Fridays Are For Frank: “Don’t Be That Way”

“What the hell was THAT?!?!”

That was bandleader Benny Goodman‘s reaction to the screams of thousands at the Paramount Theater as Frank Sinatra took the stage in 1942.

Sinatra certainly admired Goodman—a.k.a. “The King of Swing—inviting the Benny to appear on live radio broadcasts in the mid-1940’s.

Goodman was a stern professional when it came to making music, but he was also a savvy businessman. As Sinatra came into his own as an entertainment force, he no doubt took on some of Goodman’s business sense.

Later on, in 1961, Frank recorded a version of Benny’s big hit, “Don’t Be That Way,” for his album Sinatra Swings—arranged by Billy May.

“Tears are in vain,
so honey, please don’t be that way…”