Hot on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Bono's Debut Column: An Ode to Sinatra

By John Johnson, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 10, 2009 11:13 PM CST

(Newser) – Bono waxes eloquent about Frank Sinatra and the life lessons he learned from the Chairman in his debut column today for the New York Times. Among other things, he contrasts an early boastful recording of "My Way" with one Sinatra made late in life that is filled with remorse. "To what end? Duality, complexity. I was lucky to duet with a man who understood duality, who had the talent to hear two opposing ideas in a single song, and the wisdom to know which side to reveal at which moment."

Bono finds relevance in those contrasting notions—swagger and regret—for the current economic troubles. But it's not all serious, and he gives us a little secret: "If you want to hear the least sentimental voice in the history of pop music finally crack, though—shhhh—find the version of Frank’s ode to insomnia, 'One for My Baby (and One More for the Road),' hidden on Duets. Listen through to the end and you will hear the great man break as he truly sobs on the line, 'It’s a long, long, long road.' I kid you not."

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

In this Oct. 22, 2008, file photo, Bono addresses the audience at The Women's Conference in Long Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)

Bono, lead singer of U2, speaks at The Women's Conference,Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008, in Long Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

U2 singer Bono gestures as he talks during a media conference at the EU Commission in Brussels, Tuesday, May 15, 2007. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Is this knotted fist of a voice a clue to the next year? In the mist of uncertainty in your business life, your love life, your life life, why is Sinatra’s voice such a foghorn?

- Bono, New York Times

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Bono Joins Op-Ed Page of NYT

U2 singer joins Grey Lady's ranks as columnist

(NEWSER) - Bono may have finally found what he’s looking for: the New York Times’ op-ed section will be the U2 singer’s new print home, Radar reports. Editorial page editor Andrew Rosenthal announced his newest columnist last night, telling Columbia's School of Journalism that the activist/sunglasses aficionado will pen between six and 10 columns a year, free of charge. More»

Trump Vs. NYT Scribe: It's on!

Gail Collins hits back at the Donald

(NEWSER) - Last week it was apparent that there's no love lost between Donald Trump and New York Times columnist Gail Collins , but this week it's all-out war. Seems the Donald responded to Collins' column, which tweaked him as a loopy birther, with a letter to the editor tweaking her in turn as a no-good hack for writing "nasty and derogatory articles about me." "Actually," Trump writes, "I have great respect for Ms. Collins in that she has survived so long with so little talent. Her storytelling ability and word usage (coming from me, who has written many bestsellers), is not at a very high level." Snap! More»

Alicia Keys Weds Producer Beau

Singer and Swizz Beatz are expecting their first child

(NEWSER) - So that's where the celebrities were—Alicia Keys married rap producer Swizz Beatz yesterday in a small ceremony attended by, among others, Bono and Queen Latifah, reports the Daily Mail . Though overshadowed by Chelsea Clinton's blowout in New York's Hudson Valley, the exchange of vows on the French island of Corsica ended days of flying rumors, notes E! . A true one: The couple are expecting their first child in November. "It's a brand new day :)," Beatz tweeted . "I feel like Nas and Diddy song :) love y'all and blessing!" More»

Safire Was No 'Nattering Nabob of Negativism': Dowd

They don't make 'em like Safire anymore, writes Times colleague Dowd

(NEWSER) - Bill Safire, to use the phrase he coined, was anything but a "nattering nabob of negativity," writes his New York Times "colleague in columny" Maureen Dowd. The former Nixon speechwriter—who once told Dowd he had been frozen out by the Times' liberal writers until he saved a drowning child at a party—was always gracious, Dowd recalls, who only ever chastised her on a point of language despite their strongly opposed views on the Iraq war. More»

Obama and Brooks: Best Buds

The odd friendship between a conservative columnist and liberal president

(NEWSER) - Nominal conservative David Brooks is one of President Obama’s unlikeliest allies, writes Gabriel Sherman for the New Republic. The New York Times columnist was on board early, publishing an op-ed titled “Run, Barack, Run” in 2006. Lately, Brooks has written more favorably of Obama than Paul Krugman has. Sherman explores the “bromance” between the prominent pundit and “the most liberal president of his lifetime.” More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website