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Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) was an American singer who was one of the most highly acclaimed male popular song vocalists of all time. Renowned for his impeccable phrasing and timing, many critics place him alongside artists such as Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley and the Beatles as one of the most important popular and influential music figures of the 20th century. Sinatra also had a larger-than-life presence in the public eye, and as "The Chairman of the Board" became an American icon, known for his brash, sometimes swaggering attitude, as embodied by his signature song "My Way."

Sinatra recorded a version of "Bein' Green" in October of 1970. His 1973 album '"Ol' Blue Eyes is Back" featured four other songs composed by Joe Raposo, though they had never been used in Muppet productions. In a 1998 interview, Jerry Juhl discussed guest stars considered for The Muppet Show who never appeared, and recalled that "Frank Sinatra was another one we had really tried to bring on but never happened."^[1]

ReferencesEdit

The record single featuring "Tick-Tock Sick" lists Frank Sinatra as the conductor for the orchestra, in what appears to be a joking reference.

Miss Piggy seemingly receives a call from Sinatra in The Muppets Go Hollywood, but the audience soon learns that it was Scooter making the calls so that Rita Moreno's video interview would catch the announcement on the loud speaker. Scooter had not yet made it through the list to Robert Redford or Paul Newman.

Statler and Waldorf sing "It Was a Very Good Year," a song popularized by Sinatra, in The Muppet Show episode 406.

Gonzo performed "My Way", a la Sinatra, in The Muppet Show episode 411. Gonzo also performed the song in the 1984 stage show The Muppet Show On Tour, and recorded a new version for the 1986 album Favorite Songs From Jim Henson's Muppets.

In The Miss Piggy Calendar 1980, the December photo shows Miss Piggy relaxing in a cabin before a roaring fire, listening to a record. The record jacket sleeve has a photo of Kermit, with the words "Ol' Goggle-Eyes is Back" -- a reference to Sinatra's 1973 album Ol' Blue Eyes is Back.

Rowlf the Dog's 1993 CD was titled Ol' Brown Ears is Back, another reference to Sinatra's album.

On Sesame Street, Kermit the Frog sung "This Frog" as a parody of Sinatra's tune "My Way", backed up by The Tarnish Brothers (EKA: Episode 1075).

Kermit includes the lyrics "a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king" from one of Sinatra's hit songs, "That's Life," in his book Before You Leap.