
Frank Sinatra, looking a little “life weary” in a troubled pose on the cover of a “Cycles” single sleeve. Click for album or singles.
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“Cycles”-Frank Sinatra
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“Cycles,” in any case, proved to be a very good fit for Sinatra, as it has a classic Sinatra sound and feel to it – a song many believe to be underrated. Still, over the years, “Cycles” has become a fan favorite. What follows here is some background on Sinatra, the song, and its reception.
After Sinatra recorded in New York in July 1968, two songs were released for a single that August – “My Way Of Life” on the A side and “Cycles” on the B side. “My Way of Life” received more attention initially, lasting six weeks on the Billboard singles chart beginning August 31, 1968. That song peaked at No. 64.

Frank Sinatra on the cover of Newsweek magazine, September 1965.
Following the success of the “Cycles” single that fall, it was decided that an album using the same name, Cycles, would be rushed into production for the Christmas season. Additional songs were recorded for the LP which was released in December 1968. Along with “Cycles,” Sinatra recorded a variety of other of pop and folk-rock songs for the album, including the Glen Campbell hits “Gentle on My Mind” and “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” as well Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” and others. The resulting album – a mixed bag of tunes and certainly not among Sinatra’s best – still peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, remaining on that chart for 28 weeks beginning December 28, 1968.
When Sinatra recorded “Cycles” he was more or less in late mid-career. He had just had a run of successes in the 1960s: in August 1965 he had released the retrospective album, September of My Years; in November that year he starred in the Emmy-winning T.V. special, Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music; and on the music charts in 1966-67 he had three Top Ten hits — “Strangers in the Night” (No. 1, 1966), “That’s Life (No. 4, 1966), and “Something Stupid” (No. 1, 1967). In August 1968, a compilation album of his ’60s singles was also released – Frank Sinatra’s Greatest Hits! – which became a million-seller.
“Cycles” So I’m down and so I’m out I’ve been told and I believe There isn’t much that I have learned But I’ll keep my head up high |
The “Cycles” song, however, is vintage Frank Sinatra, as if it were written just for him. When he recorded it he was 53 years old. By then he had lived long enough, and had a certain seasoning in his voice, which gave a believable, authentic feel to the song. “Cycles” is also reminiscent of the Sinatra style on earlier albums, such as 1955’s In The Wee Small Hours.
“Cycles” tells a tale of a worn-down soul who has been kicked around a bit, but still hasn’t given up. Many a mid-lifer, hearing Sinatra croon this tune, will readily identify with the song’s sentiments and Sinatra’s manner.
Sinatra’s own life by 1968 had its share of ups and downs. A ladies’ man from his teen idol days through his later years, Sinatra had a troubled love life it seems.
In the 1950s, he divorced his first wife to marry actress Ava Gardner, a relationship that ended in its own divorce. They were married between 1951 and 1957.
In 1966 Sinatra married actress and TV star, Mia Farrow, but that union also ended in divorce, in fact in 1968, the year “Cycles” was recorded. Sinatra also had relationships with other women, among them Marilyn Monroe, Juliet Prowse and Angie Dickinson.
Politically, Sinatra had worked very hard in the 1960 presidential campaign of John F. Kennedy, also organizing and headlining JFK’s inaugural gala, only to be jilted by the Kennedys a few years later. By the tumultuous political year of 1968, Sinatra was finished with the Kennedys, throwing his support to Hubert Humphrey rather than Bobby Kennedy. So it appears Sinatra had plenty of real life depth to bring to the song “Cycles” as it was recorded in 1968.
Meanwhile, many of his fans mark “Cycles” as among their favorite Sinatra songs. One guest to the Sinatra Family.com site named Steve, writing in April 2004, noted in part:
“I have always loved this song because it relates so well to the common people and I think despite all his wealth and fame, Sinatra could very well relate to the avg. working folks. The song is not one of despair but one of quiet hope and of someone who needs a little time to himself in order to regroup.”

Frank Sinatra with cigarette, Miami Beach, 1968. Photo, Terry O' Neill.
Beyond “Cycles,” Sinatra still had a couple more decades of career to come. In 1969, his version of “My Way” came out, which rose to No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Easy Listening chart. In the U.K., “My Way” was much bigger, and had a record run of 75 weeks in the Top 40 there, April 1969 to September 1971.

Capitol Records’ “Classic Sinatra: His Great Performances, 1953-1960,” March-April 2000. Click for CD.
His last public concerts were held in Japan in December, 1994. In February 1995, at a private party for 1,200 selected guests, Sinatra gave his final live performance, reportedly still in commanding form, closing the night with “The Best is Yet to Come.” Frank Sinatra died on May 14,1998. He was 82 years old.

Early 1960s: Frank Sinatra, right, with “Rat Pack” pals Dean Martin, left, and Sammy Davis, Jr, center. Click on photo for related story.
Other stories at this website with Frank Sinatra content include, for example: “The Jack Pack” (Sinatra & Rat Pack campaigning for JFK); “Ava Gardner” (includes the Sinatra years); “Mia’s Metamorphoses” (includes Mia Farrow / Frank Sinatra years); and “The Sinatra Riots” (his early years as a teen idol).
Additional stories covering popular music, artist profiles, and song histories can be found at the “Annals of Music” page. Thanks for visiting — and if you like what you find here, please make a donation to help support the research and writing at this website. Thank you. – Jack Doyle
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Date Posted: 11 January 2013
Last Update: 7 April 2019
Comments to: jdoyle@pophistorydig.com
Article Citation:
Jack Doyle, “Sinatra: Cycles, 1968,”
PopHistoryDig.com, January 11, 2013.
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Sources, Links & Additional Information
“Frank Sinatra,” in Holly George-Warren and Patricia Romanowski (eds), The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, New York: Rolling Stone Press, 3rd Edition, 2001, pp. 889-890.“Cycles (Frank Sinatra album),” Wikipedia.org.
“Frank Sinatra : Album Of The Month Club #14 (Oct 2008) ‘Cycles’,” SinatraFamily.com, September 28, 2008.
“Gayle’s Cycles,” RickieLeeJones.com.
Joe Goldberg, “The Best Album Sinatra Made: ‘In The Wee Small Hours,’ ‘A Vast Cathedral of a Work,’ Tells of Loss and Loneliness,” Wall Street Journal, April 29, 2006.
“Frank Sinatra,” Wikipedia.org.
Kitty Kelley, His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra, New York: Bantam, 1986.
“Frank Sinatra’s 1963 Playboy Magazine Interview,” Sinatra Family Forum.
Nancy Sinatra, Frank Sinatra: An American Legend, Santa Monica: General Publishing Group, 1995.
Stephen Holden, “Frank Sinatra Dies at 82; Matchless Stylist of Pop,” New York Times, May 16, 1998.
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