Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic

Discoveries of a Pop Music Archaeologist

Nancy & Frank Sinatra’s Trippy 45

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.'”

Nancy & Frank Sinatra 45-aa

“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.”  HoweverCash 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)

Nancy & Frank Sinatra 45-ddd

45 – Germany

Nancy & Frank Sinatra 45-ccc3

“Life’s a Trippy Thing” would also find release in Italy on 1972 LP collection, The Voice, Vol. 3.

Frank Sinatra LP-ItalyThose 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;Nancy & Frank Sinatra 45-z

(2) a track on 1994’s Belgium-only CD release Nancy & Friends:  Nancy, Frank & Lee;Nancy & Frank Sinatra 45-zz

(3) a bonus track on the 1996 CD reissue of 1966’s Nancy in London album.

Nancy & Frank Sinatra 45-zzzz

(4) one of two ‘B-side’ tracks included on the 2001 European CD single release of “Something Stupid.”

Nancy Sinatra CD single

(5) one track (among many) on the Frank Sinatra Complete Reprise Studio Recordings 20-CD box set.

Nancy & Frank Sinatra 45-zzzbbbx

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.”

Categories in this Post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All Categories
Archives