On April 15, 1967, Frank Sinatra and his daughter Nancy turned a simple song into something unforgettable. Their duet, “Somethin’ Stupid,” was not expected to succeed because of its nature, but it went on to become one of the most successful duets of all time.
Their version of “Somethin’ Stupid” became so popular that it later inspired other music legends like Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman to give it their own twist, long before cover versions became a trend. Oddly enough, Frank Sinatra’s label didn’t think the Sinatra collaboration was a good idea at all.
Nancy and Frank Sinatra were not the original owners of the song
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Nancy and Frank Sinatra were not the composers or the first to sing “Somethin’ Stupid.” It was written by C. Carson Parks and first recorded in 1966 by Parks and his wife, Gaile Foote, under the duo name Carson and Gaile. Though their version didn’t become a hit, it found its way to Frank Sinatra, who immediately saw its potential, especially as a duet with his daughter, Nancy.
Despite Frank’s confidence, his label wasn’t so sure. Executives at Reprise Records worried that a father-daughter duet on a romantic song might feel uncomfortable to listeners. They suggested he drop the idea. Still, Frank held his ground and added the track to his album The World We Knew.
How successful was Nancy and Frank Sinatra’s version of “Somethin’ Stupid?”
Once released, the Sinatra version of “Somethin’ Stupid” exploded. It climbed straight to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for four weeks. On the Adult Contemporary chart, it held the top spot for nine weeks, which was a massive achievement. The song even earned a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year.
Its impact didn’t stop in America; the song became a global hit and reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Norway, Austria, Australia, Canada, and Ireland. The duet also made history, becoming the only time a father and daughter topped the Hot 100 chart together.