She was a dancer at the Folies Bergere in Las Vegas. and met Andy Williams when he pulled over to aid her on a desert road. They married on Christmas Day 1961 and had three children, Noelle, Christian and Robert. In 1968, she appeared in "The Party" with Peter Sellers and sang "Nothing to Lose" by Henry Mancini. Longet recorded a series of five MOR albums for A&M Records between 1966 and 1970 and two albums for Williams's Barnaby label in 1971 and 1972. She also made frequent acting appearances in television series and appeared from time to time on Williams' variety series and specials. Williams called Longet a beautiful, sleek brunette with large doe eyes, "my favorite French singer". She and Williams separated in 1969 but did not divorce until 6 years later.
Longet has never performed again after the criminal trial, and the Sabich family initiated civil proceedings to sue Longet. The case was eventually settled out of court for a large monetary settlement, with the proviso that Longet never tell or write about her story. They also demanded that Claudine withdraw from public circulation her recording of "Bang Bang, My Baby Shot Me Down."
When I'm Sixty-four
Claudine Longet Lyrics
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Many years from now,
Will you still be sending me a valentine
Birthday greetings bottle of wine?
If I'd been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door,
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,When I'm sixty-four?
Oh
You'll be older too, (ah ah ah ah ah)
And if you say the word,
I could stay with you
I could be handy mending a fuse
When your lights have gone
You can knit a sweater by the fireside
Sunday mornings go for a ride
Doing the garden, digging the weeds,
Who could ask for more?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four?
Every summer we can rent a cottage
In the Isle of Wight, if it's not too dear
We shall scrimp and save
Grandchildren on your knee
Vera, Chuck, and Dave
Send me a postcard, drop me a line,
Stating point of view
Yours sincerely, Wasting Away
Give me your answer, fill in a form
Mine for evermore
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four?
Woo!
Claudine Longet's song "When I'm Sixty-four" is a cover of The Beatles' hit single from the 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The song imagines a scenario where the singer is old and needs care from their significant other. The opening lines, "When I get older losing my hair, many years from now, will you still be sending me a valentine, birthday greetings bottle of wine?" speak to the fears of getting older and losing one's attractiveness. The repetition of the question "will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm sixty-four?" shows the singer's insecurity about being loved and wanted later in life. The chorus reassures the listener that they will also be older and that they can be relied on to take care of each other.
The second verse of the song talks about the practicalities of getting older. The line "I could be handy mending a fuse, when your lights have gone" suggests that even though they are no longer young and attractive, they still have value and can contribute to the relationship. The singer also mentions activities that they can do together, such as knitting and going for a ride. The chorus is repeated again, with the same questions about being needed and fed.
The final verse of the song looks to the future, with plans to spend summers in a cottage and their hypothetical grandchildren named Vera, Chuck, and Dave. The verse also includes a request to stay in touch, with lines such as "send me a postcard, drop me a line". The song ends with the same repetition of the chorus and a celebratory "Woo!".
Line by Line Meaning
When I get older losing my hair
As the years pass by, and my hair recedes and falls out with age
Many years from now
In the distant future, after much time has elapsed
Will you still be sending me a valentine Birthday greetings bottle of wine?
Even when I'm old and gray, will you still show me love and appreciation on my birthday with a sweet card and a nice bottle of wine?
If I'd been out till quarter to three Would you lock the door
In the event that I stayed out late until 2:45am, would you still care enough about me to make sure the door is locked at night?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me When I'm sixty-four?
Even when I'm old and gray, will you still desire and provide for me when I'm 64-years-old?
You'll be older too, (ah ah ah ah ah)
When I'm 64, you'll also have aged and be an elderly person as well
And if you say the word, I could stay with you
If you want me to stick around with you, I most certainly will
I could be handy mending a fuse When your lights have gone
I can be useful and mend your electrical issues and illuminate your world once again
You can knit a sweater by the fireside Sunday mornings go for a ride
As we both grow old together, we can enjoy each other's company by the fire and take leisurely rides on a peaceful Sunday morning
Doing the garden, digging the weeds, Who could ask for more?
Together we can take care of our garden and remove the weeds, what more could anyone ask for?
Every summer we can rent a cottage In the Isle of Wight, if it's not too dear We shall scrimp and save Grandchildren on your knee Vera, Chuck, and Dave
We can indulge in an annual summer trip to the Isle of Wight, if it's not too pricey, and save throughout the year. We'll have our grandkids on our laps and enjoy quality time with Vera, Chuck, and Dave
Send me a postcard, drop me a line, Stating point of view Indicate precisely what you mean to say Yours sincerely, Wasting Away
If you ever need to contact me, feel free to drop me a postcard or a written message stating your views and intentions. I eagerly look forward to your response. Sincerely yours, wasting away
Give me your answer, fill in a form Mine for evermore
Please give me your response and fill out this form. I will cherish it always and never get rid of it
Will you still need me, will you still feed me, When I'm sixty-four? Woo!
Will you still long for me and care for me when I'm sixty-four? (Excited exclamation)
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind