Текст песни
Shall we start with Frank Sinatra? Was there any star bigger than
Frank Sinatra, the chairman of the board? I had the pleasure of
Watching Frank in concert in Indianapolis in front of 17,000 people
In 1974. Sam Butera and the Witnesses were playing some hot licks in
Front of him. Pat Henry, the stand-up comedian, warmed up the
Audience. And then, of course, it was Mr. Sinatra himself, and he was
Sensational. The crowd went wild. It was all of your expectations
Delivered right there and live and in person. I had taken my wife
My mom and dad with me, and we all enjoyed this wonderful experience
Of seeing Frank Sinatra. It was one of the best nights of our lives
Later, I was working the Golden Nugget as part of the Comedy Store
Where we worked for about a year, on and off. And in between our jobs
At the Golden Nugget would be Frank Sinatra. I'd ask the stagehand
Bill, "Bill, does Frank Sinatra really drink as much as they say he
Does?" He says, "Man, does he drink." He said, "One time I walked
Into the green room and Frank is pouring a Jack Daniels in a
Tumbler." And I caught him, and it was quite a big drink. And I
Looked at him and Frank said, "Do you see this stuff? It killed
My old man and I'm getting even." He told me that Frank had
Teleprompters all over the stage. And I know this is true because
My friend, Joe Delaney, the critic from the Las Vegas Sun who's
Known Frank for years and years and years, told me he couldn't
Review Frank anymore. He said, "Frank had teleprompters all around
Him, but he would forget where he was at in the song. He wasn't
Singing well." And of course, he said, "Frank was drinking." Of
Course, by that time, people came just to see Frank Sinatra. And hey
If it worked for them and it worked for Frank, what can I tell you?
Joe also told me how cantankerous Frank had become in his old age. He
Said, "One time, Frank said to him, 'Joe, I want you to go with me to
This concert.'" So he said, "Sure, Frank, that's no problem." He
Said, "So I arrive in time. We have a couple of drinks. We get on
Frank's private jet. We're sitting there on the runway and all of a
Sudden, Frank picks up the phone and calls the pilot and says, 'Why
Aren't we leaving?' He says, 'Well, Mrs. Sinatra hasn't arrived yet
Mr. Sinatra.' He said, 'Did she know what time she was supposed to be
Here?' He said, 'Of course, Mr. Sinatra.' He said, 'Then screw her
Let's go.' Actually, he didn't say screw her. He used another word
But I don't want to use that language. The plane was ordered to leave
And as the jet is getting ready to take off, there comes Barbara's
Limo pulling up on the tarmac. And Joe said, 'Frank, that's your
Wife.' He said, 'Don't worry about it. Have another Jack Daniels.'"
So that's the kind of guy Frank was. I worked with a gentleman named
Bob Johnson who worked with Frank Sinatra in Australia. Bob is a
Trumpet player and told me a wonderful story. He said they loved
Working with Frank Sinatra. Frank had these wonderful, wonderful
Arrangements. And he said, "The way this would work is Frank Jr. was
The conductor. He would come in and rehearse the orchestra in the
Afternoon. And then when it was time to do the show, the band would
Be assembled, of course, and playing. And when it was time for Frank
He would pull up in a limousine and they knew it was Frank because a
Red carpet was laid out. All the guards were there and Frank would
March out and walk right on." He said, "It was amazing to see how
Well-orchestrated Frank had this whole operation laid out. He would
Walk out to the tune of 'Where or When.'" And he said, "It was timed
So perfectly, it was incredible." He said, "So we're playing there in
Australia. I believe it was Melbourne." And he said, "The concert was
Going great." And of course, Frank would end the concert with "
My Way." During the rehearsal that afternoon, the lead violinist had
A little trouble with the ending of "My Way." And they worked on it
Quite a bit. However, he said, "That evening, as they're playing '
My Way' and Frank is into it, just as they get ready for the big
Dramatic finish where you hear just a couple chords from the violin
The violinist messed up and messed up bad." And he said, "Frank
Turned around, walked over to the violinist, leaned over and said
'They call it practice.'" Turned back to the audience and said, "
I did it my way." He said, "The audience got up on their feet. They
Were applauding. Everybody's going crazy. Frank takes one bow and
Frank is out of there. And of course, the audience is standing and
Applauding, but Frank is gone. Just as Frank arrives at the last
Minute to begin the concert, he leaves at the first minute to get
Out of the concert. And this fact was confirmed to me via information
From a gentleman named Wiley, who runs a comedy club in Dayton, Ohio
Who is a good friend to Tom Dreeson. Tom Dreeson, who was the opening
Act for Mr. Frank Sinatra for many, many a year. Tom Dreeson relayed
To Wiley the following story that when Frank would finish a concert
He would leave the concert hall, get into a limousine, go right to
The airport and fly away and actually be flying around the city
Drinking Jack Daniels, laughing about the fact that everybody was
Still there applauding, probably waiting around for his autograph
Tom Dreeson also tells another story that Wiley relays that I love
Which is that he was staying with Frank in Palm Springs. And he said
"Sometimes Frank would just go, 'Hey, Tom, let's go get a drink.'"
And they would go to some little place because Frank didn't like
Going to the bigger places because he would be bothered by people
And autograph hounds and what have you. And he said, "So we went
Into some little joint in Palm Springs and we're at the bar
We're drinking." And he said, "A lady walks in, walks up to the
Bartender and says, 'Do you have a jukebox?'" He said, "Madam
I'm sorry to say we don't have a jukebox." Tom said, "Frank
Turned to the lady and said, 'Hey, lady, I'll sing for you.'"
And she looked at him head to toe and said, "No, thanks." And
Walked out of the place. He said, "Myself, the bartender and Frank
All looked at each other and we all started laughing because of
Course she didn't realize he was Frank Sinatra. Or maybe she did."