Liner Notes

Frank Sinatra That’s Life

Well, it’s Fathers Day.

For me, that means another trip to the cemetery rather than a trip to visit my dad for dinner. I’m not looking for sympathy. That’s just the way it is. I mean. That’s life!

And this episode’s featured artist certainly saw his share of ups and downs during his incredibly influential and talented life. He was also my dad’s favorite singer.

This is the last of five of his solo albums my dad had. But we have heard sing him with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey Orchestras as well.

So, get ready to hear the man who went from pauper to king, a couple of times, in Volume 233: Frank’s Life for Fathers Day.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here or on YouTube:

Go Directly to Any Song or Break on YouTube:

00:00 – Season’s Show Intro
00:49 – Episode Introduction
01:53 – That’s Life
04:58 – First Break: Why I chose this record for this episode
06:25 – I Will Wait For You
08:39 – Second Break: More information about the record, its marketplace value and what condition my dad’s vinyl is in.
11:57 – Somewhere My Love
14:11 – Third Break: Artist Bio
16:50 – Winchester Cathedral
19:24 – Fourth Break: this episode’s Interesting Side Note.
22:39 – The Impossible Dream
25:08 – Fifth Break: Final Words
27:43 – What Now My Love
30:11 – Close

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Frank Sinatra – That’s Life
Label: Reprise Records – F 1020
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Mono
Released: 1966
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Style: Vocal, Swing

Supported by a studio orchestra arranged and conducted by Ernie Freeman

We will hear 6 of the 10 songs from this album.

That’s Life
Written-By – Dean Kay and Kelly Gordon
number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966-67. It also reached number 1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart.

I Will Wait For You
Composed By – Michel LeGrand and Norman Gimbel

Somewhere My Love
Composed By – Maurice Jarre and Paul Francis Webster

Winchester Cathedral
Written By – Geoff Stephens
The New Vaudeville Band/September 26, 1966/Hit song

The Impossible Dream
Composed By – Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion

What Now My Love
Composed By – Carl Sigman and Gilbert Bécaud

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#franksinatra #thatslife #musichistory #musicalmemories #vinylcollecting #vinylrecords

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 233 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

Well, it’s Fathers Day.

For me, that means another trip to the cemetery rather than a trip to visit my dad for dinner. I’m not looking for sympathy. That’s just the way it is. I mean. That’s life!

And this episode’s featured artist certainly saw his share of ups and downs during his incredibly influential and talented life. He was also my dad’s favorite singer.

This is the last of five of his solo albums my dad had. But we have heard sing him with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey Orchestras as well.

So, get ready to hear the man who went from pauper to king, a couple of times, in Volume 233: Frank’s Life for Fathers Day.

[Music: That’s Life]

Frank Sinatra backed by a studio orchestra singing one of his biggest hits and title track of this album, That’s Life
Written-By – Dean Kay and Kelly Gordon
That song reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966-67. It also reached number 1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart.

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

As I said in the open, Sinatra was my dad’s favorite singer. My parents saw the Chairman of the board at least two, maybe three times. I had the opportunity to join them in 1988 at the Richfield Coliseum where Frank was joined on stage by Sammy Davis Junior. That was a night to remember.

This album was part of Sinatra’s comeback years of 1965 and 66. I played the album that reached number one earlier in 1966, Strangers in the Night, during Volume 171: Sinatra is No Stranger.

This album also has some smooth standards that Sinatra swings extra hard. I really enjoyed listening to it several times.

So, I hope you enjoy my selection for this fathers day. I mean, you can’t go wrong with Sinatra.

[Music: I Will Wait For You]

I Will Wait For You
Composed By – Michel LeGrand and Norman Gimbel

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

Frank Sinatra – That’s Life
Label: Reprise Records – F 1020
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Mono
Released: 1966
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Style: Vocal, Swing

Supported by a studio orchestra arranged and conducted by Ernie Freeman

We will hear 6 of the 10 songs from this album.

The lighter notes are pretty long and an interesting story written by Stan Cornyn. so I’ll just read the first few lines.

Mr Sinatra has been up to bat a goodly share of times. He copped the most valuable cup lots. He’s performed more songs than your average home phonograph. recorded more. starred at more record sessions than most medium-sized record companies ever get around to sponsoring.

Most everything Mr Sinatra does plops into the more column.

Mr more.

He’s been up to bat and bat and bat and bat. He’s recorded enough albums so you get confused now about what songs are in which. And about how many swinging LPs can be got out. It gets difficult to tell his works apart. Like wars, they’re best remembered not by the issues, not by the countries, but by the havoc they create and the ingenuity of their arms makers.

Quite an odd analogy.

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.

$25.00 High
$7.99 Low

$12.80 Average
$8.00 Median

Last sold on Jan 07, 2023 for that $25 high.
My dad’s record is in poor condition. Lots of skips scratches and pops on this album.

You’re going to hear a bad pop later that eventually goes away, but it’s one of my favorite songs and I really wanted to play it. Hey, that’s all part of this collection and show.

The surface has markings all over it, which means it was probably played a lot. Especially on the automatic turntable spindle.

The cover is in surprisingly good condition however. No wear or tear. There isn’t even any real record outline you see on many old albums. I think because Reprise labels had such solid covers, Real quality.

The word posted is stamped on the back next to a pencilled in checkmark. And he has his address label on the front.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at 2 bucks.

Next up…Leave it to Frank to turn this one completely inside out with his phrasing.

[Music: Somewhere My Love]

Somewhere My Love
Composed By – Maurice Jarre and Paul Francis Webster

What can we say about old blue eyes that we haven’t said before on this show when I featured the first four albums. So, I will do a very quick summary that will in no way do him, his music or his life justice.

Frank Sinatra wasn’t just a singer—he was *the* voice. Born in Hoboken on December 12, 1915, he crooned his way from small-town kid to national heartthrob, first singing with big bands like Harry James and Tommy Dorsey. Before long, “The Voice” was packing theaters and sending bobby-soxers into a frenzy. He had style, swagger, and that velvet tone that made every lyric feel personal.

Things cooled off in the early ‘50s, but Frank wasn’t done—not by a long shot. He bounced back with an Oscar for *From Here to Eternity*, then hit a new stride with albums that turned heartache into high art. With songs like “One for My Baby” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” he made swing sound effortless and sadness sound classy. He even started his own label, Reprise, just to do things his way.

By the time he took that final bow in 1998, Sinatra had become more than a musician—he was a legend. The Rat Pack, the tux, the finger-snapping charm—it was all pure Sinatra. And through it all, that voice kept ringing out: smooth, bold, and unforgettable. Like he always said, he did it *his* way.
He died May 14, 1998. Frank Sinatra was 82 years old.

And yes, we played Sinatra’s My Way at my dad’s funeral as we wheeled his casket out of the church. We thought we were going to have to blackmail the priest in order to get permission to do so. And actually had a backup plan ready to go in case someone chickened out.

Next up is a song that was a number one hit for the original artist, The New Vaudeville Band just a few weeks before this version was released.

[Music: Winchester Cathedral]

Winchester Cathedral
Written By – Geoff Stephens

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with repeated ups and downs of this great star’s life.

Frank Sinatra’s career was a true rollercoaster, marked by dizzying highs and some dramatic financial lows. Early on, after his divorce and a dip in popularity in the early 1950s, Sinatra faced real financial trouble—even being forced to borrow money to pay bills and relying on friends for support. Later, his investments in casinos like the Cal-Neva Lodge and the Sands in Nevada became a double-edged sword: while they offered prestige, they also brought regulatory headaches and big tax bills, at one point leaving him owing over $200,000 to the IRS—no small sum for the time. His casino ventures were further complicated by associations with controversial figures and the scrutiny of Nevada gaming authorities, which eventually forced him to give up his gaming licenses and sell his interests, sometimes at a loss.

Sinatra’s comeback was fueled by a mix of talent, timing, and determination. He reinvented himself musically, won an Oscar for “From Here to Eternity,” and then, frustrated by lack of creative control at Capitol Records, founded his own label, Reprise Records, in 1960. This bold move wasn’t just about business; it was about artistic freedom. Reprise struggled at first because Capitol flooded the market with his old recordings, making it tough for the new label to gain traction. But Sinatra’s persistence paid off when Warner Bros. bought the label, giving him both financial security and a seat at the table as a major industry player. Along the way, he relied on a tight circle of friends and business partners—his manager Hank Sanicola, casino investors, and industry insiders—who helped him weather storms and seize new opportunities.

His ups and downs gave his voice new depth, and fans could feel the pain, swagger, and survival in every note. The setbacks seemed to deepen his artistry, fueling the emotional depth of his classic recordings from the late ’50s and early ’60s. Yet, the stress and battles also made him more guarded and, at times, combative—especially during the Reprise years when personal and professional vendettas sometimes bled into his work. Still, Sinatra’s resilience and willingness to reinvent himself not only saved his career but cemented his legacy as one of the most influential entertainers of the 20th century.

A legend and an icon.

Next up…sorry about the pops for the first few moments. It does clear up.

[Music: The Impossible Dream ]

The Impossible Dream
Composed By – Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

The title song of this album expresses clearly the kind of life the great Frank Sinatra had. I’m sure his bigger than life presence within the music, film and popular scene when my dad was growing up had a lot to do with why my dad loved him so much. I’m sure Frank’s Italian heritage had just a little to do with it too.

By the way, if I’ve never mentioned this, my dad’s name is Frank as well. In fact, he was a junior because my grandpa’s name was Frank. Yes, I’m technically the third.
I think I remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

Most of the Sinatra albums were usually in the play often pile my dad had near the living room Magnavox.

It’s what appears to be a chalk on canvas drawing of a smiling Sinatra, wearing a purple shirt under his dark blue suit jacket. His tie is a royal blue. He’s wearing a fedora with a striped hat band. It’s purple with narrow blue lines that match the color of this shirt and tie.

On the right side of the album cover the Words Frank Sinatra That’s Life are in large puffy serif font. In smaller text is Arranged and Conducted by Ernie Freeman. There the titles of five songs with a dot dot dot and others.

The back side is a simple box divided in thirds. The left third has these words at the top, My my, That’s Life, An assemblage of songs which say much and to many by Frank Sinatra. The list of songs are under that.

The middle and right panels are filled with the liner notes.

Well dad, It’s been another year between Fathers days and I want to pick up the phone every day to ask you a stupid question or borrow a tool. Sometimes asking to borrow a tool WAS a stupid question.

So to all of you who still have your dad’s around. Make sure you show them some extra love today. My daughter has already taken me out to lunch.

Now to finish up…Another hard swinging version of a song that’s usually played a lot smoother.

[Music: The Impossible Dream ]

What Now My Love
Composed By – Carl Sigman and Gilbert Bécaud

And there you have selections from another hit album by the chairman of the board.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 233: Frank’s Life for Fathers Day

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 234: Sugar Blues

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.