Caterina Valente (born January 14, 1931 in Paris) is an Italian-born singer… Read Full Bio ↴Caterina Valente (born January 14, 1931 in Paris) is an Italian-born singer, dancer, and actress. She comes from an Italian artist family; her father Giuseppe was a well-known accordion player, her mother, Maria Valente, a musical clown. She had three siblings, of whom Silvio Francesco was also active in show business.

In 1952 she married juggler Erik van Aro (Gerd Eric Horst Scholz). He recognized her talent and accompanied her in her initial years of worldwide success, although they later divorced. In 1953, she made her first recordings with Kurt Edelhagen. Soon afterwards she achieved great success with songs like "Malagueña", "The Breeze and I", and "Dreh dich nicht um" with the Werner Müller orchestra. In 1955 she was featured on the "Colgate Comedy Hour" with Gordon MacRae. Between 1966 and 1972 she was a frequent guest on the Dean Martin Show. In 1972, she married the British pianist Roy Budd; they had a son, Alexander, but they divorced in 1979.

In Germany she was a major performer of Schlager music. There she recorded Cole Porter's "I love Paris" i.e. "Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe", which sold more than 500,000 copies in (1954.) Like in other countries where she was popular, some in Germany mistakenly consider her a German singer.

Over the years, she has recorded or performed with many international stars, including Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Buddy Rich, Sy Oliver, Claus Ogerman, and Chet Baker.

In 2001, she released a new album Girltalk with harpist Catherine Michel. She is also the mother of singer Eric van Aro, Jr.

Fiesta Cubana
Caterina Valente Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Chic chicco chi ca, chic chicco chi ca, Cu-ba-na,
chic chicco chi ca, chic chicco chi ca, Cu-ba-na,
chic chicco chi ca, chic chicco chi ca, Cu-ba-na,
chic chicco chi ca, chic chicco chi ca, Cu-ba-na.

Deine Nächte sind hell und klar, Deine Frauen sind wunderbar,
Fiesta Cuba-na, Fiesta Cuba-na.
Deine Tänze, die muss man seh'n, Deine Lieder muss man versteh'n,

Fiesta Cuba-na – du bist schön.

Manuela; gib acht, Dein Pedro; der wacht,
der wacht über Dich, und Dein Herz.
Manuela; Du weißt, was Eifersucht heißt,
aus all Deinem Glück wird dann Schmerz.

In Havanna, in blauer Nacht, haben viele ihr Glück gemacht,
Fiesta Cuba-na, Fiesta Cuba-na.
Wenn am Himmel die Sterne steh'n, kann auf Cuba so viel gescheh'n,

Fiesta Cuba-na – du bist schön.

Ah haaa ahhaaa ah haaaa-ah … … … … …

Chic chicco chi ca, chic chicco chi ca, Cu-ba-na,
chic chicco chi ca, chic chicco chi ca, Cu-ba-na,
chic chicco chi ca, chic chicco chi ca, Cu-ba-na,
chic chicco chi ca, chic chicco chi ca, Cu-ba-na.

Cu-ba-na, Cu-ba-na, Cu-ba-na, Cuba-na.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics for Caterina Valente’s song “Fiesta Cubana” celebrate the vibrant culture and beauty of Cuba. The repetition of “chic chicco chi ca” and “Cu-ba-na” create a lively rhythm that evokes the festive atmosphere of the country. The song describes the clear and bright nights of Cuba, as well as the beauty of the women and the allure of the music and dances. Valente also sings about the dangers of jealousy and warns Manuela to be wary of her lover Pedro’s watchful eyes. Despite the potential pitfalls of love, the song remains focused on the joy and celebration that can be found in Cuba.

Line by Line Meaning

Chic chicco chi ca, chic chicco chi ca, Cu-ba-na
Repetition of 'Chic chicco chi ca' and 'Cu-ba-na', implying a celebratory and spirited atmosphere

Deine Nächte sind hell und klar, Deine Frauen sind wunderbar
The nights in Cuba are bright and clear, and the women are beautiful

Fiesta Cuba-na, Fiesta Cuba-na
Cuba is a place of festivities and celebrations

Deine Tänze, die muss man seh'n, Deine Lieder muss man versteh'n
The dances in Cuba are a must-see, and the songs must be understood

Fiesta Cuba-na – du bist schön
Cuba is beautiful, and the celebrations in Cuba are wonderful

Manuela; gib acht, Dein Pedro; der wacht, der wacht über Dich, und Dein Herz
Manuela must be careful, as Pedro is watching over her heart

Manuela; Du weißt, was Eifersucht heißt, aus all Deinem Glück wird dann Schmerz
Manuela understands what jealousy means, and it can turn all her happiness into pain

In Havanna, in blauer Nacht, haben viele ihr Glück gemacht
In Havana, during the blue night, many have found their happiness

Wenn am Himmel die Sterne steh'n, kann auf Cuba so viel gescheh'n
When the stars are out in the sky, anything can happen in Cuba

Ah haaa ahhaaa ah haaaa-ah … … … … …
Melodic vocalizations

Cu-ba-na, Cu-ba-na, Cu-ba-na, Cuba-na
Repetition of 'Cu-ba-na' and 'Cuba-na', continuing to express the celebratory atmosphere

Contributed by Jonathan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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