(单词翻译:单击)
He was one of the most influential and talented entertainers the world has ever seen. But he was also one of the most complex – generous and loyal friend, champion of the underdog, devoted family man, womanizer and volatile, loud-mouthed tough guy. He lived a life on the edge – full of excitement, danger and passion. So, just how did the skinny Italian kid from New Jersey became an international superstar and the world's first true multi-media artist? In this week's Biographics we go behind the veneer to get up close with the Chairman of the Board.
他是世界上最有影响力和才华的艺人之一。但他也是最复杂的人之一：一个慷慨而忠诚的朋友，弱者的拥护者，顾家的好男人，也是一个好色之徒和反复无常的大嗓门硬汉。他过着一种边缘的生活——充满了兴奋、危险和激情。这位来自新泽西的意大利瘦小伙是如何成为国际巨星和世界上第一位真正的多媒体艺术家的？在本周的传记中，我们来深入了解一下这位唱片公司董事长吧。
Early Years
早年生活
Francis Albert Sinatra was born on December 12th, 1915 in Hoboken, New Jersey. He was the only child of Italian immigrants, Martin and Dolly Sinatra. As such he was pampered by his parents, who lavished the best of what they could afford on their son. Still, little Frankie grew up lonely and alone. Martin Sinatra was a down to earth, easy going and hard-working City Fireman. His mother was just the opposite, driven, involved in political issues and proving herself the driving force of the family. She belonged to every organization in Hoboken and had a reputation as an extremely dominating character.
1915年12月12日，法兰克·阿尔伯特·辛纳屈在新泽西州霍博肯出生。他是意大利移民马丁和多莉·辛纳屈的独生子。因此，父母十分宠爱他，把他们能负担得起的最好的东西都给了儿子。尽管如此，孤独依然伴随着小法兰克的成长历程。马丁·辛纳屈是一个脚踏实地、随和且勤奋的城市消防队员。他的母亲正好相反，被驱使、卷入政治问题，证明自己是这个家庭的推动力。她加入了霍博肯的所有组织，并以一个极端支配性的人物而闻名。
While both of his parents worked, young Frank learned to look after himself. If he wasn't home alone, he'd be wandering the neighbourhood, where he quickly discovered how to become street smart. He grew up in a world of prohibition, bootleggers and Speakeasies. School was never a priority for the teenage Frank. He would often skip class to hang out in pool halls, boxing gyms and on street corners. He soon developed a reputation as a stubborn, ornery kid who never backed down.
当小法兰克的父母都在工作时，他学会了照顾自己。如果他不是一个人在家，就是在附近闲逛，在那里他很快就学会了街头智慧。他生长在一个禁酒、走私酒和充满地下酒吧的年代。十几岁的法兰克并不以上学为主要任务。他经常逃课到台球厅、拳击馆和街角闲逛。他很快就成了一个倔强、坏脾气、从不退缩的孩子。
Often the subject of racial taunts, he would never let an insult pass. A friend recalled that once he and Frank were walking down the street when someone said, 'Hey you little wop,' to Frank. His friend told him to keep on walking but an enraged Frank blurted out, I'm gonna' walk all over his face! The only problem was that Frank didn't really know how to fight. He got beaten to a pulp. When his friend asked him if it was worth it he replied ... Hell, yeah ... He'll never call me a wop again. However, two days later, the same thing happened again – same guy, same result.
经常受到种族歧视的他决不会白白受到侮辱。一位朋友回忆说，有一次他和法兰克在街上散步时，有人对法兰克说：“嘿，你这个意大利佬。”法兰克的朋友叫他继续走，但愤怒的法兰克脱口而出“我要踩扁他的脸！”唯一的问题是，法兰克真的不知道怎么打架，他被打得遍体鳞伤。当他的朋友问他是否值得时，他回答说……见鬼，是的……他再也不会叫我窝囊废了。但两天后，同样的事情再次发生——同样的人，同样的结果。
By the age of sixteen, Frank had ditched school altogether. He worked at a series of odd jobs, including as a dockworker and newspaper boy. But he often got bored and would quite a solid job after just a few weeks. When he walked out on his job working in the refrigeration units of cargo ships, his father had had enough. He referred to his son as a 'quitter' and told him ... If you want to be a bum, go somewhere else and be a bum. Frank didn't have to be told twice. He packed up his few belongings in a suitcase and took the train to New York City. By now he had set his sights on making it as a singer. But no doors opened for the skinny Italian kid. He couldn't find any employment at all, let along a singing gig.
法兰克16岁的时候就辍学了。他做过一系列零工，包括码头工人和报童。但他经常感到无聊，过几周后就会找到一份不错的工作。当他辞去在货船制冷装置的工作时，他的父亲已经受够了。他说儿子是个逃兵，还说……如果你想当流浪汉，那就去别的地方当流浪汉。法兰克不必被告知2次。他把仅有的几样东西装进手提箱，坐火车去了纽约。当时，他已经立志成为一名歌手。但音乐世界并没有为这个瘦小的意大利孩子敞开大门。他根本找不到工作，更别提歌唱演出了。
With nowhere to stay and no money for food, he headed home. Outwardly Dolly mocked her son's singing ambitions, referring to him as Mr Big-Shot Singer before smacking him on the head. But behind the scenes, she began visiting clubs and asking managers to give her boy a chance. This resulted in a short-term gig in a Hoboken club. But the job didn't last – Frank got into a fight with the proprietor and was shown the door.
没有地方住、也没有钱买食物的他回家了。表面上，多莉嘲笑儿子的歌唱梦想，称他为“明星歌手”，然后拍拍儿子的头。但她悄悄地来到俱乐部，并请求经理们给她儿子一个机会。这让他获得了在霍博肯俱乐部短期演出的机会。但这份工作并没有持续下去——法兰克和老板吵了一架，然后被轰出了门。
When he was seventeen, Dolly and Marty lent Frank sixty-five dollars so he could buy a portable public address system and sheet music arrangements. This put him a step ahead of other aspiring club performers. Frank then began collecting orchestrations. He later explained his strategy ... Bands needed them. I had them. If the local orchestra wanted to use my arrangements, and they always did because I had a large and up-to-the-minute collection, they had to take singer Sinatra too. In this way, Frank managed to establish a foothold in the local club scene.
法兰克17岁时，多莉和马丁借给他65美元，这样他就可以买一个便携式广播和乐谱。这使他比其他有抱负的俱乐部表演者领先了一步。法兰克开始收集编曲。他后来解释了他的策略……乐团需要这些，而我有这些。如果当地的管弦乐团想用我的设备（他们一直都想用），因为我的收集列表庞大而具有时效性，他们必须让我做他们的歌手。就这样，法兰克成功地在当地俱乐部站稳了脚跟。
His hero was Bing Crosby, and he tried to copy the Crosby sound. But when he noticed virtually every other singer out there was doing the same thing, he made the decision to establish his own unique sound.
他非常崇拜平·克劳斯贝，他试图模仿克劳斯贝的声音。但当他发现几乎所有其他歌手都在做同样的事情时，他决定建立自己独特的声音。
