Paul McCartney’s opinion on Frank Sinatra
By Rafael Polcaro For rockandrollgarage.com
The Beatles were formed in 1960 in Liverpool, England and became during that decade the biggest band in the world. The incredible chemistry Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr had was crucial for their success. All of them were inspired by a huge variety of musicians and bands, which were an important part of their development as musicians.
One of those inspirations, at least for Paul McCartney, was also the legendary American singer Frank Sinatra. The Beatle even revealed once which was one of his favorite songs of the late vocalist.
What is Paul McCartney’s opinion on Frank Sinatra
When The Beatles were formed, Frank Sinatra had already been in the music business for 25 years and he was 45 years old. Paul McCartney liked his music and in an interview with Uncut magazine back in 2004, he revealed that one of his favorite Sinatra songs was “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”.
It is a popular song with music made by Jimmy McHugh and lyrics by Harold Adamson, published in 1943. It was used in the movie “Higher and Higher” (1944) when it was sung by Sinatra. That version was really successful and appeared on the charts during that year.
Curiously, a few decades later, Sinatra called McCartney and asked him if he had a song for him. He talked about that in an interview (transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage) “I was once rung up by the great Frank Sinatra himself. I was in the studio when the phone call came. ‘It’s Frank Sinatra for you’. So I said ‘Hello, Frank’ and (asked me if I had a song because he heard about me). I said ‘I’ve got just the song, Frank’.”
“I’ll send it over, because as a songwriter you hope he will ask you one day. So I had one ready, but he turned it down. I think it had something to do with the fact it was called ‘Suicide’. (So) I don’t think it was catchy (laughs). I thought it was quite good, you know. I wrote it when I was quite young, (with) this kind of cabaret (rhythm, like Sinatra),” Paul McCartney said.
Frank Sinatra covered a few Beatles songs.
The Beatles are the most successful and influential band of all time and because of that became also one of the most covered bands of all time. Frank Sinatra covered a few tracks like “Something” and “Yesterday”.
In an interview with Jarvis Cocker at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts back in 2018 (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage), McCartney talked about artists who covered The Beatles. He said it was funny because artists like Sinatra changed some parts of the lyrics.
“So I said to one of our guys ‘Johnny, can you get me like the top 10? Just give me the sort of top ten best ones’. So I listened to all of them. They were great. It was like Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Marvin Gaye – very cool, Ray Charles and the list went on. Amazing people, amazing versions. It’s a funny thing though. When I listened through them it was Frank, Elvis and I think Marvin, who changed the lyrics a little bit.”
“In the middle I go ‘Why she had to go, I don’t know, she wouldn’t say, I said something wrong…’. They changed to ‘Why she had to go, I don’t know, she wouldn’t say, I MUST HAVE SAID something wrong.’ Like you know, ‘Disclaimer! I don’t think I did, maybe. They say I did. But I don’t think I did’. I’m Frank Sinatra! I’m Elvis! (Laughs),” Paul McCartney told Jarvis Cocker.
Rafael Polcaro.
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