Althouse: We're talking about Michael Jackson, and suddenly Bob Wright goes off on Frank Sinatra.

June 29, 2009

We're talking about Michael Jackson, and suddenly Bob Wright goes off on Frank Sinatra.

[Link, replacing embedded video.]

So let's watch young Michael Jackson do his Frank Sinatra routine:

23 comments:

Ron said...: Thus I refute him!

http://fluffystuffin.blogspot.com/2009/04/ol-big-chin.html; 6/29/09, 11:35 AM
traditionalguy said...: Bob Wright has his own blind spots when judging talent. If only Lou Rawls could have danced. And if only Frank Sinatra could have acted in movies. Then maybe Bob Wright would allow them ligitimate popularity. And what does Bob Wright do? His singing, acting and dancing are still hidden talents. Oh yeah, he thinks.; 6/29/09, 11:59 AM
reader_iam said...: Is it the perpetual crawl promoting Bob's book that's making this BHTV embed exceptionally stutter-y?; 6/29/09, 12:10 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: See, Ann, I don't get this bloggingheads deal: Who is this Bob Wright fella and who is he to judge talent? And BTW: Weren't you, as a fellow artist, going to gather your hoards to judge me?; 6/29/09, 12:52 PM
bagoh20 said...: Sinatra was before my time, but still I connect with his singing and find it wonderful and romantic.

Will people too young for Jackson do the same 60 years after his heyday in 2050? I think Jackson had more talent - that raw ability to sing and dance, but something is different.

Maybe it's the art itself. Modern pop of the Jackson genre is non- cerebral and physical. It's just different in a way that will not hold up in my opinion. They will still play it the way we still play stuff like Chuck Berry, or Buddie Hollie, but I don't think we connect with those emotionally either. We just like the way it sounds.

I wish I could express what I appreciate about Sinatra. I just know when I'm listening.

I listened to MJ songs all night on Thursday and was under-whelmed compared to my appreciation for his status in music history. The music is well performed and interesting, but just does not connect with me emotionally.

I have seen a lot of people on TV who disagree emphatically.; 6/29/09, 1:27 PM
Smilin' Jack said...: MJ was more innovative and influential as a dancer than as a singer. He took the dance part of "song and dance man" to a whole new level. But if I'm just listening, not watching, I'd usually prefer to listen to Sinatra. MJ sang pop, and when you've heard an MJ song a few times, you've heard it enough. Sinatra's songs never get old.; 6/29/09, 2:57 PM
Irene said...: Here's a mix of classic Fred Astaire! danced to Michael Jackson music.; 6/29/09, 3:14 PM
dick said...: Works better if you just turn down the music and watch the dancing. Astaire was fine and Cyd Charisse was breathtakingly gorgeous and talented as well. Love the dancing, the music not at all.; 6/29/09, 3:49 PM
Ron said...: Hey, Astaire liked MJ's dancing!; 6/29/09, 3:56 PM
tim maguire said...: Now it will always be sad to see clips of Michael from before he destroyed himself under the knife.

My wife is a big Sinatra fan. He has a few songs I really like, but I'm not such a big fan generally. I think the word you are looking for is "cool". There was something really smotth and cool about Sinatra, an intimacy to his songs, even if he was a wanna be gangster.; 6/29/09, 4:14 PM
Irene said...: @Ron--Here's more on the Fred Astaire/Michael Jacskson connection.; 6/29/09, 4:37 PM
rhhardin said...: Sinatra didn't breathe until the end of a sentence, which gave him the phrasing.; 6/29/09, 6:13 PM
Ron said...: Thanks Irene! Good stuff...; 6/29/09, 6:31 PM
Irene said...: Ron, you are very welcome!; 6/29/09, 6:37 PM
AllenS said...: Let's not forget, Sinatra and crew made sure that their friend, Sammy Davis, Jr. did well.; 6/29/09, 6:37 PM
themightypuck said...: Mr. Wright's position on Sinatra was one of his most cogent in the diavlog. You appeared to nail him on his lack of scientific curiosity.; 6/29/09, 6:55 PM
Pastafarian said...: Breaking news: Michael Jackson is still dead.; 6/29/09, 7:43 PM
David said...: Jackson = Prodigy.

Sinatra = Genius.

Wright = Journeyman.; 6/29/09, 9:15 PM
Roux said...: I love Frank but I've enjoyed his music since I was in college.

I am the same age as MJ and I remember him as a kid and then he kind of disappeared. I remember watching the Tonight show and he did Dancing Machine as his comeback. The Thriller album was great and a few after that but then he just went full blown wacko Jackco.

He should be remembered as a great talent but also as a pervert.

Bob is wrong about Frank. IMO one of the greatest entertainers of his generation.; 6/29/09, 9:41 PM
kentuckyliz said...: my dad looked like the actor richard widmark and he'd get asked for autographs all the time, especially if he was on a cruise--and he'd oblige!; 6/29/09, 10:52 PM
A.W. said...: kind of tangential to the topic, but here is a fascinating article on jackson's plastic surgeries and the why behind it.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196633/How-Jacksons-surgery-desperate-bid-look-like-father-hated.html?ITO=1490

It all reminds me of a line from King of the Hill when they play jokes on Dale until Dale goes completely off the deep end: "We put pressure on a structure that wasn't up to code in the first place." That seems like the story of michael's life. not an excuse, but we an still feel bad about it all.; 6/30/09, 10:57 PM
PETROGLYPHSINTHESKY said...: here's food for thought. Michael Jackson always claimed he was "peter pan". the anesthesia Propofol is used for knocking people out for surgery. when i had surgery i had a " o.b.e " " out of body experience " and i was in the Conner high up on the ceiling looking at the doctors work on my body. then i was sucked back into my body. Michael Jackson learned about this probably on some of the surgeries he had had. Michael Jackson would have " o.b.e 's " from taking Propofol and would fly around the room and probably other places until it was time to come back to his body. but this time no one was there to revive him, and now hes caught between worlds. he is forever " peter pan " .; 7/9/09, 4:50 AM
PETROGLYPHSINTHESKY said...: here's food for thought. Michael Jackson always claimed he was "peter pan". the anesthesia Propofol is used for knocking people out for surgery. when i had surgery i had a " o.b.e " " out of body experience " and i was in the Conner high up on the ceiling looking at the doctors work on my body. then i was sucked back into my body. Michael Jackson learned about this probably on some of the surgeries he had had. Michael Jackson would have " o.b.e 's " from taking Propofol and would fly around the room and probably other places until it was time to come back to his body. but this time no one was there to revive him, and now hes caught between worlds. he is forever " peter pan " .; 7/9/09, 4:51 AM