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.

Whispering
Caterina Valente Lyrics

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Don't worry I'm not looking at you
Gorgeous and dressed in blue
Don't worry I'm not looking at you
Gorgeous and dressed in blue
I know it drives you crazy
When I pretend you don't exist
When I'd like to lean in close
And run my hands against your lips

Though we haven't even spoken
Still I sense there's a rapport
So whisper me your number
I'll call you up at home
Whisper me your number
I'll call you up at home
Don't worry I'm not looking at you
Don't worry I'm not looking at you
Gorgeous and dressed in blue
Don't worry I'm not looking at you
I know you see me see you
As you see me walk on past
When there's nothing more I'd like to do
Then come in close and hear you laugh
Though we haven't even spoken
Still I sense there's a rapport
So whisper me your number
I'll call you up at home
Yea whisper me your number
I'll call you up at home
Whisper me your number
I'll call you up at home

Hmm whisper me your number
I'll call you up at home

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Caterina Valente's "Whispering" describe a situation where the singer is drawn to a person who they find attractive and with whom they seem to have an unspoken connection. The singer acknowledges the other person's presence, but tries not to make it overt, out of respect for their privacy. The singer expresses a desire to get closer to the other person, to hear them laugh and potentially even get their phone number. The repeated plea to whisper their number suggests a certain shared intimacy, as if the singer wants to know this person's secrets.

The song's lyrics also hint at a certain level of shyness or hesitation on the part of the singer. They are keen to pursue a connection, but also want to be respectful and careful not to come on too strong. The repetition of the refrain "Don't worry I'm not looking at you" underscores this coy sense of reciprocity. The line "when there's nothing more I'd like to do than come in close and hear you laugh" seems to encapsulate the want for a deeper connection and possibly more than just a phone call.

Overall, the lyrics paint a picture of a someone who is attracted to another person, and is trying to navigate the tricky waters of making a connection without being too forward. The repeated refrain and emphasis on whispering suggest a shared secret or intimacy, while the desire for connection is palpable in the singer's voice and words.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't worry I'm not looking at you
Assurance that the singer is not staring at the person mentioned

Gorgeous and dressed in blue
Comment on the person's beauty and the color of their attire

I know it drives you crazy
Acknowledgement of the person's reaction to being ignored

When I pretend you don't exist
Statement about the singer's behavior towards the person

When I'd like to lean in close
Admission of the singer's desire to be physically closer to the person

And run my hands against your lips
Imagery of the singer's physical attraction to the person

Though we haven't even spoken
Acknowledgement that the two individuals have not yet had a conversation

Still I sense there's a rapport
Recognition of a potential connection between the two individuals despite not having talked

So whisper me your number
Request for the person's phone number

I'll call you up at home
Promise to make contact with the person in the future

I know you see me see you
Awareness that the person is aware of the singer's presence

As you see me walk on past
Comment on the singer's movement

When there's nothing more I'd like to do
Statement about the singer's desires and feeling constrained by their lack of interaction

Then come in close and hear you laugh
Desire to hear the person's laughter and be closer to them

Yea whisper me your number
Reiteration of the request for the person's phone number

Hmm whisper me your number
Reiteration of the request for the person's phone number with a different tone

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Richard Coburn, Vincent Rose, John Schonberger

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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