Welcome to another evening at MOTUS’ Twilight Nocturne Lounge, where we enjoy good friends, good beverages and great music. Tonight, I’m shamelessly promoting BFF Jill’s (Pundette of Pundit & Pundette) new Sinatra Centenary website. In case you haven’t visited yet, and I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t have, here’s why you want to:
“In honor of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Frank Sinatra, I've compiled a list of my 100 favorite Sinatra recordings. I'll post a couple a week until Frank's birthday on December 12th.”
In addition to the songs, Pundette provides commentary, personal stories and insights. She also has links to Mark Steyn’s “Sinatra Century” which is pretty generous of her, seeing as how he obviously stole the idea from her. Butt I guess there are so many great Sinatra songs that they can easily keep several blogs going all year.
So, in honor of the Sinatra Centenary, and to get you in the proper mood after another week inside the flak jacket, Little Mo and I have put together a few of our favorite Ol’ Blue Eyes songs, and selected Frank’s favored libation for tonight’s official drink. Frank considered it “a gentleman’s drink” so rest assured it’s no longer served in the White House.
According to Nancy Sinatra her father drank “Jack Daniels with water and 3 ice cubes.”
Nancy didn’t specify how much water, butt I’m guessing Frank was a “splash” man. Oh yes, here it is:
On stage the bottle was always sitting on a silver tray and then Sinatra would pour two fingers of Jack Daniels over thick ice cubes before splashing it with some branch water.
This was also confirmed by his bartender at the Savoy Hotel in London:
“‘Always Jack Daniel’s on ice,’ Gower says. Frank loved Jack and Jack loved Frank. Their union lasted longer than most marriages, Frank’s included – over 50 years in total..”
Sinatra so favored Old No.7 that Jack Daniels produced a special edition Sinatra Select:
Indeed, according to legend Frank was buried with a bottle of Jack Daniels slipped into his pocket. I don’t think we want anybody here to go that far. Butt if you are inclined please order a tumbler, two fingers of Jack and some ice cubes – the water and third cube are optional if it’s been a really rough week.
And remember: no chugging, no matter what kind of week you’ve had. Frank liked to remind people that it was a “gentleman’s drink” and to properly enjoy it, according to the Bourbon Baritone, one had to “…sip it with some class. You’re a man not a G-D DAMN FRAT BOY.” Probably another case of do what I say not what I do, butt it would still serve as good advice for the frat boys and sorority sisters running the Big White.
So there you have it; nod at Little Mo when you’re ready - he knows what you want - ease back and enjoy the evening with me, Little Mo, our FOM Rat Pack and Ol’ Blue Eyes. It don’t get no more better than that.
I think I’ve loaded up enough tunes for the whole happy hour, butt should you run out hit rewind, just in time. I confess that the first selection is my personal all-time Sinatra favorite, and seeing how many January birthdays we’ve got around here, it seems most appropriate. Enjoy, butt remember: if you’re going to drink and blog please blog responsibly.
“It Was A Very Good Year” – Music & Lyrics by Ervin Drake
“Luck Be A Lady” – Music & Lyrics by Frank Loesser
“That Old Feeling” – Music by Sammy Fain & Lyrics by Lew Brown
“Young At Heart” - Music by Johnny Richards & Lyrics by Carolyn Leigh
“In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning” – Music by David Mann & Lyrics by Bob Hilliard
“One For My Baby” – Music & Lyrics by Johnny Mercer & Harold Arlen
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