The Rat Pack

If you were sly enough to guess at the play on word- the title of the blog is meant to inform you that near the time of 1 am, I will wail at or about something (see it's clever 'cause I obsess about whales).

This morning I wish to classify the main, glory members of The Rat Pack. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. have formed an era of culture. While only a few performers today are able to sing the genre of songs these three did and entertain in the same way they did, there is not a musical troop to command more than a generation of audiences.

Frank. Frank. He was just a god. He held every listener in the palm of his cool, calming voice. Each piece he performed, whether mellow or blasting, captivates the soul. Frank Sinatra was just, is just, the MOST TALENTED stage, big band, night club, television, movie performer. Make sure to also view one of his acting roles in "The Man with the Golden Arm."

Dean. As conveyed through the his roasts and variety show, Dean was the ENTERTAINER. He was genuine. When he thought something was funny, he laughed, boisterously. As the stereotype is used, Dean was the welcoming, hearty Italian.

At the possible risk of controversy, Sammy had the BEST VOICE. It was pure, classic and powerful. Unbeliever? "What Kind of Fool Am I?" from the album "The Ratpack."

You may agree, disagree or reclassify these icons. As a shock, I will trump there talent with the best all-time vocalist and performer- Nat King Cole. I recently watched a short documentary of the life of this man. At every clip of his singing I smiled with peace. He loved to sing. His voice cut through prejudice and fear that blanketed the country and world during the middle of the last century. He was a black man that had a television show during primetime Monday night in 1956!

As Isaac Hayes summarized, "He was the personification of cool. He was cool before it was cool to be cool."