to be frank

FRANK SINATRA

SINGS THE WORLD'S GREAT MELODIES OF LOVE...LOVINGLY

MOONLIGHT SINATRA

ARRANGED AND CONDUCTED BY
NELSON RIDDLE

THE RING A DING KID STEPS AWAY FROM THE BLARE, THE GEARS, THE ROCK, THE JAZZ, THE NOISE. LEAVES BEHIND THE SASSY SAYINGS, THE FLASHY FUN-FUN. ESCAPES THE STALE SMOKE OF YESTERDAY'S DISSAPPOINTNENT.

STEPS OUT INTO THE TIMELESS NEW NIGHT AIR THAT SURPS AT THE FACE, FELT. IT IS A QUIET WORLD HE STEPS INTO: INTIMATE AS TWO ALONE, SOFT AS TWO TOGETHER. WHEN THE ONLY CLOCK THAT TICKS IS LIFE'S. WHERE THE ONLY SOUND IS THE SOUND OF THOUGHTS THAT ARE HONEST, UNBORROWED. IN THAT SETTING, REFRESHING AS YOUNG LOVE, THE STARS COME TWICE CLOSER TO EYE, APPROACH NEARER TO HAND. THE ROMANTIC MISE EN SCENE, MENDELSSOHNIAN IN ITS ALUMINUM NEWNESS, CLOSES IN AROUND HIM.

IN THE NIGHT SILENCE, HE SINGS OF LOVE.

IN A WORLD WHOSE PEOPLE SELDOM LOOK FOR LOVE ANY FARTHER THAN THEIR OWN PALMS, FRANK SINATRA PUTS HIS WHOLE HEART ON THE LINE: HE LOOKS TO THE MOON.

THE MOON: WHO IS OUR EARTH'S CONSTANT LOVER, WHO COMES ALIVE ONLY IN DARKNESS, WHO COMES BACK TO US AS INEVITABLY AS NIGHTFALL. TO SING OF THE MOON, AND NOT OF MISSILES, OF ROMANCE, NOT OF FUDGE, OF LOVE AND NOT LOLLIPOPS, IS OLD-FASHIONED. SOMETHING OUT OF GRANDMA'S DAY. OUT OF DATE, LIKE THE STARS. NON-CHIC, LIKE VALENTINES. CORNY, LIKE YOUR OWN HEART'S BEAT.

BUT IF A MAN CHOOSES TO SING OF THE MOON, HE CANNOT BE PINCH PENNY WITH WORDS OF PRAISE. HIS SONGS WILL FALL ON GREEDY EARS.

STANDING SMALL ON EARTH, AWAY FROM THE NEON CLATTER, LOOKING UP, BELIEVING, FRANK SINATRA SINGS TO EARTH'S CONSTANT LOVER.

MOONLIGHT BECOMES HIM.

STAN CORNYN