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 coloring book
Caterina Valente Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And lots of people do
I've a new one for you
A most unusual colouring book
The kind you never see
Crayons ready, very well... begin... to colour me
As he walked away
Colour them grey
This is the heart... that thought
He would always be true
Colour it... blue
These are the arms... that held him
And touched him... and lost him... somehow
Colour them... empty now
These are the beads... I wore until
She came between
Colour them green
This is the room... I sleep in
And walk in... and weep in... and hide in
That nobody sees
Colour it lonely please
This is the man... the walk...
I depended... upon
Colour him gone
Colour him... gone
The song "My Coloring Book" by Caterina Valente is a soulful ballad that reflects on the emotions of loss, loneliness, and heartbreak. The opening lines of the song establish the premise that the singer has an unusual coloring book that she is willing to share with anyone who loves to color. However, the lyrics soon reveal that the book is not just any ordinary coloring book but instead is a reflection of the singer's own emotional state.
As she introduces the various pages of the coloring book, she mentions the different parts of her life that are now colored by loss and heartbreak. The first page is about the "eyes that watched him as he walked away," which she wants colored in grey. This signifies the sense of despair and hopelessness that she feels at the loss of her loved one. Next, she talks about the heart that had believed in his fidelity; now she wants the heart colored in blue, signifying the sadness that has taken over.
The following pages describe the arms that held him, the beads she wore, and the room where she now weeps in solitude. Each page carries a sense of emptiness, loss, and sadness. Finally, the singer talks about the man on whom she depended and now wants colored as "gone." This final coloring sheet represents the singer's acceptance of her situation and the fact that the man she loved is no longer a part of her life.
In conclusion, the lyrics of "My Coloring Book" by Caterina Valente are a poignant reflection on the emotions of heartbreak and loss. The use of the coloring book as a metaphor for her life and emotions is a creative way to express her feelings, and the soulful melody adds to the poignant nature of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
In case you fancy colouring books
If you happen to have a liking for coloring books
And lots of people do
A lot of people share this interest
I've a new one for you
I have a new one to introduce to you
A most unusual colouring book
This one is quite different from the usual coloring books
The kind you never see
It is of a kind that is rarely seen
Crayons ready, very well... begin... to colour me
So, if you are ready with your crayons, go ahead and start coloring me
These are the eyes... that watched him
These are my eyes that watched him
As he walked away
As he walked away from me
Colour them grey
Please color them grey
This is the heart... that thought
This is my heart that believed
He would always be true
That he would always be truthful to me
Colour it... blue
Please color it blue
These are the arms... that held him
These are my arms that held him
And touched him... and lost him... somehow
That touched him and yet lost him somehow
Colour them... empty now
Please color them empty now
These are the beads... I wore until
These are the beads that I wore until
She came between
She came in between us
Colour them green
Please color them green
This is the room... I sleep in
This is the room I sleep in
And walk in... and weep in... and hide in
The same room where I walk in, weep in, and hide in
That nobody sees
But nobody else ever sees
Colour it lonely please
Please color it lonely
This is the man... the walk...
This is the man that used to walk
I depended... upon
The man on whom I depended
Colour him gone
Please color him gone
Colour him... gone
Please color him gone
Contributed by Savannah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
countrypaul
This always moved me, and still does. Just beautiful, heart-tugging; the definitive version. (My wife wouldn't understand how this rock & roll guy would love this so much....)
Milton Moore
Beautiful Beyond Words!
Difficult to comprehend how a voice this magnificent was only blessed with one hit recording, this one, in 1963. Born Sandra
Galitz in 1937 in Philadelphia, she wed a character named Moose Charlap, who passed away in 1974.
They produced one child, jazz pianist Bill Charlap. Sandy Stewart is presently 81 years old. I just discovered her, at age 73. I don't even recall this recording, much less
any of the extensive tv appearances she made in the 1950's
and 60's on the "Perry Como Show," and others. Why she never had a career like Eydie Gormet, Patti Page, Julie London, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Bassey, Caterina Valente, Sarah Vaughn, Anita Bryant, Doris Day, and other similarly gorgeous voices is perplexing and tragic.
I could listen to her all day! The arrangement and orchestration by Don Costa is typically outstanding.
countrypaul
From Wikipedia: Morris Isaac "Moose" Charlap (December 19, 1928 – July 8, 1974) was an American Broadway composer best known for Peter Pan (1954)....
Virginia Hammer
Agreed! Ravishing, gorgeous voice.
AND THE SONG -
I grew up knowing Barbra Streisand’s rendition Dash from only a year or two after this one… So well… And she really milks every bit of meaning out of every bit of it with her characteristic mastery… But really. Sandi is so pure here and so beautiful… One last thing… I’m glad the lovely person below has instructed you who Morris “Moose” Charlap was.
Sandy’s husband)
He wrote the music to one of the most beautiful Broadway musicals as it has ever been… Peter Pan.
Tragically died when he was 45 of a heart attack. Sandy was very busy with their sons after that… Their son Bill Charlap became an accomplished jazz pianist.
Yes, though, it really is perplexing and sad, to me, she did not become a bigger star.
Chip Prince
This song is the first one John Kander and Fred Ebb wrote together, before they became the famed Broadway songwriting team behind Cabaret, Zorba, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Curtains, and many others. I've heard this song my whole life, mostly instrumentals on easy-listening radio; so glad to hear Miss Stewart's original rendition here. Thanks for posting it!
fek2000
This was one of my mom's favorite songs. I still have her 45 record. So now it's one of my favorites too. That's how things work in my life; if you know what I mean.
Bruce H
I heard her sing this song on the old Perry Como show in 1963. I never forgot it; it still breaks my heart.
usmale 49
I saw that Perry Como show also. We watched every week! Fell in love with this song instantly! Wish this was the "STEREO" version, though!
Gary R Beck
For some reason, I was attached to this song back when it came out in 1963. There was another version climbing the charts, by whom I cannot remember.
Gary Gordon
Probably Kitty Kallen