“SOMETHING STUPID”! by Des Kelly

A common “phrase” as regards something we have done, or, we have said (sometimes), a phrase that we often use, ourselves, when we see something stupid on our television, for example, the “ads”, for instance, that turn would-be customers “off” rather than “on”, advertisements that are so bloody stupid, one would have to think that the people paying for this rubbish to be publicised would have to be stupider than the “ads” themselves. This is my idea of “something stupid. I rest my case.

I pick up my case again, on “Something Stupid” the song. “The Voice”, as he was known during the “good old days”, “cranky Frankie” “old blue-eyes”, whatever, Frank Sinatra, to be precise, was, in my opinion, the most technically perfect singer on the planet in his era. There was NO Vocalist who could “phrase” a song like Sinatra could. Every great band-leader of the day, wanted Frank to be their “front-man”. Like EVERY other entertainer who ever lived, Francis Albert Sinatra had a tough time, to start with, but, like the “trouper” he was, Sinatra persevered and made it right to the “top”.

He is gone now, but to his “fans”(me included), he will never be forgotten.

Fairly late in his career, he was asked to record the song

“Something Stupid”, laughed at the idea, and gave in, because he recorded it with his daughter Nancy, (with the laughing face), as he fondly referred to her. The record became a “hit”, of course, but there are no prizes on offer for WHY it became a “hit”. The song itself, written by lyricist Carson Parks, is a pretty song, but had Frank Sinatra not recorded it with his daughter, personally, I do not think it would have reached the top of the charts as it did in 1967.

Several others recorded this duet, but without much success. Then, in 2001, it became “No.1” as sung by Australia’s own Nicole Kidman & Englishman Robbie Williams.

Nearly 18 years have gone by, and, especially for my eLanka readers, and, happy to say that our “members” alone, now top 20.000, I have this “Special-Series” where I pick out video/-song clips, that in MY OWN OPINION, are the very BEST. to publish on our website, exclusively for

the enjoyment of you people, out there. Without bragging about a -“gift” to me, from the Almighty,(thank God), I think I know enough about music (I have written the music & lyrics to over a hundred songs), to pick out the VERY SPECIAL ones for you to enjoy. I have “auditioned” quite a few, and, sorry, Frank Sinatra Junior, you are a handsome dude like your “old man” was, but your singing will never even come close to his. Robbie Williams does a great job on the song, and I certainly feel that Nicole Kidman should have done many more recordings. She has a superb voice.Together with this article, dear readers, you will get to hear the original Frank & Nancy Sinatra version, ending with the Robbie Williams/ Nicole Kidman version of “Something Stupid”. Kind of a funny title for a song, but I like it.