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Nancy Sinatra

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Nancy Sandra Sinatra (born June 8, 1940, in Jersey City, New Jersey) is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of legendary singer Frank Sinatra and his first wife, Nancy Barbato, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'".

For her fourth birthday, Phil Silvers and Jimmy Van Heusen wrote the song "Nancy (with the Laughing Face)," which her father recorded.

Nancy Sinatra began her career as a singer and actress in the early 1960s, but achieved success only in Europe and Japan. Then in February 1966 she had a transatlantic number-one pop hit with "These Boots Are Made for Walkin’", which showcased her provocative but good-natured style, and which popularized and made her synonymous with go-go boots. The promo clip featured a big-haired Sinatra and six shapely young women in tight tops, go-go boots and mini-skirts, and is considered a classic example of high camp. The song was written by Lee Hazlewood, who wrote and produced most of her hits and sang with her on several duets including the critical and cult favourite "Some Velvet Morning". Between 1966 and 1967 alone, Sinatra charted with 13 titles, all of which featured Billy Strange as arranger and conductor. In 1967 she paired with her father for her second number-one single, "Somethin' Stupid". Though somewhat limited in range, her voice possesses a singularly expressive and near-ironic modern quality.

In 2004 she enjoyed a certain success with a comeback album and an international tour. She currently is under the label Sanctuary/Attack Records,

Sinatra was married to teen idol Tommy Sands between 1960 and 1965.

Recording career

1960s

Sinatra entered UCLA in the late 1950s to study music, dancing, and voice. She dropped out after a year, and made her professional debut in 1960 on her father's television special with guest star Elvis Presley, who was home from his stint in the army. In fact, it was Nancy who was sent to the airport (on behalf of her father) to welcome Elvis when his plane landed. On the special, Sinatra and her father danced and sang a duet, "You Make Me Feel So Young/Old." That same year she began a five-year marriage to teen idol Tommy Sands.

Sinatra was signed to her father's label, Reprise Records, in 1961. Her first single, "Cuff Links and a Tie Clip," went virtually unnoticed. However, many of her subsequent singles charted overseas in Europe and Japan. Some of her early Reprise singles (pre-1965, a.k.a. "Before 'Boots'") are available on iTunes, under the album titles Bubblegum Girl, Vol. 1 and Bubblegum Girl, Vol. 2. Without a hit in the U.S. by 1965, she was on the verge of being dropped. Her singing career received a phenomenal boost with the help of songwriter/producer/arranger Lee Hazlewood, who had been making records for ten years, most notably with Duane Eddy. Hazlewood became Sinatra's Svengali. He had her sing in a lower key and crafted some irresistible pop songs for her. Bolstered by a complete image overhaul – including dyed-blonde hair, frosted lips, heavy eye make-up and Carnaby Street fashions – Sinatra finally made her mark on the American (and British) music scene in early 1966 with the gutsy and now-iconic "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'", its title inspired by a line in Robert Aldrich’s 1963 western comedy 4 for Texas starring her father and Dean Martin. One of her many hits written by Hazlewood, it received three Grammy nominations, including two for Sinatra and one for arranger Billy Strange. The song has been covered by many artists such as Geri Halliwell, Megadeth, Jessica Simpson, Lil' Kim, Little Birdy, Billy Ray Cyrus, KMFDM and the Del Rubio Triplets.

An impressive run of chart singles followed, including the two 1966 Top 10 hits "How Does That Grab You, Darlin'?" (#7) and "Sugar Town" (#5). Her late 1966 album release, Sugar, was banned in Boston due to its cover image of Sinatra in a bikini. The ballad "Somethin' Stupid" – a duet with father Frank Sinatra – hit #1 both in the US and the UK in April 1967 (and spent nine weeks at the top of Billboard's easy listening chart). DJs at the time often referred to the familial record as "the incest song." Nonetheless, it remains the only father-daughter duet to hit No.1 in the U.S. Other notable 45s showcasing her trademark forthright delivery include "Friday’s Child" (#36, 1966), and the 1967 hits "Love Eyes" (#15) and "Lightning’s Girl" (#24). She rounded out 1967 with the playfully raunchy but low-charting "Tony Rome" (#83) – the title track from the movie starring her father – while her first solo single in 1968 was the more wistful "100 Years" (#69).

Sinatra enjoyed a parallel recording career cutting duets with the husky-voiced, country-and-western-inspired Lee Hazlewood, starting with "Summer Wine" (originally the B-side of “Sugar Town”). Their biggest hit was a cover of the country song, "Jackson". The single peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1967, when Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash also made the song their own. In December they released the "MOR"-psychedelic single "Some Velvet Morning", which is generally regarded as one of the more unusual singles in all of pop, and the peak of Sinatra and Hazlewood’s vocal collaborations. It reached #26 nationally. The promo clip is, like the song, sui generis. The UK Daily Telegraph broadsheet ranked “”Some Velvet Morning” in the pole position in its 2003 list of the Top 50 Best Duets Ever. ("Somethin' Stupid" came in at number 27) [[1]].

In 1967 she also recorded the theme song for the James Bond film You Only Live Twice. The track is generally regarded as one of the better Bond themes. In the liner notes of the CD reissue of her 1966 album, Nancy In London, Sinatra states that she was "scared to death" of recording the song, and asked the songwriters: "Are you sure you don't want Shirley Bassey?" There are two versions of the Bond theme. The first is the lushly orchestrated track featured during the opening and closing credits of the film. The second – and more guitar-heavy – version appeared on the double A-sided single with "Jackson", though the Bond theme stalled at #44 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 1966 and 1967 Sinatra traveled to Vietnam to perform for the troops. Many U.S. soldiers at the time adopted her signature song "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" as their anthem, and it was later used in a famous scene in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket (1987). Sinatra recorded several anti-war songs in her career, including "My Buddy", featured on her album Sugar, "Home", co-written by Mac Davis, and "It's Such A Lonely Time of Year," which appeared on the 1968 LP The Sinatra Family Wish You a Merry Christmas. In 1988 Sinatra recreated her Vietnam concert appearances on an episode of the television show China Beach. Today, Sinatra still performs for charitable causes supporting U.S. soldiers who fought in Vietnam, including Rolling Thunder Inc..

During her heyday Nancy also co-starred in a number of films, including Roger Corman's The Wild Angels (1966) with Peter Fonda and Bruce Dern, and Speedway (1968) with old friend Elvis Presley. She was the only singer ever to have a solo song appear on an Elvis album or soundtrack while he was still alive. Since his death, several previously unreleased Ann-Margret solo recordings have appeared on Elvis albums, but Sinatra was the first.

She also made guest appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, among others, and starred in a number of television specials. These include the Emmy-nominated 1966 special Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music, Part II, and, most notably, the 1967 Emmy-winning special Movin' with Nancy, in which she appeared with Lee Hazlewood, her father and his Rat Pack pals Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr., with a cameo appearance by her brother Frank Sinatra Jr..

1970s & 1980s

Sinatra remained with Reprise until 1970. In 1971, she signed with RCA, resulting in three album releases: Nancy & Lee – Again (1971), Woman (1972), and a compilation of some of her Reprise recordings under the title This Is Nancy Sinatra (1973). A non-LP single, "Sugar Me" b/w "Ain't No Sunshine" was released in 1973.

In the autumn of 1971 Sinatra and Hazlewood’s duet Did You Ever? reached number two in the UK singles chart. In 1972 they performed for a Swedish documentary, Nancy & Lee In Las Vegas, which chronicled their Vegas headliner concerts at the Riviera Hotel and featured solo numbers and duets from several concerts, behind-the-scenes footage, and scenes of Sinatra's late husband, Hugh Lambert, and her mother.[2]. The film did not appear until 1975.

By 1975 she was releasing singles on Private Stock, which are the most sought-after by collectors. Among those released were "Kinky Love," "Annabell of Mobile," "It's for My Dad," and "Indian Summer" (with Lee Hazlewood). "Kinky Love" was banned by some radio stations in the 1970s for its "suggestive" lyrics. It is often cited as a cult favourite, and finally saw the light of day on CD in 1998 on Sheet Music: A Collection of Her Favorite Love Songs. Pale Saints covered the song in 1991.

By the mid-1970s, she slowed down her musical activity and ceased acting in order to concentrate on being a wife and mother. She returned to the studio in 1981 to record a country album with Mel Tillis called Mel & Nancy. Two of their songs made the Billboard Country Singles Chart: "Texas Cowboy Night" (#23) and "Play Me or Trade Me" (#43).

In 1985 she wrote the book Frank Sinatra, My Father.

File:Playboy May 1995.jpg
On the cover of Playboy, May 1995

Comeback: 1990s-present

At the age of 54 she posed for Playboy in their May 1995 issue and made guest appearances on TV shows to promote her new album One More Time. The Playboy appearance caused a great deal of controversy. On the talk show circuit, Nancy proclaimed that her father was proud of the photos. Not everyone was convinced. Those close to the Sinatras claimed that family members complained about the nude photo spread. Sinatra told Jay Leno on a 1995 "Tonight Show" appearance that her daughters gave their approval, but her mother said she should ask her father before committing to the project. When Sinatra told her father what they would be paying her, he said, "Double it." Her father reportedly became furious when someone told him that he had "seen your daughter's pussy". (There is no record of Frank Sinatra suffering from any heart-related ailments prior to the "Playboy" publication.) She and Lee Hazlewood embarked on an extensive U.S. tour playing such hip hot spots as the House of Blues, the Viper Room, the Whiskey-a-Go-Go, the now-defunct Mama Kin in Boston, and The Fillmore.

That same year, Sundazed Records began reissuing all of Sinatra's Reprise albums with remastered sound, new liner notes and photos, and bonus tracks. She also updated her previous biography on her dad and published Frank Sinatra: An American Legend.

File:Nancy Sinatra-Movin with Nancy Soundtrack.jpg
Nancy Sinatra on the cover of the soundtrack to Movin' with Nancy

In 2003 she reunited with Hazlewood once more for the album Nancy & Lee 3. It was released only in Australia.

In 2004 one of her recordings – a cover of Sonny Bono-penned song "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" – was used in the Quentin Tarantino film Kill Bill: Vol. One. In 2005, the Sinatra's recording was sampled separately by the Audio Bullys and Radio Slave into dance tracks (renamed into "Shot You Down" and "Bang Bang" respectively), and by hip-hop artist Young Buck in a song titled "Bang Bang". Sinatra originally recorded the song for her second Reprise album, ‘’How Does That Grab You?’’ in 1966. She and Billy Strange worked on the arrangement, and it was Sinatra's idea to change the feel of the song from a mid-tempo romp (as originally sung in Cher’s hit single) to a ballad. Sinatra's father liked her version so much that he asked her to sing it on his 1966 TV special A Man and His Music, Part II. The footage of Sinatra's performance on that special was used in the Audio Bullys’ music video of "Shot You Down."

Taking her father's advice from when she began her recording career ("Own your own masters"), she owns or holds an interest in most of her material, including videos.

In 2004 she collaborated with former Los Angeles neighbour Morrissey to record a version of his song "Let Me Kiss You," which was featured on her critically acclaimed autumn release Nancy Sinatra. The single – released the same day as Morrissey’s version – charted at #46 in the UK, providing Sinatra with her first hit for over 30 years. The follow-up single, "Burnin' Down the Spark," failed to chart. The album, originally titled To Nancy, with Love, featured contemporary rock performers such as Calexico, Sonic Youth, U2, Pulp's Jarvis Cocker, Steven Van Zandt, Jon Spencer, and Pete Yorn, who all cited Sinatra as an influence on their music. Each artist crafted a song for Sinatra to sing on the album.

Two years later EMI released The Essential Nancy Sinatra – a UK-only greatest-hits comilation featuring the previously unreleased track, "Machine Gun Kelly." The collection was hand-picked by Sinatra and spans her 40-year career. The record was Sinatra's first to make the UK album charts (#73) in 30 years.

Sinatra, a gay icon, also recorded the song "Another Gay Sunshine Day" for Another Gay Movie in 2006.

Nancy Sinatra received her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on May 11 2006, which was also declared "Nancy Sinatra Day" by Hollywood’s Honorary Mayor, Johnny Grant.

Family

Married To: Tommy Sands, 1960-1965 (divorced)

Hugh Lambert, 1970-1985 (his death)

Children: Angela Jennifer Lambert. Amanda Lambert.

Discography

Sinatra's Reprise singles - 1961-1965

  • "Cuff Links and a Tie Clip"/"Not Just Your Friend" (Issued in U.S. with picture sleeve)
  • "To Know Him Is to Love Him"/"Like I Do"
  • "June, July, and August"/"Think of Me"
  • "You Can Have Any Boy"/"Tonight You Belong to Me"
  • "I See the Moon"/"Put Your Head on My Shoulder"
  • "The Cruel War"/"One Way" (Note: "One Way" is the only song ever committed to vinyl that Sinatra wrote and performed)
  • "Thanks to You"/"Tammy"
  • "Where Do the Lonely Go?"/"Just Think About the Good Times"
  • "This Love of Mine"/"There Goes the Bride"
  • "True Love"/"The Answer to Everything"

Sinatra's Reprise singles - 1965-1970

21 singles charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Their chart position and year are noted.

  • "So Long, Babe" (1965 - #86) /"If He'd Love Me"
  • "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (1966 - #1) /"The City Never Sleeps At Night"
  • "How Does That Grab You, Darlin'?" (1966 - #7) /"The Last of the Secret Agents"
  • "Friday's Child" (1966 - #36) /"Hutchinson Jail"
  • "In Our Time" (1966 - #46) /"Leave My Dog Alone"
  • "Sugar Town" (1966 - #5) /"Summer Wine" with Lee Hazlewood (1967 - #49)
  • "Love Eyes" (1967 - #15) /"Coastin'"
  • "Somethin' Stupid" with Frank Sinatra (1967 - #1) /(b-side by Frank Sinatra on U.S. single, b-side on the UK. single was "Call Me" by Nancy)
  • "You Only Live Twice" (1967 - #44; re-recorded version of the James Bond film theme)/"Jackson" with Lee Hazlewood (1967 - #14)
  • "Lightning's Girl" (1967 - #24) /"Until It's Time for You to Go" (Issued in U.S. with picture sleeve)
  • "Lady Bird" with Lee Hazlewood (1967 - #20) /"Sand" with Lee Hazlewood
  • "Tony Rome" (1967 - #83) /"This Town"
  • "Some Velvet Morning" with Lee Hazlewood (1968 - #26) /"Oh, Lonesome Me" with Lee Hazlewood
  • "100 Years" (1968 - #69) /"See the Little Children"
  • "Happy" (1968 - #74) /"Nice 'N' Easy"
  • "Good Time Girl" (1968 - #65) /"Old Devil Moon"
  • "Whatever Happened to Christmas?"/"I Wouldn't Trade Christmas" (both songs sung by the Sinatra family)
  • "God Knows I Love You" (1968 - #97) /"Just Bein' Plain Old Me"
  • "Here We Go Again" (1969 - #98) /"Memories"
  • "Drummer Man" (1969 - #98) /"Home"
  • "It's Such a Lonely Time of Year"/"Kids"
  • "I Love Them All (The Boys In the Band)"/"Home"
  • "Hello L.A., Bye Bye Birmingham"/"White Tattoo"
  • "How Are Things In California" (1970 - #17, Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart) /"I'm Not a Girl Anymore"
  • "Feelin' Kinda Sunday" with Frank Sinatra (1970 - #30), Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart)/"Kids"
  • "Hook & Ladder"/"Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone?" (Issued in U.S. with picture sleeve)
  • "Life's a Trippy Thing" with Frank Sinatra/b-side by Frank Sinatra
  • "Did You Ever?" with Lee Hazlewood/"Back On the Road" with Lee Hazlewood
  • "Glory Road"/"Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone?" (b-side was "Flowers In the Rain" in the UK)

RCA-Victor singles

  • "Kind of a Woman"/"It's the Love (That Keeps It All Together)" (1972)
  • "Big Red Balloon" with Lee Hazlewood/"Down From Dover" with Lee Hazlewood (UK-only single, 1972)
  • "Sugar Me"/"Ain't No Sunshine" (1973)

Private Stock singles

  • "Annabell of Mobile"/"She Played the Piano and He Beat the Drums" (1975)
  • "Kinky Love"/"She Played the Piano and He Beat the Drums" (1976)
  • "Indian Summer" with Lee Hazlewood/"Dolly and Hawkeye" (1976)

(NOTE: There is a discrepancy that Sinatra did not actually record the b-side, "Dolly and Hawkeye." Sinatra, on her web site, claims she never recorded the song. However, the label does list Sinatra as the artist)

  • "A Gentle Man Like You"/"It's For My Dad" (1977)

Elektra singles

Other singles

  • Lil' Bit Of Gold (1988 - Rhino Records; NOTE: Four-song EP)
  • "Bone Dry/Now I Have Everything" (1995 - Cougar Records)
  • For My Dad (1998, DCC Compact Classics; NOTE: Three-song EP. One Nancy solo, two Frank/Nancy duets)
  • "Let Me Kiss You"/"Bossman" (2004 - Attack Records/Sanctuary)
  • "Burnin' Down the Spark"/"Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad" (2004 - Attack Records/Sanctuary)

Notes

10 of her songs cracked the UK Singles Chart:

  • "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (1966 - #1)
  • "How Does That Grab You, Darlin'?" (1966 - #19)
  • "Sugar Town" (1967 - #8)
  • "Somethin' Stupid" with Frank Sinatra (1967 - #1)
  • "You Only Live Twice"/"Jackson" (b-side with Lee Hazlewood) (1967 - #11)
  • "Lady Bird" with Lee Hazlewood (1967 - #47)
  • "Highway Song" (1969 - #21)
  • "Did You Ever?" with Lee Hazlewood (1971 - #2)
  • "Let Me Kiss You" (2004 - #46)
  • "Shot You Down" Audio Bullys featuring Nancy Sinatra (2005 - #3, pop; #1, dance)

U.S. albums

Notable foreign albums

Filmography

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