Nancy (With a Laughing Face)

“Nancy (With the Laughing Face)” performed by Frank Sinatra is a timeless piece. Sinatra’s crooning style is very smooth and leaves the listener feeling relaxed. His voice is very similar to Bing Crosby’s since both were crooners; however, Sinatra mixes in more Italian opera influence. The slow beat and the soothing voice compliment each other. His voice combined with the tempo of the song creates a tone of love. This is why the song is sometimes thought to be composed specifically geared towards his wife or daughter who are both named Nancy; however, this is not the case. The song originally was even named “Bessie (With a Laughing Face),” so the song was not written intentionally for his wife or daughter. The lyrics talk about the joy and happiness that Nancy brings to his life. He uses seasons to symbolize the way Nancy makes him feel:

 “She takes the winter and she makes it summer

And summer could take a few lessons from her” 

This metaphor in the song shows the reader the love the person singing has for a person named Nancy. 

This song uses string instruments, which was not common in most records of the time. I believe that the violins are crucial to the identity of the song and if removed an important aspect of the song would be missing. The different instruments add dimension and layers to the beat. Overall I love this piece by Sinatra and think that it’s an excellent representation of his unique crooning/singing style.