FRIDAYS ARE FOR FRANK: “Wives and Lovers” (feat. Count Basie)

Frank Sinatra can be romantic…

His 1954 album Songs for Young Lovers—his first album for Capitol Records, once again joining forces with maestro Nelson Riddle for a formula that would continue to generate hit after hit after hit—remains one of the most popular albums of all time.

But… Frank can also be a bit of a misogynist.

Take “Wives and Lovers,” for instance—a 1963 song by Burt Bacharach and Hal David that can only be described as cringeworthy by today’s standards.

It’s a song that offers advice to married women, to stay attractive and attentive to their husbands (“wives should always be lovers, too”) to avoid their husbands straying with “girls at the office.” It’s Rat Pack/Mad Men patriarchy at it’s ickiest, and Sinatra took it for a stroll on 1964’s It Might as Well Be Swing, accompanied by Count Basie and his orchestra. The album was Sinatra’s first studio recording arranged by Quincy Jones.

Here’s a quick look at the lyrics:

Hey, little girl, comb your hair, fix your make-up
Soon he will open the door
Don’t think because there’s a ring on your finger
You needn’t try any more
For wives should always be lovers too
Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you
I’m warning you

Day after day, there are girls at the office
And the men will always be men
Don’t stand him up with your hair still in curlers
You may not see him again
Wives should always be lovers too
Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you
He’s almost here

Hey, little girl, better wear something pretty
Something you wear to go to the city
Dim all the lights, pour the wine, start the music
Time to get ready for love

It’s time to get ready for love
Yes, it’s time to get ready for love
It’s time to get ready, kick your shoes off, baby

Ugh… we love you, Frank—but this one doesn’t really have legs.

It’s the day after Valentine’s Day, 2019. We could only imagine the abject failure of anyone trying to use those lines last night.

Anyway, if you’re up for a good laugh, here’s some marriage advice from a legendary lothario who was divorced three times…