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.
Just One of Those Things
Caterina Valente Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just... one of those crazy flings
One of those bells that now and then rings, tiki tiki tiki tin
Just one of those things
It was just... one of those nights
Just... one of those fabulous flights
A trip to the moon on gossamer wings
If we'd thought a bit... of the end of it
When we started painting the town
We'd have been aware that our love affair
Was too hot... not to cool down
So good-bye, dear, and amen
Here's hoping we meet now and then
It was great fun
But it was just... one of those things
[Scat]
If we'd thought a bit... of the end of it
When we started painting the town
We'd have been aware that our love affair
Was too hot... not to cool down
So good-bye, dear, and amen men
Here's hoping we meet now and then
It was great fun
But it was just... one of those things...
Just one, just one of those... things
The lyrics to Caterina Valente's "Just One Of Those Things" narrate a fleeting romance, one of those 'crazy flings' that burn hot and bright but inevitably fizzles out. The song's first stanza sets up the scene for the listeners, describing the 'tiki tiki tiki tin' of the bells ringing and the 'fabulous flights' during a passionate night spent together. The second stanza acknowledges the temporary nature of their relationship, with the lyrics suggesting that the lovers should have known better and expected their passion to 'cool down.' The song concludes with a bittersweet farewell as the two part ways hoping to meet now and then.
Caterina Valente's interpretation of the song is both melancholy and sanguine, with the lyrics encapsulating the fleeting nature of human passions and desires. Every element of the song, from the lively tiki tiki tiki tin of the bells to the carefree scatting underscores the idea of infatuation being just one of those things that happen, to be cherished before being left behind.
Line by Line Meaning
It was just... one of those things
It was an occurrence that happened, sometimes without any logical explanation
Just... one of those crazy flings
It was a short-lived romance that ultimately didn't last
One of those bells that now and then rings, tiki tiki tiki tin
It was a moment of excitement that didn't really mean much in the grand scheme of things
It was just one of those things
This is reiterated to emphasize that it was nothing more than a fleeting experience
It was just... one of those nights
It was a memorable and exciting evening, but ultimately just a small part of life
Just... one of those fabulous flights
It was an exhilarating experience that couldn't last forever
A trip to the moon on gossamer wings
It was a euphoric journey that was too good to be true
If we'd thought a bit... of the end of it
If we had considered the consequences or future of it...
When we started painting the town
When we were out enjoying ourselves and having a good time
We'd have been aware that our love affair
We would have realized that our romance...
Was too hot... not to cool down
Was only a temporary passion that couldn't last forever
So good-bye, dear, and amen
We say farewell and hope for the best
Here's hoping we meet now and then
We express hope that we may get together again in the future
It was great fun
We acknowledge that it was wonderful while it lasted
But it was just... one of those things
We reiterate that it was just a moment in time that could not be sustained
Just one, just one of those... things
Once again, we conclude that it was simply one of those random, inexplicable events in life
Contributed by Mackenzie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Staless74
on Cambia O Lasciami
Please correct the highlighted verse to: "Che diritti hai su di me?". Thanks.