Since
yesterday was the 100th anniversary of Frank Sinatra’s birth, I
figured I’d mark the occasion by listing my five favorite songs by the man
who’s probably this country’s greatest singer ever, if not necessarily its most
exemplary role model.
The Summer Wind (#11 on my list of all-time favorite songs)
“High Hopes”
and “All My Tomorrows” were both featured in Sinatra’s 1959 movie A Hole In The Head, which I vaguely remember
seeing as a kid. “High Hopes” was the anthem of legendary Phillies radio
announcer Harry Kalas, so after Kalas’ untimely death on April 13, 2009 (as he
was getting ready to broadcast the Nationals’ home opener with the Phillies, a
game which we attended) I decided to watch the movie again. That is when I fell
in love with “All My Tomorrows”, which plays over the opening credits and fits
the movie perfectly. It’s one of the greatest songs to ever languish in near-total
obscurity, and I admit to blubbering like John Boehner for some reason whenever
I listen to it.