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.
La Paloma
Caterina Valente Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
�¡Valgame Dios!
Nadie me ha visto salir
Si no fu� yo.
Y una linda Guachinanga
S'all�¡ voy yo,
Que se vino tras de mi,
Que s� se�±or.
Si a tu ventana llega
Una Paloma,
Tratala con cari�±o
Que es mi persona.
Cuentala tus amores,
Bien de mi vida,
Coronala de flores
Que es cosa mia.
Ay! chinita que sÃ?Â!
Ay! que dame tu amor!
Ay! que ven te conmigo,
Chinita, adonde vivo yo!
El dia nos casemos
�¡Valgame Dios!
En la semana que hay ir
Me hace reir
Desde la Yglesia juntitos,
Que s� se�±or,
Nos hiremos � dormir,
All�¡ voy yo.
Si a tu ventana llega
Una Paloma,
Tratala con cari�±o
Que es mi persona.
Cuentala tus amores,
Bien de mi vida,
Coronala de flores
Que es cosa mia.
Ay! chinita que sÃ?Â!
Ay! que dame tu amor!
Ay! que ven te conmigo,
Chinita, adonde vivo yo!
Cuando el curita nos seche
La bendicion
En la Yglesia Catedral
All�¡ voy yo
Yo te dar�© la manita
Con mucho amor
Y el cura dos hisopazos
Que s� se�±or
Si a tu ventana llega
Una Paloma,
Tratala con cari�±o
Que es mi persona.
Cuentala tus amores,
Bien de mi vida,
Coronala de flores
Que es cosa mia.
Ay! chinita que sÃ?Â!
Ay! que dame tu amor!
Ay! que ven te conmigo,
Chinita, adonde vivo yo!
Cuando haya pasado tiempo
�¡Valgame Dios!
De que estemos casaditos
Pues s� se�±or,
Lo menos tendremos siete
Y que furor!
O quince guachinanguitos
All�¡ voy yo
The song 'La Paloma' by Caterina Valente is a passionate love song that speaks of intense longing and desire. The singer begins by saying that no one saw her leave Havana, except for a beautiful young Guachinanga who followed her, and that she is going to where she lives. She then implores her lover to treat a dove that comes to his window with tenderness, as it represents her. She asks him to tell the dove about his love and to crown it with flowers, which she considers her responsibility.
The singer goes on to fantasize about their wedding day, laughing at the idea they will be together from the church to their bed. She promises to give him her hand with love and devotion and says the priest will bless them with his holy water. In the end, the singer looks forward to the future, imagining having seven or even fifteen children with her lover.
Overall, the song is a passionate ode to love and commitment, expressing the intense desire and longing that people feel for their loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
Cuando salí de la Habana
When I left Havana
¡Valgame Dios!
Oh my God!
Nadie me ha visto salir
Nobody has seen me leave
Si no fuí yo.
If not me.
Y una linda Guachinanga
And a beautiful Guachinanga
S'allá voy yo,
I'm going there
Que se vino tras de mi,
Who came after me,
Que sí señor.
Yes sir.
Si a tu ventana llega
If a dove arrives at your window
Una Paloma,
A dove,
Trátala con cariño
Treat it with tenderness
Que es mi persona.
Because it's me.
Cuéntala tus amores,
Tell it about your loves,
Bien de mi vida,
About my life,
Corónala de flores
Crown it with flowers
Que es cosa mía.
Because it's my thing.
Ay! chinita que sí!
Oh! Little one, yes!
Ay! que dame tu amor!
Oh! Give me your love!
Ay! que ven te conmigo,
Oh! Come with me,
Chinita, adonde vivo yo!
Little one, to where I live!
El día nos casemos
The day we get married
¡Valgame Dios!
Oh my God!
En la semana que hay ir
In the week we have to go
Me hace reir
Makes me laugh
Desde la Yglesia juntitos,
From the church together,
Que sí señor,
Yes sir,
Nos iremos a dormir,
We will go to sleep
Allá voy yo.
I'm going there.
Cuando el curita nos seche
When the priest blesses us
La bendición
The blessing
En la Yglesia Catedral
In the Cathedral Church
Allá voy yo
I'm going there
Yo te daré la manita
I will give you my hand
Con mucho amor
With much love
Y el cura dos hisopazos
And the priest two sprinkles
Que sí señor
Yes sir
Cuando haya pasado tiempo
When time has passed
¡Valgame Dios!
Oh my God!
De que estemos casaditos
That we are married
Pues sí señor,
Yes sir,
Lo menos tendremos siete
We will have at least seven
Y que furor!
And what excitement!
O quince guachinanguitos
Or fifteen little Guachinangos
Allá voy yo
I'm going there
Contributed by Lily C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-jd8wz6pb9y
" La Paloma "
Cuando salí de la Habana válgame Dios
Nadie me ha visto salir si no fui yo
Y una linda guachinanga válgame Dios
Que se vino detrás de mí, que se señor
Si a tu ventana llega una paloma
Trátala con cariño que es mi persona
Cuéntale tus amores bien de mi vida
Corónala de flores que es cosa mía
Ay chinita que sí
Ay que dame tu amor
Ay que vente conmigo chinita
A donde vivo
Si a tu ventana llega una paloma
Trátala con cariño que es mi persona
Cuéntale tus amores bien de mi vida
Corónala de flores que es cosa mía
Ay chinita que sí
Ay que dame tu amor
Ay que vente conmigo chinita
A donde vivo yo
Que sí que sí, que no que no
Cuando esa que le no que lo yo
Que sí que sí, que no que no
Cuando esa que le no que lo yo
.
@katrynamcintyre5687
Sept 15, 2018: My dad, Fermin Pacheco Jr. named me after Caterina, a beautiful French-born Italian. I was born to a French mother on October 17, 1956 in Albuquerque at St. Joseph Hospital. He was charmed by her beauty and multilingual talents. Thanks Daddy!
@Catval09
One of the very best version of La Paloma
@srikanthanadaarajah6172
BEST VERSION OF THIS SONG
@ralfw.8502
Spanisch gesungen von einer Italienerin - das meist gecoverte Lied der Welt. Caterina war in den 60ern eine der beliebtesten Stimmen.
@mieke657
Zij is nog steeds de beste
@KatalinBanoczy
Beautiful...Thank you...
@dieterhans3563
The best Version from La Paloma
@mieke657
She is Simply THE BEST🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
@theaverdonkverdonk5815
Geweldig👍😘😘😘💜💟♥️liebxxx
@detlefkar
Ella nacio en Paris, y tiene nacionalidad italiana y alemana. Su marido era aleman, y ella vivio en alemania y aparecio regularmente en el televido en Koln. (Dusculpe la falta de tilde:)