Your mid-week martini-worthy image of the week

Ol' Blue Eyes taking a break at the Capitol Records Recording Studios.


Let's have a listen, shall we?

The spirit of ol’ Blue Eyes does not take kindly to you butchering his tunes

Apparently, people are being killed over in the Phillipines over karoke renditions of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”. Authorities are attempting to figure out why the song has caused outbreaks of violence over the years which includes 6 murders in the past decade in the karoke subcategory of the “My Way Killings”.

As way of an explanation for this, it is reasoned that with karaoke being taken very seriously in that western Pacific nation, everyone thinks they can nail “My Way” much to the chagrin of the karoke bar patrons. And the New York Times offers up this possible rationale:

The murders have spawned urban legends about the song and left Filipinos grasping for answers. Are the killings the natural by-product of the country's culture of violence, drinking and machismo? Or is there something inherently sinister in the song?

Given that collective national skill set it's a wonder that karoke hasn't taken hold more in Australia, Mexico, the Ukraine, El Salvador, South Africa, Brazil and to hear the Harvard English Department tell it, right here in America.

So, about those stadium songs...

...particularly the ones they play at the conclusion of the ballgame. Everyone is familiar with the Yankees playing Sinatra’s “New York, New York” after victories but they will also play that song after defeats… except that Liza is doing the singing. Because nothing says disappointment like…

And the Red Sox will blast the Standell’s “Dirty Water” after victories but what of defeats like the one we so thoroughly enjoyed this evening as the Rays took the Sox to the shed, 11-4 (finish the deal, Rays… Finish. The. Deal!)? They leave that duty to the stadium organist who was playing a tune that was vaguely familiar but… what was it? Can’t quite place it… sounds like…. That’s it! “Ooo-oooh, child, things are going to get easier…”

The "(Five) Stairsteps" and "Ooh Child"



... and here for a grittier live version.