Frank Sinatra: The Man Who Invented Modern Pop Song Phrasing
Frank Sinatra was an iconic American singer and Academy Award-winning actor who helped define the sound of 20th-century popular music.
Known for his jazz-influenced vocal style, he made countless songs famous, including My Way, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, Angel Eyes, Fly Me to the Moon, and New York, New York.
Sinatra’s legacy is perhaps best summed up by Stephen Holden in the Rolling Stone Record Guide (1983): “Frank Sinatra’s voice is pop music history. Like Presley and Dylan – Sinatra will last indefinitely. He virtually invented modern pop song phrasing.”
The Great American Songbook is filled with jazz standards Sinatra recorded, such as All of Me and Baby Won’t You Please Come Home. These compositions often feature rich, complex chord progressions—unlike most contemporary hits—and offer valuable lessons for any serious songwriter.
From a melodic standpoint, recordings that have become jazz standards are essential listening, especially those performed by Frank Sinatra. There’s much to learn from how he phrased and interpreted every line.
Frank Sinatra Tunes | Related Pages
All Of Me | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play All Of Me by Frank Sinatra using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Bbmaj7 | Bbmaj7 | D7 | D7 |
All of me, why not take all of me…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: All Of Me (the Real Book) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Angel Eyes | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Angel Eyes by Frank Sinatra using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Am Am/G Am/F# Am/F | Am/E Am/Eb |
Try to think that love’s not around…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Angel Eyes (Frank Sinatra) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Baby Won’t You Please Come Home | Chords + TAB
Learn how to play Baby Won’t You Please Come Home by Clarence Williams using chords, lyrics, a chord chart, and a Spytunes video guitar lesson.
| D7 | B7 | Em7 | A7 |
Baby won’t you please come home, ’cause your mama’s all alone…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Baby Won’t You Please Come Home (Bessie Smith) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Fly Me To The Moon | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Fly Me To The Moon by Frank Sinatra using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Am7 | Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 |
Fly me to the moon, let me play among the stars…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Fly Me To The Moon (Frank Sinatra) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Killing Me Softly With His Song | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Killing Me Softly With His Song by Roberta Flack using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Fm7 | Bbm7 |
Strumming my pain with his fingers…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Killing Me Softly With His Song (Roberta Flack + Fugess) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Love Me Tender | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Love Me Tender by Elvis using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| D D/A | E7 E7/B | A7 | D D/A |
Love me tender, love me sweet, never let me go…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Love Me Tender (Elvis) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
My Funny Valentine | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play My Funny Valentine by Chet Baker using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, the original recording, and cover versions.
| Cm | Cmmaj7 | Cm7 | Cm6 |
My funny Valentine, sweet comic Valentine…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: My Funny Valentine (the Real Book) Guitar Lesson with TAB and chord analysis.
Over The Rainbow | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Over The Rainbow by Eva Cassidy using chords, lyrics, a chord chart, chord analysis, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Gsus2 /F# | Em /D | Bm7b13 | G7 Amadd4 /B |
Somewhere over the rainbow…
Start learning with the full lesson series: Over The Rainbow – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Frank Sinatra on the web
