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.
Istanbul
Caterina Valente Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night
Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople
Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way
So, take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks
Istanbul
Istanbul
Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way
Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks
So, take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks
Istanbul
The lyrics to Caterina Valente's song Istanbul are an ode to the former capital city of Turkey once named Constantinople. The song begins with the recognition of the name change, as Constantinople is now referred to solely as Istanbul. The singer mentions how long it has been since the name change occurred and reminisces about the past. The phrase "Turkish delight on a moonlit night" suggests the exotic beauty of Istanbul during the night.
The song goes on to claim that every woman in Constantinople now lives in Istanbul. If one has a date in Constantinople, she would be waiting in Istanbul, emphasizing the importance of the city's name change. The song also draws a comparison between the name change of Constantinople to Istanbul and the name change of New York from New Amsterdam. It suggests the reason for the name changes is societal preference, as people liked it better that way.
The song concludes with the plea to take the singer back to Constantinople, which too is now not possible. It leaves with a question about why Constantinople got the works, which is the idiom for getting the short end of the stick, and the answer to which is left as a mystery. Overall, the song presents a nostalgic yearning for Constantinople as it acknowledges the city's rich history and vibrant culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Istanbul was Constantinople
The city used to be called Constantinople.
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
The city's name has changed from Constantinople to Istanbul.
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
It has been a long time since the city was called Constantinople.
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night
Now the city is known for its Turkish delights on a moonlit night.
Every gal in Constantinople
All the women who lived in Constantinople.
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
They now live in Istanbul instead of Constantinople.
So if you've a date in Constantinople
If you have a date with a woman in Constantinople.
She'll be waiting in Istanbul
She will actually be in Istanbul waiting for you.
Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
New York was once called New Amsterdam too.
Why they changed it I can't say
I don't know exactly why they did it.
People just liked it better that way
They changed the name because people preferred it that way.
So, take me back to Constantinople
I want to go back to the city when it was still called Constantinople.
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
It's not possible to go back to Constantinople.
Why did Constantinople get the works?
Why did it have to undergo those changes?
That's nobody's business but the Turks
It's only the business of the Turkish people.
Istanbul
The city is now called Istanbul.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jimmy Kennedy, Nat Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@talex42
Whatever the name, Istanbul is the most charming city I've ever visited, it even beats Paris! Love the people the food etc.. And I now have a Turkish daughter in law.
@kaganhan8611
All girls who surrounded with love prefer Paris.Thats the fact.😚😚😚
@tugbadubu
@@kaganhan8611 ne alaka
@kaganhan8611
@@tugbadubu Tam alaka! Hiç mi romantik film seyretmedin?
@tugbadubu
@@kaganhan8611 yooo
@kaganhan8611
Öyledirler. Paris ve Romayı görmek isteyen kızlar dünyanın en romantik kızlar kategorisine girer. Ömür boyu mutlu yaşarsın onla. Garanti!
@Catval09
Fantastique........Merci Caterina
@irenehedy1668
Que bom recordar Caterina Valente Música alegre vibrante
@gheorgheapetroae3023
Caterina Valente: Prima dată am urmărit-o într-un film ”Tu ești minunată”. Eram liceean,, în Fălticeni, prin anul 1962.... Vocea ei inconfundabilă și jocul de scenă, dansul, m-au cucerit! Regretabil că a plecat în USA și acolo i s-a diluat personalitatea! Toată gratitudinea! Gheorghe Apetroae, Sibiu
@jamesdoerr3005
This is when music was great