Give them what they want to give yourself

When one cites the marketing maxim of 'giving people what they want', it is understood as an attestation of the power of the consumer. If the public wants a car with five wheels, by god, they will have it. If the masses want to hear them being described as residents of paradise, they will not be denied.

But who is the real winner here? A recent spotlight on Frank Sinatra may provide a clue. The legendary singer, known for his hits that have entered the modern pantheon of Western popular music, cited some of his favourite songs - out of an extraordinary 297 - that include gems like 'Fly Me to the Moon' and 'New York, New York'. But he singled out one song he hated to sing - the huge hit and favourite among many of Blue Eyes' countless fans: 'Strangers in the Night'.

Oh, it was a super-duper hit all right, and remains one of the most performed and played Sinatra tracks. And, yet, on multiple occasions, the singer himself said he detested the 1966 number composed by Bert Kaempfert, including the time he labelled it as 'a piece of shit'. The song marked his comeback, Sinatra's first No. 1 song after 11 years. Yet, he hated it till his dying day. And, double-yet, he never hesitated to sing it each time the audience demanded it. For, he was canny enough to know that if people want a plum, who was he to deny himself the pudding.