Away From the Desk! The Music of November 22: Sinatra's "High Hopes" for JFK
The Oscar-winning song was the soundtrack of Kennedy's 1960 campaign
Criterion Collection: The Kennedy films of Robert Drew & Associates http://bit.ly/KennedyFilms
I was moonlighting over at the JFK Facts Substack, where there’s an occasional series — The Music of November 22 —that considers songs influenced by or relevant to the assassination of JFK, in this case a song that represented JFK’s 1960 campaign. I do remember this one, a real singalong song that kids in Democrat households picked up. My parents were not Sinatra fans though.
The above clip from Albert Maysles’s 1960 documentary “Primary,” shows a campaign event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the crowd serenades the candidate and his wife Jackie with a Frank Sinatra song, “High Hopes.”
Written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn for the 1959 movie “A Hole in the Head, “High Hopes,” won the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 32nd Academy Awards on April 4, 1960.
Sinatra sang the song in the film and recorded it as a single and on his album “All the Way.”With new lyrics, Sinatra recorded it again as John F. Kennedy’s 1960 campaign song.
The limited edition campaign record did not have Sinatra’s name on the label, but his voice was unmistakable. It was a a great singalong for kids, and I remember we sang it in our home.
Sinatra and his Hollywood friends known as the “Rat Pack” were conspicuous at the Democratic Convention in Los Angeles and at Kennedy’s inauguration events.
On YouTube:
On Spotify:
No copyright was claimed on this album when it was released.
The Lyrics
Here are the lyrics to the campaign version. You can’t help but sing along!
Everyone is voting for Jack
'Cause he's got what all the rest lack
Everyone wants to back -- Jack
Jack is on the right track
'Cause he's got high hopes
He's got high hopes
1960 is the year for his high hopes
Come on and vote for Kennedy
Vote for Kennedy And we'll come out on top!
Oops, there goes the opposition - ker –
Oops, there goes the opposition - ker –
Oops, there goes the opposition - KERPLOP!
K--E--DOUBLE N--E--D--Y
Jack's the nation's favorite guy
Everyone wants to back -- Jack
Jack is on the right track
'Cause he's got high hopes
He's got high hopes
1960 is the year for his high hopes
Come on and vote for Kennedy
Vote for Kennedy
Keep America strong
Kennedy, he just keeps rollin' - a –
Kennedy, he just keeps rollin' - a –
Kennedy, he just keeps rollin' along!
Vote for Kennedy!
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