: The song was first offered to the film's lead actress, Melina Mercouri, who turned it down because she felt it required a male voice.
The melody was originally composed by German orchestra leader as an instrumental piece titled "Beddy Bye" for the 1966 film A Man Could Get Killed . Frank Sinatra - Strangers In The Night
: By July 2, 1966, the song knocked The Beatles' "Paperback Writer" off the #1 spot. It remained on the charts for 15 weeks and became Sinatra's first million-selling single. : The song was first offered to the
Despite his personal distaste, the track became a cultural juggernaut, earning multiple Grammy Awards and marking Sinatra's return to the top of the charts during the height of the rock 'n' roll era. The Unlikely Origin: From Movie Score to Pop Standard It remained on the charts for 15 weeks
: At the 1967 Grammy Awards, the song won Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance . Arranger Ernie Freeman also won for Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist or Instrumentalist.
: Sinatra's producer, Jimmy Bowen, realized other artists like Jack Jones and Bobby Darin were also planning to record the song. To beat them, Sinatra's version was recorded on April 11, 1966 , and rushed to radio stations via private planes within hours of mixing. A Record-Breaking Comeback
: Music publisher Hal Fine recruited Charles Singleton and Eddie Snyder to write English lyrics. They drew inspiration from a scene in the film where two characters fall in love after a chance encounter at a bar.