and writer, currently appearing in Our Sinatra
Christopher Gines (l to r)
from Our Sinatra
“In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning” is my favorite Sinatra song, bar none! Not only that specific song, but the album (with the same name) is one of the greatest records ever. I have very distinct memories of just getting out of a relationship–out of love. Like everyone else, I go right to my music to feel better, and it’s the exact kind of album I gravitate to. Sinatra had such brilliant taste in music, and always sang first-rate songs. Of course, he put “Wee Small Hours” on the map all by himself, and everybody has been afraid to do it ever since. His performance of the song is a work of such grandeur and theatricality.
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Hillary Kole
Performer and writer, currently appearing in Our Sinatra
This is the hardest question I’ve ever been asked! There are so many songs Sinatra recorded that I absolutely adore, and my favorite changes every minute. Right now, today, I love “I’m a Fool to Want You.” Luckily, I get to sing it in the show. Sinatra co-wrote it. He only wrote a few songs, but this is the absolute best. He wrote it for Ava Gardner, his wife at the time. The story goes that, right after he recorded it, he got so distraught that he just walked out of the session. It’s interesting–he was such a macho guy, but the song is very much about unrequited love. In all that toughness, he was able to write those tender words about someone that he just couldn’t have in the end. “I’m a fool to want you, to want a love that can’t be true. A love that’s there for others, too.”
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Christopher Gines
Performer and writer, currently appearing in Our Sinatra
I love “All the Way.” It’s certainly one of the most famous songs Sinatra ever recorded, and it’s an Oscar winner to boot. The fact is, it perfectly describes Frank’s approach to life, which, of course was “all the way.” It also describes a love affair so well: It’s gotta be all or nothing at all! The song was written by Sammy Cahn and James Van Heusen, who wrote so many of Frank’s hits and knew him so well. They really knew how to speak for him.
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Kurt Stamm
Director of Our Sinatra
I’m in love with the song “Everything Happens to Me.” It absolutely wrecks me every night. I guess I’m just a martyr at heart! Don’t get me wrong, if you have any sense of yourself, you can eventually move on after a love affair, but the lyric “I fell in love just once and it had to be with you” just kills me!
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Billy Stritch
Performer filling in for Comstock in Our Sinatra, July 11 – 26
Sinatra had a knack of selecting the finest orchestrators of his generation, and Nelson Riddle was my personal favorite. Their collaboration that stands far and above the rest for me is, “Night and Day” from the album “Sinatra and Strings.” Frank recorded it three or four times in his career, but I think this particular version is the finest ever recorded by anyone. Majestically slow, masterfully orchestrated, and a true lesson in phrasing, it brings new meaning to a song that has been recorded countless times by countless singers. Also, every cut on the album “Only the Lonely” is pure magic–but put away all sharp objects when you listen to it. It’s pretty dark!
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