--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Frank [Sinatra] sang to you, not at you…" description: "\"Frank [Sinatra] sang to you, not at you, like so many pop singers today. Even singers of standards. I never wanted to be a singer that sings at somebod..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/bob-dylan-168_frank_frank-sinatra-sang-to-you-not-at-you-lik_2898188.jpg" --- # Frank \[Sinatra\] sang to you, not at you, like so many pop… ![“Frank [Sinatra] sang to you, not at you, like so many pop singers today. Even singers of standards. I never wanted to be a singer that sings at somebody. I've always wanted to sing to somebody. I would have gotten that subliminally from Frank many years ago. Hank Williams did that, too. He sang to…” quote by Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/bob-dylan-168_frank_frank-sinatra-sang-to-you-not-at-you-lik_2898188.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/bob-dylan-168_frank_frank-sinatra-sang-to-you-not-at-you-lik_2898188.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/bob-dylan-168_frank_frank-sinatra-sang-to-you-not-at-you-lik_2898188.jpg) > “Frank \[Sinatra\] sang to you, not at you, like so many pop singers today. Even singers of standards. I never wanted to be a singer that sings at somebody. I've always wanted to sing to somebody. I would have gotten that subliminally from Frank many years ago. Hank Williams did that, too. He sang to you.” [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Singing should be directed toward the listener, creating a personal connection rather than performing at them **In simple terms:** Sing to connect with listeners personally Key Takeaway Focus on audience connection in performance Themes music connection performance Mood intimate reflective Type musical philosophical When to use this quote - concerts - recording sessions - songwriting workshops Key Concepts artistic intent listener engagement Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain authenticity? - What makes a song feel personal? A Different Perspective Commercial trends may push performers to prioritize style over substance ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Singers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singers/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [The New York that Frank Sinatra sang about, people will never know that place. The New Orleans that Louis Armstrong sang about is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-lively/the-new-york-that-frank-sinatra-sang-about-people-will-never-know/) [Blake Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-lively/) > [People talk about Frank Sinatra all the time - and they should talk about Frank - but he had the greatest arrangers. They worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/people-talk-about-frank-sinatra-all-the-time-and-they-should-talk/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [When I was very, very young, I decided that I was gonna catalogue my times because that's what other people who I admired did.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-i-was-very-very-young-i-decided-that-i-was-gonna-catalogue-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I've gotten to a place where I still love to play and sing, but I don't have any ego agenda left, outside of just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/i-ve-gotten-to-a-place-where-i-still-love-to-play-and-sing-but-i-don/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [I went from somebody who didn't sing to somebody who didn't speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-butler/i-went-from-somebody-who-didn-t-sing-to-somebody-who-didn-t-speak/) [Gerard Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-butler/) > [All Patsy Cline had to do was sing somebody else’s song and her version would outsell theirs because it would be so good!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/all-patsy-cline-had-to-do-was-sing-somebody-else-s-song-and-her/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [ \[Music\] is the one thing that connects the dots in all kinds of ways. No matter how you were brought up, no matter what… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-chesney/music-is-the-one-thing-that-connects-the-dots-in-all-kinds-of-ways-no/) [Kenny Chesney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-chesney/) > [There will never be another Frank Sinatra. I never wanted to be another Frank Sinatra. I only wanted to be another Michael Buble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buble/there-will-never-be-another-frank-sinatra-i-never-wanted-to-be/) [Michael Buble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buble/) > [I don't think it's ever changed, whether its Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller, Zeppelin, Guns n' Roses or anyone today, the reason why you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zakk-wylde/i-don-t-think-it-s-ever-changed-whether-its-frank-sinatra-glenn/) [Zakk Wylde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zakk-wylde/) > [I'm a 'never say never' girl. Frank Sinatra retired four times. He kept coming back. But there are people in our business who want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cilla-black/i-m-a-never-say-never-girl-frank-sinatra-retired-four-times-he-kept/) [Cilla Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cilla-black/) > [“There’s nothing to be scared of.” Instead of taking Charlie’s pulse – there was really no point – he took one of the old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/there-s-nothing-to-be-scared-of-instead-of-taking-charlie-s-pulse/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Frank Sinatra turns 100 this year and his music has been a major player in the soundtrack of my life. So it's only right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendon-urie/frank-sinatra-turns-100-this-year-and-his-music-has-been-a-major/) [Brendon Urie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendon-urie/) > [Some of my other heroes around that time were, oddly enough, Frank Sinatra, Nat Cole and people like that - I was always more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bell/some-of-my-other-heroes-around-that-time-were-oddly-enough-frank/) [William Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bell/) > [Frank Sinatra discovered me at a nightclub called P.J.'s in Hollywood. It was 1962. He used to come in there a lot with all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trini-lopez/frank-sinatra-discovered-me-at-a-nightclub-called-p-j-s-in-hollywood/) [Trini Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trini-lopez/) > [ I'm a big fan of \[Frank\] Sinatra, he was the best at what he did. The last thing I do is model my career… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-m-a-big-fan-of-frank-sinatra-he-was-the-best-at-what-he-did-the/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) ## More by Bob Dylan > [The hollow horn plays wasted words, proves to warn that he not busy being born is busy dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-hollow-horn-plays-wasted-words-proves-to-warn-that-he-not-busy/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Don't forget to support your public library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/don-t-forget-to-support-your-public-library/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [You don't count the dead, when god's on your side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/you-don-t-count-the-dead-when-god-s-on-your-side/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [She makes love just like a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/she-makes-love-just-like-a-woman/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Silvio, I gotta go, find out something only dead men know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/silvio-i-gotta-go-find-out-something-only-dead-men-know/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [I don't really have a retirement plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/i-don-t-really-have-a-retirement-plan/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Just a reminder, if you tell anyone about what happened with Jonah last night, I'll destroy all of my writing and never play music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/just-a-reminder-if-you-tell-anyone-about-what-happened-with-jonah/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Little red wagon, little red bike, I ain’t no monkey but I know what I like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/little-red-wagon-little-red-bike-i-ain-t-no-monkey-but-i-know-what-i/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Twenty years of schooling and they put you on the day shift - look out out kid, they keep it all hid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/twenty-years-of-schooling-and-they-put-you-on-the-day-shift-look-out/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [The drunken politician leaps upon the street where mothers weep, and the saviors who are fast asleep, they wait for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-drunken-politician-leaps-upon-the-street-where-mothers-weep-and/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Your eyes are like two jewels in the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/your-eyes-are-like-two-jewels-in-the-sky/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [I gotta friend who spends his life, stabbing my picture with a bowie knife. 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I don't know why I love her, but I just can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/she-speaks-with-a-stutter-and-she-and-she-walks-with-a-hop-i-don-t/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [The man in the coon skin cap in the pig pen wants eleven dollar bills, you've only got ten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-man-in-the-coon-skin-cap-in-the-pig-pen-wants-eleven-dollar-bills/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Don't put my faith in nobody, not even a scientist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/don-t-put-my-faith-in-nobody-not-even-a-scientist/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) [Explore all 1,018 Bob Dylan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) ## More Frank quotes > [“Despite everything, I believe people are really good at heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/despite-everything-i-believe-people-are-really-good-at-heart/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [Being frank or straightforward doesn't only tells the truth, it also states the fact that you just lost your temper of holding back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince/being-frank-or-straightforward-doesn-t-only-tells-the-truth-it-also/) [Vince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince/) > [ I'm a big fan of \[Frank\] Sinatra, he was the best at what he did. The last thing I do is model my career… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-m-a-big-fan-of-frank-sinatra-he-was-the-best-at-what-he-did-the/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [We now have power under the Dodd-Frank legislation to break up banks. And I've said I will use that power if they pose a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-now-have-power-under-the-dodd-frank-legislation-to-break-up-banks/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I'm a fan of Hugh Kenner, Richard Ellman, Lionel Trilling and Frank Kermode. All these people have taught me how to read - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kitcher/i-m-a-fan-of-hugh-kenner-richard-ellman-lionel-trilling-and-frank/) [Philip Kitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kitcher/) > [When one is frank, one's very presence is a compliment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-moore/when-one-is-frank-one-s-very-presence-is-a-compliment/) [Marianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-moore/) > [There has been a rather unpleasant sensibility apparent in Frank Miller's work for quite a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/there-has-been-a-rather-unpleasant-sensibility-apparent-in-frank/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [ \[Hazel\] hissed in frustration. 'I hate eidolons. I thought Piper made them promise to stay away.' 'Oh...' Frank said, like he'd just had his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/hazel-hissed-in-frustration-i-hate-eidolons-i-thought-piper-made-them/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I think Frank Capra was a much craftier filmmaker, a wonderful filmmaker. He had enormous technique, and he knew how to manipulate the public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-think-frank-capra-was-a-much-craftier-filmmaker-a-wonderful/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [I think it is not only important that people go to the Anne Frank House to see the secret annex, but also that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-frank/i-think-it-is-not-only-important-that-people-go-to-the-anne-frank/) [Otto Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-frank/) > [You must study to be frank with the world: frankness is the child of honesty and courage. Say just what you mean to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/you-must-study-to-be-frank-with-the-world-frankness-is-the-child-of/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [Frank and explicit - that is the right line to take when you wish to conceal your own mind and confuse the minds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/frank-and-explicit-that-is-the-right-line-to-take-when-you-wish-to/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [There was a lot of camaraderie among the bands. I remember a lot of times when I'd be driving up Laurel Canyon and pass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-millington/there-was-a-lot-of-camaraderie-among-the-bands-i-remember-a-lot-of/) [June Millington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-millington/) > [When you get old the worst thing is you lose so many friends. Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra, John Wayne. People who I loved to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/when-you-get-old-the-worst-thing-is-you-lose-so-many-friends-burt/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [The SEC got more than 100 rules to write under Dodd-Frank, the lion's share of all the agencies. And we've moved, I think, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/the-sec-got-more-than-100-rules-to-write-under-dodd-frank-the-lion-s/) [Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/) Browse all 938 Frank quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Frank [Sinatra] sang to you, not at you, like so many pop singers today. Even singers of standards. I never wanted to be a singer that sings at somebody. I've always wanted to sing to somebody. I would have gotten that subliminally from Frank many years ago. Hank Williams did that, too. 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