Sinatra – The Murmur That Doesn’t Cease
“Sinatra – The Murmur That Doesn’t Cease“….Recently, like trash floating on water, the old story about the harsh criticism Sinatra allegedly made about rock and roll back in 1957 has resurfaced.
In those days of the new rhythm’s rise, Sinatra was said to have given an article—or interview, depending on the source—to a French magazine called Western World, in which he harshly criticized rock and roll and its representatives. According to this piece, Sinatra believed rock was a genre without artistic value, made by “louts” who practically pushed youth toward delinquency. The media, eager to stir trouble and polarize, rubbed their hands together. Some even saw a clear allusion to the recently crowned Elvis, even though his name was never mentioned. Presley, for his part, when confronted with the rumor, responded with respect and diplomacy, and the controversy between the two stars never went further.
Apparently, the rumor originated from a local newspaper in Trenton (New Jersey). Someone, eager for notoriety, took it as the gospel truth and spread it to the media, which had no qualms about amplifying it and turning it into an accepted fact, one that biógraphers, historians, and commentators of all kinds continue to accept to this day.
And, ladies and gentlemen, in an age like ours, where we have access to all the information we could ever want, I haven’t found a single document or direct reference proving the existence of the interview or article, nor any evidence of the French magazine.
There are references to a Belgian publication of that name, which in its French edition took the title Occident, but there’s no trace of any connection to Sinatra. Moreover, it makes little sense that Frank would make such potent statements in a humble European publication when he had access to any U.S. newspaper and, being who he was, wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. By the way, I also couldn’t find any trace of the article in the Trenton newspaper. Odd.
It’s clear that initially, Sinatra probably didn’t care much for rock and roll, but his alleged criticisms wouldn’t have been grounded, especially considering that in 1943, he himself had triggered a cataclysm that shattered the very foundations of the musical and social paradigm, unleashing an impassioned fan phenomenon that included street riots, screams, and swooning young girls in white socks.
These patterns would be reproduced, with slight variations, with each new musical wave, just as the confused and often harmful criticism from the previous generation would also persist. Elvis trashed the Beatles, and they, separately, also had harsh words for a number of groups and solo artists.
In conclusion, even if Sinatra did say all that about rock, let no one get overly upset—he wasn’t the first or the last to rant against the young who came to take part of the pie. But there’s no proof those statements ever happened. It’s an urban legend, one that perhaps people have grown fond of, but it’s harmful and unnecessary. Let it disappear once and for all, drowned in the endless sea of music, which is the only thing that truly matters.
Article written by Mahnuel Muñoz. Facebook group “Al Mal Tiempo, Frank Sinatra“. https://www.facebook.com/groups/120950148274703
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