Summary
- Frank Sinatra's catalog of songs, including "My Way," has become timeless and continues to be beloved by fans young and old.
- "Fly Me To The Moon," one of Sinatra's most recognizable songs, was originally written about a gay relationship, which was a secret at the time.
- Learning about the inspiration behind "Fly Me To The Moon" has been an overwhelmingly positive experience for many individuals in the LGBTQ+ community, who have taken to social media to express their excitement.
Music legend Frank Sinatra is an individual who needs no introduction. Regarded as one of the finest crooners and one of the most prolific entertainers in history, Sinatra has remained relevant and beloved by the young and old.
Sinatra's legendary charisma was not the only factor that made his career remarkable. His catalog of songs has become timeless. While Sinatra rarely wrote his own music, he enlisted the skills of a talented team of writers who penned such classics as "My Way", "That's Life", and "The Best Is Yet To Come." One of Sinatra's most recognizable songs has a shocking and secret inspiration that many fans may not be aware of.
What Was The Inspiration Behind One Of Frank Sinatra's Most Iconic Songs?
In the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, Frank Sinatra was one of the most recognized men in the world. A definitive part of American culture, Sinatra was not only a beloved entertainer, but was connected politically. Allegedly, Sinatra also had ties to the Mafia. Sinatra dominated the entertainment industry as a singer, performer, and actor.
One of Sinatra's greatest gifts was covering previously released songs, and making them mainstream. "Fly Me To The Moon" was one such song. It was originally recorded by Kaye Ballard in 1954, according to Songfacts. Written by Bart Howard, "Fly Me To The Moon" was unlike most songs of its era.
Howard was privately gay, and the song was written about Howard's partner, Thomas "Bud" Fowler, according to Far Out. At the time when Howard wrote "Fly Me To The Moon", he was forced to keep his relationship with Fowler a secret. Gay and lesbian relationships were not only frowned upon by the American public, but were against the law. Unbeknownst to Americans, one of the famous romantic songs of its era was based on a gay relationship.
Howard and Fowler had a long-lasting relationship, and remained together for over fifty years. In fact, Howard and Fowler were partners until Howard passed away in February 2004. They were even laid to rest together at Lanes Chapel Cemetery in Clarksville, Texas, according to Find A Grave.
There is no definitive evidence that Sinatra knew "Fly Me To The Moon" was about Bart's partner. However, he may have found out. Sinatra passed away in 1998, when being gay was becoming more accepted. Bart and Fowlers' relationship did not remain a secret, as they were eventually buried together. Sinatra, at some point, most likely became aware of the fact that Bart was gay. Perhaps he even knew of Bart's romantic preferences when he recorded "Fly Me To The Moon."
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Many fans were completely unaware of "Fly Me To The Moon"'s inspiration until the 2020s. The true meaning of the song was discussed on TikTok, among other platforms, according to Distractify. One TikTok content creator even went as far as to visit the graves of Bart and Fowler to prove the story. For many individuals in the LGTBQ+ community, learning "Fly Me To The Moon"'s origins has been an overwhelmingly positive experience, according to Pink News. Once learning about Bart and Fowler's love story, some individuals took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their excitement.
One LGTBQ+ community member wrote in a X post that "there's a very real possibility that my wife and I would not be together without this song, so this is my favorite thing I learned today."
A LGTBQ+ rights ally shared on X that, "I love that song and it's even more precious to me now. A long time ago, one of the scientists I worked with strolled through my lab humming this song to herself. She was one of the dearest people I've ever known. Being gay and a woman in the sciences, imagine."
"Fly Me To The Moon" has certainly taken on a whole new meaning in the 21st century, since people have learned its inspiration. Bart would most likely be proud that his most famous composition has become a valuable topic of conversation for LGTBQ+ community members and allies.
How Did Frank Sinatra Inspire One Of His Signature Songs, "My Way"?
Like "Fly Me To The Moon", Frank Sinatra did not write "My Way." The iconic 1969 song was based on the melody of a French composition entitled "Comme d'habitude."
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The English lyrics were written by prolific songwriter and 1950s teen idol, Paul Anka. Anka, who spent time with Sinatra and the Rat Pack, was at first hesitant to write a song for Sinatra. He did not want to disappoint his mentor and friend. "He'd always tease me, 'hey kid, when are you going to write me a song?' But I couldn't. I was scared to death. I was writing all this teen stuff", Anka recalled in an interview.
After Sinatra requested Anka to write him a song multiple times, Anka finally relented. According to Anka, My Way was inspired by Sinatra's personality and career. Particularly, Anka wrote it as if Sinatra himself were speaking. "I thought, "What would Frank do with this melody, if he were a writer? And all of a sudden, it just came to me."
"My Way", alongside "Fly Me To The Moon", is recognized as one of Sinatra's signature songs by fans and music historians. Sinatra was so protective of the song, that he even refused to let "My Way" be used in Goodfellas.
