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.

What A Difference A Day Made
Caterina Valente Lyrics

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What a diff'rence a day makes
Twenty-four little hours
Brought the sun and the flowers
Where there used to be rain

My yesterday was blue, dear
Today I'm part of you, dear
My lonely nights are through, dear

Since you said you were mine

What a diff'rence a day makes
There's a rainbow before me
Skies above can't be stormy
Since that moment of bliss, that thrilling kiss

It's heaven when you
Find romance on your menu
What a diff'rence a day makes
And the difference is you

What a diff'rence a day makes
There's a rainbow before me
Skies above can't be stormy
Since that moment of bliss, that thrilling kiss

It's heaven when you
Find romance on your menu

What a diff'rence a day makes
And the difference is you

Overall Meaning

The song "What a Difference a Day Made" by Caterina Valente is a classic love ballad that speaks of the transformative power of love. The lyrics talk about how just a day can change a person's life, and how love can bring sunshine and happiness to someone's previously dark and gloomy life. The opening line "What a diff'rence a day makes, twenty-four little hours" encapsulates the theme of the song, which is that love can transform one's life in a short period of time.

The next few lines talk about how the sun and the flowers have replaced the rain, which is a metaphor for how love has replaced the misery and loneliness in the singer's life. The chorus then talks about how the singer's yesterday was blue but today, they are now part of their significant other, and their lonely nights are over since they said "you were mine". This suggests that finding love has taken away the loneliness and sadness that the singer was feeling.

The ending of the song repeats the chorus and emphasizes the transformative power of love, saying that finding it is like finding "romance on your menu" and that it makes all the difference in one's life.

Overall, the song is a beautiful expression of the joy and happiness that comes with finding love, and how it can change a person's life in a short amount of time.

Line by Line Meaning

What a diff'rence a day makes
It's amazing how much can change in just one day

Twenty-four little hours
Just one day, consisting of twenty-four hours

Brought the sun and the flowers
Things that used to be gloomy and sad have been replaced with happiness and beauty

Where there used to be rain
Previously, there were difficulties and hardships, but now they have dissipated

My yesterday was blue, dear
I was sad and lonely in my past

Today I'm part of you, dear
Now I am happy and able to share my life with someone I love

My lonely nights are through, dear
I no longer have to face nights of loneliness and despair

Since you said you were mine
When you declared your love for me, everything changed for the better

There's a rainbow before me
Now there are endless possibilities and a bright future ahead

Skies above can't be stormy
Difficulties and challenges no longer have a major impact

Since that moment of bliss, that thrilling kiss
Ever since we shared that special moment of love and passion