THIS AMERICAN LIFE: SINATRA (RADIO)
Summary
One in this weekly series that looks at a different, specific aspect of life in the United States in each episode. Episodes contain several segments, or "acts," each of which relates to the established theme. This episode, "Sinatra," looks at the life and legacy of Hoboken-born, self-described "saloon crooner" Frank Sinatra. The introduction of the show, by host Ira Glass, alternates between readings of some of the most famous press reports on Sinatra ("How does such beautiful music come from such vulgarity?" asked the Washington Star) and audio clips from some of Sinatra's more interesting live performances. These include an improvised song about his love for "broads with no brassieres" and a large chunk of onstage banter between Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr. -- who becomes the butt of his friends' good-natured but, in Glass's terms, racially insensitive jokes. Glass explains that the show's five segments will focus largely on the paradoxes that make up Sinatra's larger-than-life persona. The first segment features author Michael Ventura reading from his fictional novel "The Death of Frank Sinatra." The title is not meant literally, listeners learn; the book is actually about the end of a social and sartorial era of style. The second clip consists entirely of writer Sarah Vowell's plea to the American media not to exclusively play the song "My Way" over montages of Sinatra highlights when "Ol' Blue Eyes" passes away. In the third segment, Glass and "This American Life" sound engineer John Connors play Sinatra rarities and novelty songs, like his swinging rendition of Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson." They also discuss the ahead-of-their-time production techniques used in Sinatra's records. In the fourth segment, Sinatra biographer Gay Talese reads from an Esquire article he wrote in 1966 when he toured with the Rat Pack at the height of the group's popularity. The final segment features music writer Camden Joy, who tells a story about a restaurant full of immigrants who got choked up watching Sinatra in the film "The Manchurian Candidate" in an all-night diner.
(Network affiliation varies: local broadcast, November 1995-June 1996; on NPR, June 1996-June 1997; on PRI, July 1997- .)
Details
- NETWORK: NPR National Public Radio
- DATE: February 21, 1997 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:59:05
- COLOR/B&W: N/A
- CATALOG ID: R:16113
- GENRE: Radio - Public affairs/Documentaries; Radio - Talk/Interviews
- SUBJECT HEADING: Actors and actresses; Music - Analysis, appreciation; Music, popular (songs, etc.); Singers
- SERIES RUN: WBEZ (Chicago, IL) - Radio series, 1995-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ira Glass … Host
- John Connors … Guest
- Camden Joy … Guest
- Gay Talese … Guest
- Michael Ventura … Guest
- Sarah Vowell … Guest
- Sammy Davis Jr.
- Art Garfunkle
- Dean Martin
- Paul Simon
- Frank Sinatra