Annette recorded her first song, "How Will I Know My Love" in 1958, after first singing it in a scene on The Mickey Mouse Club. Thousands of people called the studio wanting to buy the record after the episode aired. It was soon followed by "Tall Paul", "First Name Initial" and "Pineapple Princess", along with many others. During these early recordings, musician & producer Tutti Camarata developed the famous "Annette Sound", a method of double tracking her vocals for a richer, fuller sound, a process still widely used today. It was in 1959 that she made her big screen debut in Walt Disney’s "The Shaggy Dog", her first of several Disney films.
In 1963 Annette starred in her first non Disney movie alongside Frankie Avalon in "Beach Party", the first of many in the iconic Beach Party series. She appeared in The Monkees' 1968 film, Head, and later, 1987's "Back To The Beach", which would ultimately be her last role. Annette's then recent diagnosis with multiple sclerosis and the symptoms of the disease would prove too difficult for her to continue acting. She hid the diagnosis until 1992, going public to correct rumors that her impairments were a result of alcoholism.
In 1993, she opened the Annette Funicello Fund for Neurological Disorders, to help find a cure for MS. She made her last public appearance in 1996 on an episode of “Biography”, about her life. After 15 years outside of the public eye, and nearly 25 years of battling the disease, Annette Funicello died on April 8, 2013 from complications of MS.
Tell Me Who's the Girl?
Annette Funicello Lyrics
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In the photograph with you.
She looks very much in love
And she's holding hands with you.
Tell me who′s the girl?
Who's the girl. (group)
Was she just someone you met?
Was she just anouther girl?
Or the girl you can't forget.
(Pause)
I see my darling,
I only saw that picture by chance
It just happened to fall from your wallet.
And I just happened to glance.
Tell me who′s the girl?
Is she still in love with you?
Are you still in love with her?
Will she break my heart in two?
G
Tell me who′s the girl? (group)
Tell me who's the girl? (Annette)
Is she still in love with you? (group)
Are you still in love with her? (Annette)
Will she break my heart in two?
The song "Tell Me Who's the Girl?" by Annette Funicello is a classic example of a love triangle. In the song, Annette confronts her partner about a photograph she has found of him with another woman, asking him who she is and whether or not he is still in love with her. She is clearly feeling vulnerable and insecure about their relationship, wondering if this other woman is someone he can't forget and if she will ultimately break Annette's heart.
The lyrics paint a picture of jealousy and uncertainty, with the repeated line "Tell me who's the girl?" emphasizing Annette's desperation for answers. The song captures the fear and anxiety that can come with being in love, as Annette struggles to come to terms with the possibility of losing her partner to someone else.
Interestingly, the song was released in 1964, around the same time that Annette was transitioning from her career as a Disney Mouseketeer to a more adult-oriented entertainment industry. This change in her image is reflected in the mature themes of the song, which contrasts with the innocent, wholesome persona she had cultivated during her time with Disney.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me who's the girl? (Annette)
Annette wants to know the identity of the girl in the photograph with the person she's talking to.
In the photograph with you.
Annette is referring to a specific picture that she saw the person carrying in their wallet.
She looks very much in love
Annette perceives the girl in the photograph to be deeply in love with the person she's with.
And she's holding hands with you.
Annette observes that the girl in the photograph is holding the person's hand affectionately.
Was she just someone you met?
Annette is questioning whether the girl in the photograph is a mere acquaintance or if she has a deeper relationship with the person.
Was she just another girl?
Annette implies that the person may have had many other girls before meeting her or the girl in the photograph.
Or the girl you can't forget. (Pause)
Annette suggests that the girl in the photograph may hold a significant place in the person's heart.
Tell me who's the girl? (group)
This line serves as a repetition of Annette's initial query about the identity of the girl in the photograph.
Is she still in love with you? (group)
The group wants to know if the girl in the photograph still harbors feelings for the person.
Are you still in love with her? (Annette)
Annette is curious to know if the person still has feelings for the girl in the photograph.
Will she break my heart in two?
Annette is worried that the feelings between the person and the girl in the photograph may lead to heartbreak for her.
Writer(s): Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman
Contributed by Elena T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.