Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis & Dean Martin
The Sands, Copa Room
Las Vegas
 
I'm not sure about the date on this show. It's not the 6 Sept 63 performance (the commercial release) because there are some songs that are missing, and some that are here that are not on the commercial release. Frank mentions that he's glad to be here on the opening night of The Sands but these guys performed at The Sands a googlezillion times. (Side note - you'll remember that The Sands was owned by Howard Hughes at the time and he had poured a lot of money into the hotel in order to expand it from a small hotel/casio (1952) to the 500 room landmark tower that would usher in the entertainment megacenter of Las Vegas).

  1. Dean Introduction > Drink To Me Only  > I Love Vegas
  2. Monologue
  3. June In January > Monologue//
  4. Via Veneto
  5. Volare
  6. On An Evening In Roma >  Ring-a-ding-ding - (instrumental) //
  7. Frank  - I Only Have Eyes For You
  8. My Heart Stood Still
  9. Please Be Kind
10. Monologue
11. Call Me Irresponsible
12. Luck Be A Lady
13. Dialogue - Frank & Dean
14. Medley - Comedy Songs
15. Sammy enters
16. The Lady Is A Tramp
17. Dixie Melody (Impressions)
18. Glory Fanfare > dialogue Frank, Dean, Sammy
19. Guys And Dolls > dialogue//
20. The Oldest Established (Permanent Floating Crap Game In New York)
21. Orchestra Introductions > The Oldest Established (Permanent Floating Crap Game In New York)
22. Ring-a-ding-ding - instrumental outro

return to Frank Sinatra

return to Dean Martin

This is 1960's cool. The ultimate hip.  A happening.  The apex of the haute culture at the time. Everyone wanted to be one of them, or with them, or   near them but most of us were relegated to just talk about them like we knew them. They exuded cultural cool for their generation in spite of their shady off stage reputations.  There's some music here but this is about more than just the music - it's the Rat Pack doing their shtick - off color jokes, the politically incorrect comments,  impressions, self-deprecation in deference to Frank, and generally just entertaining the audience with their multidimensional show.  At the time, they were firing on all cylinders - people loved them, and they loved the people. When you were in the presence of this kind of show - you got wrapped up in the event. For 70 minutes, the world didn't matter - you were part of their club or at least you were a witness to it - private jokes, insider comments - you were cool.  Never mind that you actually were superfluous to them.

Sinatra gets the most straight ahead musical time playing his Chairman of the Board persona to the max. Everything is built around him like he's some great conquering hero - make Frank look good, make others look 2nd rate. . . .  but I never fail to be impressed by Dean and Sammy. While they didn't get the spotlight the way Frank did, and they often were relegated to 2nd fiddle, their moments were brilliant in both song and comedy.  Where o' where are these types of entertainers today?