Frank Sinatra forever

PhotoCredit — franksinatrafans.com

During ski break, I dined at Maggiano’s Little Italy with a group of friends to celebrate a goodbye party for the departure of a Japanese exchange student. Although the quaint interior design, dim yellow lighting, and black-and-white pictures of a bygone era added to the overall romantic and homey atmosphere, an endless track of Frank Sinatra’s songs seemed to be the impetus behind the bittersweet mood that pervaded the restaurant that night. Even while I wasn’t partaking in a conversation, I felt like an integral part of the moment just by leaning on my elbow and letting my mind wander off with the mellow and dreamy melody of Sinatra’s songs. 

Sure they are of the oldies, but I believe that Sinatra’s music is classic of the classic. There seems to be a subtle tone of sadness behind all of his songs despite their chirpy melody and lyrics–as if it were his purpose to plant a little seed of romantic hope in the lives of exhausted souls worn out by the repetition of their mundane lifestyle. To me, his music is a souvenir from history and a source of respite from today’s demandingly computerized society whose music is also now increasingly a hard-edge product of technology. Yay for real voices and real instruments instead of synthesizers and plugged-in devices!