39 replies to this topic

[Blue Eyes]

I'm just wondering if anyone else on the forums like The Rat Pack? That is Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy David Jr.

Personally I love their stuff!

[Evil Doctor Cheese]

My favourite Sammy tune is "Too Close For Comfort" it's really swingy and a total classic.

I think Bond and Swing music just goes hand in hand... it's a hankering for those good old days when songs had a tune, women looked glam and men were allowed to smoke without it being labelled a filthy habit. I think Bond would love the Rat Pack.

[Blue Eyes]

rafterman (14 Apr, 2002 11:53 a.m.):
Kind of goes well with liking Bond, both the Rat Pack and Bond have a lot of class and style...

I forgot to comment on this earlier. But very very true! I think both the Rat Pack and Bond are very similair. They all have that surreal life style. Immense power, sex appeal, money and women.

[Xenobia]

I too am great lover of the rat pack! I was raised on that music before I found modern Rock! Go figure.

My favorite Sinatra song changes, but right now it's "I'll Never Smile Again" tied with "The House I Live In."

My favorite Dean Martin tune "The Memories You Get from These."

As for Sammy....it's a toss up between "Candyman" and "Mr. Bojangles."

The rift between Lawford and Sinatra has to do with JFK. Lawford was Kennedy's brother in law (Lawford was married to Pat Kennedy), and arranged for Sinatra and Kennedy to get close.

Close...until RFK got nervous about Sinatra's alledged mob connections and wanted his brother to break ties. It fell to Lawford to Frankie that, and Frank shot the messenger.

And that is the end of today's musicology lesson! LOL!

-- Xenobia

[Blue Eyes]

Gosh my favourite song. I have no idea.

I know one of my favourite Dean Martin tracks is from a show he was doing live at the Sands. It's got a few names but if you've heard it you'll know it;

"Drink to me only, that's all is aks... ask,
And I will drink to you.

[How long I been on?]

I don't care if they sun don't shine,
I do my drinking in the evening time,
when I'm... in Lav Vegas..."

And so on

As for Ol Blue Eyes. There are so many. I love My Way and Chicago ("Chicago, Chicago that busseling town...")

Sammy's "Mr Bojanles" is a definite winner for Sammy.

[rafterman]

I do, they're great. Kind of goes well with liking Bond, both the Rat Pack and Bond have a lot of class and style...

[Evil Doctor Cheese]

Blue Eyes (15 Apr, 2002 11:51 p.m.):
It would be a good night Xen!

We should organise a coach party! I'll call my local firm and see if he can take us there via Melbourne, New York and Preston!! I hear loads of people saying that they'd love a Swing bar, somewhere cool to hang out and choke on cigar smoke (BTW this is a good thing) there aren't enough of these type of bars. For now we shall all have to sit in a darkened room with out CD's playing and puff quitely on a packet of L&B.

[Evil Doctor Cheese]

I LOVE the Rat Pack!!!! They're so cool and classy. The sound of Sinatra's voice really cools me down of an evening. Anything Swing or Lounge I love. You like the Rat Pack you should broaden out to other swing gods and goddesses may I suggest the late great Peggy Lee and my personal fave Julie London. Nice too see someone else has some taste Blue Eyes... my friends wouldn't know Frank Sinatra if Bad Bad Leroy Brown to smack them in the faces! My favourite Sinatra song is The Girl From Ipenema... you got a favourite Dan?

[007luvchild]

Blofeld's Cat (14 Apr, 2002 01:12 p.m.):
I liked The Rat Pack. Wasn't Peter Lawford a member, or an honorary member?

I remember a spy spoof that Lawford and Sammy Davis Jn made together called http://us.imdb.com/Credits?0063534.

Hilarious.

I also have a rare LP of the soundtrack by Johnny Dankworth.

Yep , Lawford was member of the rat pack, until a spar between him and Frank Sinatra. Sinatra never forgave him. It was Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford. I think Joey Bishop is the only one alive. I like the original Ocean 11, and the cameos they made in Cannon ball two, where Sinatra was called the "Chairman of the Board". The Rat Pack had a very interesting history.

[Blofeld's Cat]

I liked The Rat Pack. Wasn't Peter Lawford a member, or an honorary member?

I remember a spy spoof that Lawford and Sammy Davis Jn made together called http://us.imdb.com/Credits?0063534.

Hilarious.

I also have a rare LP of the soundtrack by Johnny Dankworth.

[Xenobia]

Evil Doctor Cheese (15 Apr, 2002 04:51 p.m.):
I think Bond and Swing music just goes hand in hand... it's a hankering for those good old days when songs had a tune, women looked glam and men were allowed to smoke without it being labelled a filthy habit. I think Bond would love the Rat Pack.

The evil doctor is most correct -- Bond would love the Rat Pack and all that they stand for. I can see him sitting in some club in London, listening to a retro Big Band, and enjoying a good cigar and nice martini.

(For the record, minus the cigar, this wouldn't be a bad night for Xen either.)

-- Xenobia

[Blue Eyes]

It would be a good night Xen! If only I could find a club that played The Rat Pack.

Has anyone got any other their live work? Particularily Live At The Sands? That's a great CD.

I put a cd player in my car not so long ago so I've been using the net to get a lot of MP3's and making my own Rat Pack CD's.

[Le Chiffre]

Ah, the Rat Pack. I'm thinking Vegas Nights, Ocean's Eleven, evenings in Rome (The beautiful song "Three coins in the fountain") and of course the magnificent "Girl of Ipanema" by Sinatra. Personally, I prefer Ol' Blue Eyes (of course I like you too, Dan).

Another favourite of mine: "Mack the Knife". In fact, when I'm writing the Facts of Bond stuff, I usually do that with Sinatra bumping out the speakers. "New York, New York", and then I pretend I'm Frank himself, swinging through the room, singing false, and so on...a bit of a confession, isn't it?

[Jules]

Blue Eyes, funny you should ask this...I'm listening to "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" right now...heh.

[1q2w3e4r]

Ya I dig the rat pack. Mainly FAS but. Dean was good, but Frank had the master touch in his voice, no one could stress a note like Frank.

Only got the Rat Pack's E-O 11 cd. The disc at the Sands is supposed to be really good. But in all honesty I'd rather by a complete album (cd) than a mix. Don't mind much of Dino's stuff, but ain't the worlds biggest Smokey fan.

Blue Eyes did you check out Tom Berlinson? Man awesome show should check it out if it ever hits Melb, there's no noticeable difference in his voice and Sinatra's till about '55. As in 1955. Mind blowing night.

I can't say I've got a fav Sinatra track, if you listened to all his recordings back to back, it would take three days to get through the whole lot so theres a lot of songs to pick from. Though I like the Capital and early Reprise years, so 53/4-63/4. (But i've got a bit of everything from Columbia to Reprise)

I'm a fool to want you is an interesting listen because its one of the few times he was actually credited with writing a song (it was about Ava Gardner)

Frank was never a big fan of my way. He hated it actually, thought it was really pretencious.

As for the Pack members, Kennedy was also an honorary member. Lawford only got dropped because after JFK's old man Joe had a stroke Jacki and Bobby got on JFK about binning Sinatra and the guys.

There's a famous incident when JFK was supposed to stay at Sinatra's Palm Spring's compound when he was on the west coast (he'd stayed previously) but this time stayed at Crosby's house. So Lawford was the Kennedy's messanger to Frank, who understandably shot the messanger.

Lawford was out, Frank and the Chicago guys (Momo) who got Kennedy elected were also pretty pissed when Bobby let the FBI loose on organised crime. And Sinatra always suspected Bobby and JFK might have had something to do with Miss Monroe's death (she used to live in his apartment complex). Since Sinatra had an ongoing thing with her he wasn't too pleased.

[DLibrasnow]

My favorite Rat Pack movie is the original "Ocean's 11" -- very different from the 2001 remake.

[Genrewriter]

Cool, I'm not the only person who doesn't like the song "My Way". Anybody see the Rat Pack film on HYBO a few years back with Ray Liotta as Sinatra? Pretty good flick.

[Joyce Carrington]

Like the Rat Pack as well - though I've only known their music for a relatively short while. When I'm feeling stressed out, all I have to do is put that Sinatra CD on... it works.

"Those fingers in my hair..."

[007luvchild2]

The Rat Pack is great. Speaking of Sinatra songs, when I reminisced about going back to the city,(because, I went to school in New Jersey that was only 30-45minutes away) I just blast New York, New York. While in college, I just love listening to the Rat Pack at the music library where I worked for two years. Gosh those were the days, and now I'm stuck in SC. However, hopefully I will return. I have the Rat Pack and their memory to take me back.

[Bryce (003)]

Swank Baby...Swank!

At least two to three times a year my "pack" and I head out to Vegas and at least one night, we put on the good suits, the white shirts and the thin ties and hit the town. Four star dinner followed by gambling and drinking until dawn. We stay on the strip - Caesar's, Venetian, MGM - and don't look at our account balances or Visa receipts until we get back. No other way to live.

By no means are we even in the same league as the boys, but we do keep the spirit alive.

Your sig quote says it all Blue Eyes!

Swinging Baby!

[Derringer]

Originally posted by Bryce (003)
...At least two to three times a year my "pack" and I head out to Vegas and at least one night, we put on the good suits, the white shirts and the thin ties and hit the town. Four star dinner followed by gambling and drinking until dawn. We stay on the strip - Caesar's, Venetian, MGM - and don't look at our account balances or Visa receipts until we get back. No other way to live...

Well perhaps this Bryce fellow is a worthy chap after all . Hmmm. Could be a worthy competitor.

Mrs. Derringer and I land in Vegas on Thu Nov 20 with departure the following Mon. We are booked at Bellagio, we will be visiting most of the poker venues in town during the daylight hours, and catching some shows during the evening hours.

We have a VIP table booked at Tabu for Sat evening, with a bottle of Chopin vodka waiting for us. Any read on Tabu? We have not been there before.

Also, any read on Gustav Mauler's cigar bar. I hear the martini service is good, and I have a Padron 1926 Aniversario that I am waiting to light up for the occasion.

Cheers,

Derringer

[Jeff007]

I recently got into the Sinatra music just back in May. This September they had a tribute concert with the pack and I was fortunate enough to get tickets to and bring a wonderful girl with me. The Pack was hilarious and the actors did a amazing job. Cheers.

A night to remember.

[jwheels]

I like the Rat Pack, they are cool and classy. It would of been cool if they included the deleted scene of DAF, with Sammy Davis Jr. I think my favorite was Deano, he was awesome.

[Bryce (003)]

Derringer - Please PM me contact details (per usual MI6 secure channels). Hand'nt really decided on it, but I need to do some re-con for an upcoming event in the next few weeks. I was planning a "hit & run" weekend but may reschedule

I like the Bellagio, but the Piazza Suites at the Venetian are my preferred in "Sin City". BTW - Tabu: Had some good hype, but can be crowded. Chopin is wonderful stuff, I'm partial to some of the good Russian stuff at Red Square. I've taken a liking to Belvedere as of late. Just the right bite...for me anyway.

Cheers.

Now - Back OT

I've got three CD's of the "Pack" at the Sands. Hysterical stuff that I can barely listen to without laughing myself into a traffic accident when I'm driving.

Good times.

[Genrewriter]

Are they available anywhere else, Bryce?

[Bryce (003)]

Try an Amazon search G. I've managed to find these at both Tower and Virgin stores.

[Blue Eyes]

Originally posted by 1q2w3e4r
The disc at the Sands is supposed to be really good.  But in all honesty I'd rather by a complete album (cd) than a mix.  Don't mind much of Dino's stuff, but ain't the worlds biggest Smokey fan.

The Sands, now they were concerts. When they hit the sands, their jokes were refined. Listen to the Chicago series (just had one re-released) and you'll hear a little bit of the same jokes, but when they use the quipps in Vegas they work a lot better.

That said, do look out for the Chicago series. I've got two of them, ones a gold plated CD and the other has quite a similair track listing though it includes a few different quipps and Sinatra doing an impromptu 'Nancy'.

Blue Eyes did you check out Tom Berlinson?

I had hope to, but never got the chance sadly. But I did go to a Rat Pack concert with three chaps from Las Vegas. Now that was a nice night, and they were three very nice gents.

My favourite Frank song right now is 'Live Till You Die', small little obscure recording. From memory, I've only seen it on the E-O-11 soundtrack.

[Blue Eyes]

Originally posted by Genrewriter
Are they available anywhere else, Bryce?

They should be easy to find. I've found them in Australia - if you can find them for sale down under, odds are they're pretty common elsewhere I'd guess.

Also be on the lookout for 'The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection'. I picked this up last week. It's a CD/DVD Collection. The CD is of a Rat Pack live in Chicago - a very fun concert.

The DVD is the real gem. A live recording of a concert the Rat Pack for a charity. Lots of fun stuff. Not as great as their Chicago or Vegas days (as it's set out differently for TV) but a must have in my opinion.

[Genrewriter]

Thanks, guys. I'll keep my eyes open.

[Blue Eyes]

Originally posted by Jeff007
I recently got into the Sinatra music just back in May.

What got you in to them Jeff?