Frank Sinatra
Blackpool Opera House
Blackpool, England
26 July 53


  1.  When You're Smiling
  2.  That Old Black Magic
  3.  You Go To My Head
  4.  Ol' Man River > Ol' Man Crosby
  5.  Sweet Lorraine
  6.  The Birth Of The Blues
  7.  Embraceable You
  8.  One For My Baby  
  9.  Don't Worry Bout' Me
10. I've Got The World On A String
11. It Never Entered My Mind
12. All Of Me
13. Night & Day
filler
14.  Three Coins In The Fountain - unknown location & venue

return

This time period was a big question mark for Frank - his first star period was over. He had had several musical and movie flops to the point where MGM and Columbia dropped him as an artist under contract. Let that soak in for a moment. His career was at best in stand by and most would say, even declining. He was close to being relegated to the has-been shelves following the predictable show business model - initial rise, massive appeal, mass boredom, decline, retrenchment, resignment. At one point, he was so short on cash that they were about to foreclose on his home. So here we have Frank touring Europe and receiving average reviews and polite receptions - a far cry from the wild bobbysoxer days when girls would go wild for him during the peak 40's.

But, not so fast. In July 1953 at the time of this Blackpool show, Frank knew something - the smash movie From Here To Eternity was about to be released (a month or so later).  This movie would supercharge Frank's career and start another rise to the top both as an actor and singer.  So to me, this show is interesting because it's right at the start of Sinatra's second major climb to the top. Here, we see Frank as THE star of the show. not just A has been star in someone else's band. He sings, he does impressions, he jokes, he tell anecdotes -- which would be a formula that would serve him pretty darned well for the next 40 years.

Still, there seems be a nervous energy on this show. Frank talks (a lot) and he cracks jokes but he's not waiting to see if the crowd will like them.  He even seems a bit unsure of himself. To me, it comes off a bit buffoonish - like the class clown (was Frank channeling Jerry Lewis?).  He does display confidence, stage presence but it's a bit over the top arrogant for me. "Hey look at me, I'm going to fart this song and you guys will like it." OK - he really doesn't say that there are moments . . . .It's all a bit surprising given his position in the industry. 

Some will say this cd is a novelty or curiosity item. I disagree - here, you'll hear the early crucible that shaped a stage show that would last for almost 40 more years. But you'll want this cd only if you're serious about Frank because the sound ain't so good. It was supposedly pulled directly from Frank's mike so it's vocal heavy. In the background, you can hear the orchestra and audience but they are subdued.  But come on,  you don't want this cd because of the orchestra, do you? It's unmistakably Frank and 'the voice' and the songs are wonderful even if they have that 40's mono sound crooner feel to them.  Sinatra's singing in inspired but too casual even to the point of cutting up during the songs, not just between the songs.  Billy Ternent's Orchestra, an aggregation usually connected with an ultra-sweet approach, provided the singer with adequate accompaniment. Sinatra's regular pianist Bill Miller, was also on hand.