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.

My Shawl
Caterina Valente Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

In some Cuban town you stop
Watching an old maker of shawls
A quaint little man where gay coloured bazaar
Stands near the wharves
He smiles through his beard
And spins heavenly dreams for every maid
A shawl in his hand his call reaches their hearts
As they parade

My shawl pretty lady
Try it on you
Buy my shawl spun in magic wishes come true
It's glory weaves a story of love
Dreams old but new
My shawl brings a romance

Maybe for you
Maybe for you.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Caterina Valente's My Shawl tell the story of an old maker of shawls in a Cuban town. The song highlights the beauty and allure of the shawls that the old man creates, which are decorated with colorful designs and imbued with magical qualities that can bring about love and romance. The lyrics describe the old man as a "quaint little man" who stands near the wharves, smiling through his beard and spinning "heavenly dreams" for every maid. As the girls parade by, the old man calls out to them and offers them his shawls, inviting them to try them on and purchase them, promising that they will bring their dreams of love to life.

The lyrics are rich in imagery, painting a vivid picture of the bustling Cuban town, the colorful bazaar, and the charming old man who creates the magical shawls. The song captures the joy and romance of young love and the magical qualities that can bring it to life.

Overall, My Shawl is a beautiful and enchanting song that captures the essence of young love and the beauty of magical thinking.

Line by Line Meaning

In some Cuban town you stop
You arrive at a certain town in Cuba

Watching an old maker of shawls
You observe an elderly man creating shawls

A quaint little man where gay coloured bazaar
He is a charming, humble man with a booth of colorful shawls in a market place

Stands near the wharves
He situates his booth nearby the docks/port area

He smiles through his beard
He grins through his facial hair

And spins heavenly dreams for every maid
He enchants each young woman with his poetic descriptions of the shawls

A shawl in his hand his call reaches their hearts
He catches their attention by holding a shawl and emphasizing its importance

As they parade
As they stroll around the market

My shawl pretty lady
He specifically addresses an attractive woman

Try it on you
He suggests that she attempt wearing the shawl