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.

Perfidia
Caterina Valente Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Nadie comprende lo que sufro yo
Tanto que ya no puedo sollozar
Solo temblando de ansiedad estoy
Todos me miran y se van

To you
My heart cries out "Perfidia"
For I find you, the love of my life

In somebody else's arms

Your eyes are echoing "Perfidia"
Forgetful of the promise of love
You're sharing another's charms

With a sad lament my dreams are faded like a broken melody
While the gods of love look down and laugh
At what romantic fools we mortals be

And now, I know* my love was not for you
And so I take it back with a sigh
Perfidious one, Goodbye

With a sad lament my dreams are faded like a broken melody
While the gods of love look down and laugh
At what romantic fools we mortals be

And now, I know* my love was not for you
And so I take it back with a sigh

Perfidious one, Goodbye
Goodbye

Overall Meaning

The song "Perfidia" by Caterina Valente is a classic Spanish ballad about a heartbroken lover who has been betrayed by their significant other. The lyrics express the deep pain and sense of loss that the singer feels upon discovering that their lover has been unfaithful.

The opening verse sets the stage for the rest of the song, as the singer laments that nobody can understand the depth of their suffering, which has left them unable to cry or even be still. The chorus then begins, with the singer addressing their lost love directly, crying out "Perfidia" (perfidy), a word that means betrayal, deceit, and treachery in Spanish.

The second verse continues the theme of betrayal, as the singer describes their lover's eyes echoing the theme of infidelity, forgetful of the promises of love made to them. The singer then acknowledges the irony of their situation, realizing that they were foolishly in love with someone who was not worthy of it. The song ends with the stunning realization that the singer's love was not meant to be for their unfaithful lover, ending with a final farewell.

Overall, "Perfidia" is a powerful and moving ballad that speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak and betrayal. The lyrics are emotionally charged and vivid, painting a picture of a broken heart that is both heartbreaking and poignant.

Line by Line Meaning

Nadie comprende lo que sufro yo
No one understands the pain I am going through

Tanto que ya no puedo sollozar
So much that I can no longer cry

Solo temblando de ansiedad estoy
I am trembling with anxiety all alone

Todos me miran y se van
Everyone looks at me and walks away

To you
To the one I love

My heart cries out "Perfidia"
My heart is hurting from betrayal

For I find you, the love of my life In somebody else's arms
Because I discovered you, the love of my life, in someone else's arms

Your eyes are echoing "Perfidia"
Your eyes are reflecting the act of betrayal

Forgetful of the promise of love
Ignoring the promises of love we made

You're sharing another's charms
You are sharing someone else’s love and affection

With a sad lament my dreams are faded like a broken melody
I am grieving for my lost dreams and desires, like a broken song