Thursday, December 12, 2019

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRANKIE!

My mother used to tell me tales of cutting school and going to see Sinatra at the Paramount in New York, when Frank was at the height of his crooner phase:  a one-man Beatles, thousands of girls screaming and fainting at the sound of his voice.  Mom passed her love of Sinatra on to me and it's never abated. 

His music is pure heart, pure soul, pure sorrow, pure joy.


18 comments:

  1. Hmmm... guy with Italian last name says his mother snuck out to see Sinatra.

    Did your father by any chance also have blue eyes? Or mob connections?

    My mother never saw many musicians live. However, my dad talked about seeing the Stooges and MC5 when they were big in Detroit, but not anywhere else (the good old days, when bands became local favorites before national).

    Went to the Grande Ballroom a few times as well.

    If Sinatra was a one man Beatles, who was the man man Rolling Stones? That is who was really making the good music. Wink.

    Jack

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  2. Interesting fact I forgot to mention. Sinatra, along with Dean Martin and the like are part of what made pizza so ubiquitous in the U.S.

    Jack

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    1. You may note that pizza was not always as common as it is now. This did not begin until after WWII.

      The earliest I have ever seen pizza discussed in American media is I love Lucy, where they order one as an appetizer.

      After the war, when money was looser, guys like Sinatra and Dean Martin were still popular performers.

      It was not uncommon to have photos, or interviews with them getting food on the run. ON the way to or from shows.

      Being Italian, and being in the days before fast food as we know it, it was often pizza.

      This peeked the interest in many people for the food that was both exotic and common. After all, what city had';t had an influx of Italian immigrants a generation or two back?

      However, pasta, and more sit-downy foods were more common. Pizza wasn't expected to often be the kind of thing people went out to eat for. To this day, mot people don't get pizza for a nice sit-down meal.

      However, people's interest being peeked to have more restaurants to serve them.

      Yet, it was on the move they ate it, so enterprising folk started making restaurant that had them as meals, and eventually the delivery and takeout we know it as today.

      Admittedly, I heard this a while back, and am not sure about the fine details being exactly that. However, I do remember clearly the genesis.


      Jack

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  3. Yesterday, I bought a back issue. Specifically, the Justice League International annual were they take on the Joker.

    Seeing the year, I did a little research, and it came out the month The Killing Joke did. SO, the the chronological appearance before he shoots BAtgirl is a JLI issue.

    And the second story before Jason Todd dies.

    I have a question for one of the two writers (you).

    Ignoring the massive tone difference, that is a fair thing to do.

    Ignoring the fact he wasn't arrested by the end.

    My question is, was dealing with Booster Gold and Blue Beetle. as long as the rest of those crazies what drove him madder?

    In know, "it was over thirty years ago! How Can I remember!"

    Fair, but I feel like you have written them for enough issues to hazard a guess. Even if just for fun.


    Jack

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    1. The month before KILLING JOKE? Really? Interesting to see these things in context.

      As for your question: I think the Joker's so crazy that it's almost impossible to make him crazier; but if anyone could do it...it's Beetle and Booster!

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    2. GOING SANE, PART II: GOING INSANE(R)

      --David

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  4. Nope, the month OF the killing Joke.


    As for the other part...

    I could see the Joker shuffling around arkham, checking over his shoulder, muttering to himself, "I'll take the Bat, just don't let those blue and gold lunatics near me."

    He tells a joke during a crime, maybe uses some Joker toxin, and is met with a "Bwahhahahahahaha" then collapses t o the floor. He is consumed by flashbacks, possibly with his thumb in his mouth.

    now THAT is a story that must be told.


    Jack

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  5. One of the more interesting aspects of the modern characterization of the Joker is that he sees Batman as the straight man in his comedic routine, so heroes with a sense of humor tend to get under his skin more. In his head it's the difference between Martin & Lewis and Lewis & Lewis...and obviously, you can't have two Lewises.

    --David

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    1. But you know, once Dino got out from under Jerry's shadow, he turned out to be a pretty funny guy in his own right.

      Which really has nothing to do with what we're talking about! : )

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    2. No, I'd say it's EXACTLY what we're talking about.

      Clearly, Batman needs to strike out on his own. Maybe work in some wisecracks and puns.

      "Sorry, Condiment King, but evil can't cut the mustard. Justice will always 'ketchup'!"

      --David

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    3. And he's gotta croon, baby. He's gotta croon.

      (Which kind of brings this back to Sinatra, doesn't it?)

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    4. That it does! Bruce did it his waaaaaaay.

      --David

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  6. Just because sometimes you need something like this in your life...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8ewZr-R0rw

    Jack

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    1. What's interesting is that the animation is actually pretty darn good.

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    2. The music isn't half bad either. I would say on par with the best of Disney.

      Check this animation out, the drawing is gorgeous.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kejj4_bRj-s


      Jack

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