Nancy and Frank Sinatra‘s “Life’s a Trippy Thing” from 1970 is the only song title that registers in 45Cat when you keyword search the database using the word “trippy” — and yet, ironically perhaps, the song delights in singing the praises of sober living while reveling in the use of drug slang:
“Life’s a Trippy Thing” by Nancy & Frank Sinatra (1970)
As Spencer Leigh aptly notes in Frank Sinatra: An Extraordinary Life:
“[At what Frank intended to be his final recording sessions with Don Costa in October, 1970] There were two duets with Nancy Sinatra, ‘Feeling Kinda Sunday’ and ‘Life’s a Trippy Thing’, written by Nino Tempo and Howard Greenfield [with (a) Annette Tucker & Kathy Wakefield and (b) Linda Laurie, respectively]. Austin Powers would have loved them. ‘I mean what I sing, Life is such a trippy thing.’ Really? Frank ended the second song with the words, ‘That’s silly.'”
“Life’s a Trippy Thing” — penned by Linda Laurie & Howard Greenfield and recorded in October 1970, with Don Costa in the producer’s chair — did not chart when originally released in April, 1971. 45Cat and Discogs both peg “Life’s a Trippy Thing” as the A-side paired with “I’m Not Afraid.” However, Cash Box‘s singles review published in their May 1, 1971 edition gives the majority of ink to “I’m Not Afraid” — the “plug” side — while “Trippy” (the “flip” side) is merely described as “a charming duet.” Furthermore, Record World ‘s May 1, 1971 review only concerned itself with the A-side.
Both songs were released as a 45 in France, whereas “Life’s a Trippy Thing” would find itself paired with 1967’s “Somethin’ Stupid” for the German market.
45 – France
(note charming typo)
45 – Germany
“Life’s a Trippy Thing” would also find release in Italy on 1972 LP collection, The Voice, Vol. 3.
Those hoping to acquire “Life’s a Trippy Thing” today can pursue the original 45s on the resale market, or obtain the track via these other more contemporary ‘music products’ worldwide:
(1) part of a 12-track “Collector’s Edition” Frank Sinatra LP for the Brazilian market;
(2) a track on 1994’s Belgium-only CD release Nancy & Friends: Nancy, Frank & Lee;
(3) a bonus track on the 1996 CD reissue of 1966’s Nancy in London album.
(4) one of two ‘B-side’ tracks included on the 2001 European CD single release of “Something Stupid.”
(5) one track (among many) on the Frank Sinatra Complete Reprise Studio Recordings 20-CD box set.
Howard Greenfield, co-writer of “Life’s a Trippy Thing,” is one of the great Brill Building songwriters, whose four co-written #1 hits include “Love Will Keep Us Together.” Greenfield was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1991. Linda Laurie, Greenfield’s songwriting partner for “Life’s a Trippy Thing,” is probably best known for penning the 1959 novelty hit “Ambrose (Part 5)” while a senior at Brooklyn’s Abraham Lincoln High School, according to Billboard.
This past April, Billboard would note that, with 1967’s ‘Somethin’ Stupid,‘ Frank and Nancy Sinatra became the only father-daughter duo to top the Hot 100. Nancy would tell NPR’s Fresh Air in 1996 that “DJs dubbed it ‘the incest song…’ It gave them something fun to kid about.”