About this episode
Your Chairmen of the Bored are back with a deep dive into the life and times of Ol’ Blue Eyes and the twisted origins of his signature tune — which went from an obscure French pop song to an immortal karaoke anthem. It was all thanks to former teen star Paul Anka, who wrote the stirring lyrics at his idol’s request on the eve of his retirement. You’ll learn how a Beatle (maybe) witnessed the recording, and you’ll hear an early version of the lyrics written by a pre-fame David Bowie. You’ll discover why Las Vegas became the home base for the Rat Pack, and hear all about Frank’s risky dealings — and crazy love triangle — with the Kennedys and the Mob (and why some believe he maybe-kinda-sorta inadvertently triggered JFK’s assassination…). Jordan and Alex also go deep on the Sex Pistols’ punk-rock cover of the classic, sung by the doomed bassist Sid Vicious, and examine the shocking number of murders that have occurred as a direct result of this song. Regrets, we’ve all had a few — but listening to this episode will not be one of them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.