His way

Unlike most other reviewers of Frank Sinatra's music, his music does not serve as nostalgia for me. Why? Because I am "only" 21. His music is as new to me as that of Korn.

I am not saying that I had never heard of him; quite on the contrary, my Dad is probably his biggest fan (and critic) on this side of Africa. Still, my knowledge of his work beyond the ubiquitous "New York, New York" and oft-quoted "My Way" was negligible.

So what prompted me to get this particular album? Well, for 20 years I had heard my Dad (and half the world) talk about him, sing about him and praise him incessantly. But that is not all it takes to get me to buy a CD. What got me was a documentary on BBC on Sinatra's life. Oh boy, was I hooked.

This album seemed to be the best choice for the uninitiated. And after listening to it just under 31 billion, I would say it is also the best choice for the "initiated"; that is, the fans of "ol' blue eyes".

If you are unfamiliar with Sinatra's work I would not actually advise you to rush out and buy it. That decision would depend upon your basic preferences of music. But I assure you that if you keep your mind open, free from prejudices against "old" music and listen to it as fresh music; not dated by time, categorized by genre or distracted by videos then you are going to enjoy it forever.

The style of Sinatra's music is almost a sign of the times; and since these songs span many years of his career, you can see how the times change, from the early 1960s to the mid-1980s. His moods vary from the vague to the specific; from romance to confidence; from melancholy to manic.

If you approach it saying, "But I only listen to hip hop rock", then all I can say to you is do not categorize your music. Listen to each song, and judge whether you like that particular song.

For those familiar with Sinatra, the only reason you would have not to buy this is if you have all the songs on other albums (which is likely). Still, it would be nice to have them all on one CD/Tape.

The collection of songs is one that would appeal to all sections of the crowd. The album would not be complete without all time favorites such as "New York, New York", "My Way", and "My Kind of Town". Yet, it is the inclusion of songs such as "Love's Been Good to Me", "Fly Me to the Moon" and "The Best is Yet to Come" demonstrate the range and variety that Sinatra's music possessed.

And now, the end is near
And so I face the final curtain...