Last night I picked up take out from a favorite local Italian restaurant for Valentine's day and then we sat at the table with only candles listening to Frank Sinatra:
These five albums are from Sinatra's peak as a "torch song" singer (mid-1950s-early 1960s). This was also the period of his relationship with Ava Gardner. They were married in 1951. From the start, their relationship was quite volatile. Both had numerous affairs and issues with excessive drinking. Ava bristled at Sinatra's arrogant and overpowering personality. While filming Mogambo she informed him that she was pregnant... only to later abort the pregnancy. In spite of the tensions, the couple shared a number of passions including a love for jazz, alcohol, and sex.
As the marriage began to disintegrate, Sinatra made several suicide attempts, including slitting his wrists after Ava announced she wanted a divorce.
Sinatra's reputation took a nose-dive during the period due to the reaction of studios and fans following his divorce of his wife, Nancy, in order to be with Ava... who already had a reputation as a "morally questionable" woman. Nevertheless, the recordings of the period are the finest of his career... and the last two albums above,
Where Are You and
Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely are his two greatest albums. Both of these were recorded following his break-up with Ava. He would spend endless hours in the recording studio in order to put Ava out of his mind. His closest friends would spend time with him dining and drinking... in order to keep an eye on him in case he was to make another suicide attempt.
Later in life, both Sinatra and Ava would state that the other was the greatest love of their life.
