Me And My Shadow – Thomas Johnston
Frank Sinatra sang more than his fair share of duets in his career, but this particular number from 1962 saw The Chairman of the Board team up with an equally sensational Rat Pack counterpart and one of his best pals: the incredible Sammy Davis Jr.
Me And My Shadow immortalises their remarkable friendship through some truly exceptional lyricism (see Let all the others fight and fuss / Whatever happens, we’ve got us). Pair this with the irresistible vocal round that somehow manages to bind the duo together even further and you see that, even among Sinatra’s greatest, this is a track that really shines. Then, just when you think things have come to a close, they provide the sucker punch; as the track leaps from a quaint jazz lounge singalong into its explosive, breathtaking big band conclusion.
Like Sinatra himself, Sammy was a born entertainer, universally loved and cool as a cucumber. As the bass thumps this into life, it hits home what a loss to the musical world these two gentlemen truly are. Rest in peace, boys. I hope they’re serving a decent whiskey where you are.