Linda Ronstadt argued that Frank Sinatra's signature 1969 hit "My Way" never truly belonged on American radio, believing the song lost its essence when adapted from its French original for an English-speaking, commercially minded audience. Her comments highlight a broader argument about authenticity in music: that reworking songs to fit mainstream American tastes can strip them of what made them work in the first place, even when the result becomes a career-defining hit.

"My Way" began life as a French composition before Paul Anka wrote new English lyrics for Sinatra, who went on to make it one of his most famous recordings. Ronstadt said that even Sinatra himself regarded the Americanised version poorly, reportedly admitting the song was "horrible" despite its success. The episode also had an unexpected knock-on effect: David Bowie, who had written his own English lyrics for the same French melody only to be passed over in favour of Anka's version, is said to have channelled that experience into later work, illustrating how commercial compromise can inadvertently spur fresh creativity elsewhere.