Song:My Way
album:Nothing But The Best
Today My Way is considered to be one of Frank Sinatra's signature songs. It was supposed to be a retirement song. And Sinatra did retire in 1971. But of course he came out of retirement in 1973. In the 60s Sinatra recorded for his own label Reprise Records. He scored a number one hit in 1966 with Strangers In The Night and then a hit duet with daughter Nancy Somethin' Stupid. He started telling friends that he was planning to retire. Albums with Antonio Carlos Jobim and Duke Ellington were bucket list albums. He had dinner one night with Paul Anka and he told Anka he planned to retire. So Anka decided to write a retirement song for Sinatra. Anka heard the record Comme d'Habitude by French pop singer Claude Francois. Anka didn't like the record but he liked the melody of the song. So he acquired the adaptation rights for a dollar. He could do what he wanted with the song as long as he paid royalties to the songwriters. He wrote English lyrics that have no relation to the original song. After he finished, he took it to Sinatra at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. It was on the 1969 album My Way. The album is mostly covers of contemporary songs arranged by Don Costa. The single wasn't a big hit at the time. It reached #27 on the Billboard Hot 100. It became more popular when Sinatra retired in 1971. Also, Elvis Presley recorded My Way and that may have helped Sinatra's version. Though Sinatra continued to perform My Way after he returned, he hated the song. You can get it on this comp which is the best single CD comp of Sinatra's Reprise years. Here's Frank Sinatra performing My Way on his 1971 retirement show.
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