Frank-amazing singer all around. What say you?

FnkyManifesto7 said:

I really like both of them, but Sinatra will always be my choice. And if it were Sinatra vs. Dean Martin, I think I would choose Dean Martin.

I agree.

No contest for me - raised with Frank.

Dean over Sinatra? Really?

scriptgirl said:

Dean over Sinatra? Really?

Yes. They both had wonderful voices, but there was something in Martin's delivery that I like better.

I have to go with Frank but Bing was obviously a massive influence on Frank so without Bing it is doubtful that Frank as we know him would have existed. Overall I think that Frank had better/more interesting musical accompaniment.

I think Frank has a big advantage in that his best material was recorded in the fifties/sixties and sounds like it could have been recorded today. Bing's peak years (the twenties through to the forties) sound a bit rough today.

Ole Blue Eyes

Timmy84 said:

Ole Blue Eyes

i second that.

Neither TBH.

Edit: both are great singers, but their music never clicked with me for some reason.

[Edited 12/8/12 16:20pm]

Lord do I love my baritones or what?! Why must I choose? Bring baritones back to the forefront I say.

Between these two, Bing is the best singer but Frank is the more interesting all 'rounder. I usually choose Frankie to listen to out of my own collection, but there's a station that I often listen to that plays a lot of Bing.

Mel Torme and Chet Baker are also the bomb.

^^^ Frank hands down. I've always considered Frank to be the "smoother" of his peers in voice, popularity and class.

Harlepolis said:

Neither TBH.

Edit: both are great singers, but their music never clicked with me for some reason.

[Edited 12/8/12 16:20pm]

Have you listened to Songs for Swingin' Lovers!? If you don't like that album you will probably never like Sinatra but if you haven't heard it I urge you to give it a try.

For some reason, I don't think of Dean as a "real" singer

Frank Sinatra

very enveloping tone

scriptgirl said:

For some reason, I don't think of Dean as a "real" singer

Probably because of his onstage persona in which he appeared drunk. He was the comic relief to Sinatra's "straight man".
If you listen to his records, you'd hear that he had a great voice.
My Mom was big into the "Rat Pack", so we had lots of Sinatra, Martin, and Sammy albums when I was growing up.

No competition, Frank

Sorry...both of them are required for Cole Porter...

rialb said:

I have to go with Frank but Bing was obviously a massive influence on Frank so without Bing it is doubtful that Frank as we know him would have existed. Overall I think that Frank had better/more interesting musical accompaniment.

I think Frank has a big advantage in that his best material was recorded in the fifties/sixties and sounds like it could have been recorded today. Bing's peak years (the twenties through to the forties) sound a bit rough today.

rialb said:

Harlepolis said:

Neither TBH.

Edit: both are great singers, but their music never clicked with me for some reason.

[Edited 12/8/12 16:20pm]

Have you listened to Songs for Swingin' Lovers!? If you don't like that album you will probably never like Sinatra but if you haven't heard it I urge you to give it a try.

I read that Billie Holiday recorded Lady In Satin with that album in mind, she wanted those strings arrangement behind her. I will follow your advice and see what it will do.

I'll say this though, Bing had the lion share as far as material was concerned, he was probably the first male artist who dabbled on the American songbook, in which everybody (including my fave, Billie Holiday) covered his music.

Even his least heard music - like "Try A Little Tenderness" were revived by later artists such as Miss Cornshucks, Aretha and Otis. As far as the technology aspect, I think they added the charm to his body of work(I'm speaking strictly on his peak years).

HOWEVER, its his singing delivery that I couldn't get over.

Who is Miss Cornshucks?

scriptgirl said:

Who is Miss Cornshucks?

Little Miss Cornshucks

Like both, but I give the nod to, Mr. Sinatra.

Frank Sinatra always said Mr. Crosby was a major influence but without Crosby he would've been world renowned as a singer anyway. Sinatra was one of the best male big band singers EVER. Singing with a big band prepares you for everything and anything, it can be compared to being a student at Juilliard, while getting real life skills. My favorite quote by call me Ms. Ross, "There's more to singing than just opening up your mouth." So true

Sinatra was very good at selecting his arrangers, singing material, and the musicians who backed him... always top drawer. Perfect timing and could swing is ass to the heavens. Crosby had a laid back, I'm too cool to sweat, or to care delivery. Sinatra on the other hand was one of the first male singers to express vulnerability in his delivery... hence the bobbysockers running chasing him everywhere when he was 20 years young. As Miles Davies once said, "He tried to play the horn like Sinatra sang."

Sinatra's Arrangers: Through out his career and in the order he worked with them.

AXEL STORDAHL

GEORGE SIRAVO

NELSON RIDDLE

GORDON JENKINS

Billy May

DON COSTA

NEIL HEFTI

ERNIE FREEMAN (the Reprise years)

Quincy Jones

=============

[Edited 12/10/12 19:19pm]

^^^

Both had lovely voices, but Frank had a lot more style and knew how to use his voice better than Bing.

Dean Martin.

Frank

Cerebus has 204 songs in his Frank Sinatra Favorites folder.