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.

Waterloo sunset
Caterina Valente Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Dirty old river, must you keep rolling
Flowing into the night
People so busy, makes me feel dizzy
Taxi light shines so bright
But I don't need no friends
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset
I am in paradise

Every day I look at the world from my window
But chilly, chilly is the evening time
Waterloo sunset's fine

Terry meets Julie, Waterloo station
Every Friday night
But I am so lazy, don't want to wander
I stay at home at night
But I don't feel afraid
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset
I am in paradise

Every day I look at the world from my window
But chilly, chilly is the evening time
Waterloo sunset's fine

Millions of people swarming like flies 'round Waterloo underground
But terry and Julie cross over the river
Where they feel safe and sound
And the don't need no friends
As long as they gaze on Waterloo sunset
They are in paradise

Waterloo sunset's fine

Overall Meaning

The song ‘Waterloo Sunset’ by Caterina Valente was originally written and recorded by Ray Davies in 1967, and is considered one of his greatest compositions. The song is an intriguing and poignant meditation on urban life in London, and the way in which people can find solace and happiness amidst the chaos and turbulence of a city. The song begins with the image of the River Thames, which flows through the heart of London, and comments on the way in which the river seems to keep rolling on, oblivious to the people and the buildings that surround it. The singer suggests that the people are so busy, they make him feel dizzy, and the taxi lights shine so bright they seem to blur his vision.

However, in the midst of the chaos and commotion of the city, the singer finds a moment of relief and happiness, as he gazes on the sunset over Waterloo Bridge. The singer is so entranced by the beauty of the scene that he doesn't even need any friends to share it with him - he is in paradise. The second verse introduces two characters - Terry and Julie - who meet every Friday night at Waterloo Station. The singer, however, is content to stay at home at night, and doesn't feel afraid, as long as he can continue to gaze on the Waterloo sunset. In the final verse, the singer comments on the millions of people swarming like flies around Waterloo Underground. But Terry and Julie cross over the river, where they feel safe and sound, and don't need any friends as long as they can gaze on the sunset. The song ends with the repeated assertion that Waterloo sunset is fine, reinforcing the idea that in the midst of the turmoil and tumult of city life, there is still beauty and solace to be found.

Line by Line Meaning

Dirty old river, must you keep rolling
The river may be dirty and old, but it keeps flowing continuously, non-stop

Flowing into the night
The river keeps flowing even after the sun goes down and night falls

People so busy, makes me feel dizzy
The sight of people in a hurry, always busy and occupied, makes the singer feel uneasy and lightheaded

Taxi light shines so bright
The bright light of taxis as they pass by creates a visual effect that is difficult to look at

But I don't need no friends
The artist is content with being alone and doesn't feel the need for companionship

As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset
The singer finds solace in looking at the sunset from Waterloo, as it brings them happiness and peace

I am in paradise
The view of the sunset makes the singer feel like they are in heaven, a place of pure happiness and perfection

Every day I look at the world from my window
The artist spends most of their time observing the outside world from their window

But chilly, chilly is the evening time
Evenings are chilly and cold, making it unpleasant to spend time outside

Waterloo sunset's fine
Despite the cold weather, the artist still finds the view of the sunset from Waterloo to be beautiful and pleasurable

Terry meets Julie, Waterloo station
Terry and Julie are a couple who meet each other regularly at Waterloo station

Every Friday night
They meet each other every Friday evening

But I am so lazy, don't want to wander
The singer is too lazy to go out and meet people, and prefers to stay at home instead

I stay at home at night
The singer spends most of their evenings at home

But I don't feel afraid
Despite being alone, the singer doesn't feel scared or vulnerable

Millions of people swarming like flies 'round Waterloo underground
Underground at Waterloo station, there are millions of people moving about like a swarm of flies

But terry and Julie cross over the river
Terry and Julie leave Waterloo station and cross the river by some means of transportation

Where they feel safe and sound
They both feel secure and comfortable in each other's company

And they don't need no friends
As a couple, Terry and Julie don't need anyone else to share their happiness with

As long as they gaze on Waterloo sunset
They both find happiness and joy in watching the sunset together from Waterloo

They are in paradise
Being together and watching the sunset brings them a sense of paradise, a perfect, happy place

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RAYMOND DOUGLAS DAVIES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS