Born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero in Newark's Italian Down Neck or Ironbound section of Newark, New Jersey neighbourhood, she is considered the most prolific and popular female rock 'n' roll hit-maker of the early rock era -- the late 1950s to the early 1960s. After an appearance on Startime, Francis was advised to change her name from Franconero to something more easily pronounceable, as well as to quit the accordion and focus on singing.
Francis' first single "Freddy" (1955) met with little success. Her next nine singles were also failures, and she began considering a career in medicine; however, "Who's Sorry Now" (a cover version of a 1923 song) launched her into super-stardom worldwide. Francis recorded the song at what was to have been her final recording session for MGM, as the label was about to drop her since her previous singles had generated little activity. She has said (paraphrased from The Billboard Book of Number One Singles by Fred Bronson) that she recorded it at the suggestion of her father, who convinced her it stood a chance of becoming a hit because it was a song adults already knew and that teenagers would dance to if it were released with a more contemporary arrangement.
The gamble paid off. In April 1958, "Who's Sorry Now" reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart (number four in the USA); in 2000, it was named one of the Songs of the Century. On January 1, 1958, she debuted it on Dick Clark's American Bandstand television show; by mid-year over a million copies were sold. This was followed by many other hits over the next decade, as Connie Francis became one of the most popular vocalists in the world.
Francis specialized in downbeat ballads delivered in her trademark "sobbing" style -- such as "My Happiness," "I'm Sorry I Made You Cry," "Among My Souvenirs," "Together," "Breakin' In a Brand New Broken Heart," and the Italian song "Mama," many of which were remakes of old standards. However, she also had success with a handful of more upbeat, rock-and-roll-oriented compositions, such as "Stupid Cupid," "Lipstick On Your Collar," and "Vacation." Among her other notable performances were "In the Summer of His Years" (a tribute to slain U.S. President John F. Kennedy) and Bert Kaempfert's "Strangers In The Night" (although the latter song is more identified with Frank Sinatra). Both "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" and "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own" went to No.1 on the Billboard music charts in 1960. In 1962 she had another No.1 hit with "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You."
Francis recorded in nine languages during her career, including English, Italian, French, Spanish, German, and even Japanese, and remade many of her hits in foreign languages, including "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" and her signature song, "Where the Boys Are." In fact, her biggest hit album in the U.S. was 1960's Italian Favorites, and she followed it with several more albums of Italian songs over the years, as well as collections of Spanish-language and Jewish songs, among others.
"Where The Boys Are," one of many Neil Sedaka/Howard Greenfield compositions Francis recorded during her career (others included "Stupid Cupid" and "Everybody's Somebody's Fool"), gained wide exposure through its inclusion in the 1960 motion picture with the same title. Francis had a role in the film and sang the title song. During the first half of the 1960s she starred in three additional films -- Follow the Boys (1963) (the title song of which became a No. 17 Billboard single for Francis), Looking for Love (1964) and When the Boys Meet the Girls (1965).
In 1960 Francis became the youngest headliner to sing in Las Vegas, where she played 28 days a year for nine years. In 1961 she was successful in starring in her own television special on ABC television sponsored by Brylcreem titled Kicking Sound Around, singing and acting along-side Tab Hunter, Eddie Foy Jr. and Art Carney. She appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show on July 1, 1962 with French singing star Johnny Hallyday in a show that was taped at the famous Moulin Rouge nightclub in Paris, France. On July 3, 1963 she played a Command performance before Queen Elizabeth II at the Alhambra Theatre in Glasgow, Scotland. By 1967, she had 35 U.S. Top 40 hits, and three number ones.
Connie Francis has always been a great fan of country music and recorded several albums of country standards during her pop career. In 1969 she had a modest country hit with "The Wedding Cake" and made the country charts again in 1982 with "There's Still a Few Good Love Songs Left in Me." Several country singers found chart success remaking Francis' pop hits for the country market, including Marie Osmond ("Who's Sorry Now" in 1975), Susan Raye ("My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own" in 1972), Margo Smith ("Don't Break The Heart That Loves You" in 1978), and Debby Boone.
During the height of the Vietnam War in 1967, Connie Francis performed for U.S. troops.
Francis ended her recording career in 1969. She returned in 1973 with "The Answer," a song written just for her, and soon began performing again. Her son Joey was born in 1974. Tragedies followed soon after. In 1974 she was sexually assaulted in a hotel following a performance in Westbury, New York. Nasal surgery to correct a sensitivity to air conditioning deprived her of her ability to sing professionally for four years. Her brother was murdered in 1981.
Francis' autobiography, Who's Sorry Now? was published in 1984. Francis was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a mental disease which includes severe depressions and manic highs. She uses the drug Lithium to balance out the emotional highs and lows caused by the disease. Connie Francis resumed her career in 1989 after discovering the drug and has continued singing and recording since then. Francis still holds a world-wide appeal shown through continued music sales and sold-out appearances.
Her latest CD The American Tour contains performances from recent shows. In late December 2004, Francis headlined in Las Vegas for the first time since 1989.
In March of 2007, Francis performed to a sold-out crowd -- composed of gay urbanites and conservative suburbanites -- in San Francisco. The "little diva" belted out versions of her "woebegone ballads . . . in full force," according to the San Franciso Chronicle's music critic.
Connie's fan club: www.conniefrancis.com
Aquellos Ojos Verdes
Connie Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
El tema dulce de mi canción
Tus ojos verdes, claros, serenos
Ojos que han sido mi inspiración
Aquellos ojos verdes de mirada serena
Dejaron en mi alma eterna sed de amar
Anhelos de caricias, de besos y ternuras
Aquellos ojos verdes, serenos como un lago
En cuyos quietas aguas un día me miré
No saben las tristezas que en mi alma han dejado
Aquellos ojos verdes que yo nunca besaré
And will they ever haunt me?
All through my life they'll taunt me
But will they ever want me?
Green eyes, make my dreams come true
Translated as "Those Green Eyes," Connie Francis's Aquellos Ojos Verdes describe the beauty of a person's eyes that have inspired the sweet melody of the singer's song. The lyrics depict how the green eyes have left an eternal desire to love and be loved, to feel touched and comforted, and to experience all the joys and tenderness that those eyes have once offered. The serenity and calm of those eyes have left an imprint on the artist's soul, representing a calm lake that once looked upon, now holds memories of deep sadness that she can never go back to. Connie Francis belies the despair she feels at the thought of not being able to embrace those eyes properly and to receive the love she desires.
The choice of words in this song is both simple and deeply moving. The lyrics explore the depth of love and loss, the hidden pain of unreciprocated love, and the haunting beauty of green eyes. The song deals with confronting one's feelings honestly and how the memory of the person never fades away. The song's haunting melody moves the listener and accentuates the heartwrenching lyrics, making it a cherished classic to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Fueron tus ojos los que me dieron
It was your eyes that gave me
El tema dulce de mi canción
The sweet theme of my song
Tus ojos verdes, claros, serenos
Your green eyes, clear and serene
Ojos que han sido mi inspiración
Eyes that have been my inspiration
Aquellos ojos verdes de mirada serena
Those green eyes with a serene gaze
Dejaron en mi alma eterna sed de amar
Left in my soul an eternal thirst for love
Anhelos de caricias, de besos y ternuras
Longing for caresses, kisses and tenderness
De todas las dulzuras que sabían brindar
Of all the sweetness they knew how to give
Aquellos ojos verdes, serenos como un lago
Those green eyes, calm like a lake
En cuyos quietas aguas un día me miré
In whose calm waters I once looked
No saben las tristezas que en mi alma han dejado
They don't know the sadness they have left in my soul
Aquellos ojos verdes que yo nunca besaré
Those green eyes that I will never kiss
And will they ever haunt me?
And will they ever haunt me?
All through my life they'll taunt me
All through my life they'll taunt me
But will they ever want me?
But will they ever want me?
Green eyes, make my dreams come true
Green eyes, make my dreams come true
Writer(s): Nilo Menendez, Adolfo Perez Utrera Fernandez
Contributed by Caroline M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@marianchacon5289
CONNIE FRANCIS: AQUELLOS OJOS VERDES.
MÚSICA ENCANTADORA.
QUÉ VOZ Y LIRICAS MAS
PRECIOSAS!! ESTÁ ES
MÚSICA DE LA ÉPOCA DE ORO!!! GRACIAS!! ❤
@maggiemenares9429
Grande ella su voz bellisima me encanta👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👍🤗😘
@marianchacon5289
CONNIE FRANCIS:
ABSOLUTELY EXQUISITE,
ENCHANTING!!! A VOICE OF AN ANGEL!!! BEAUTIFUL LYRICS!! THIS
MUSIC CARESSES THE
HEART STRINGS. TQ ❤
@marianchacon5289
CONNIE FRANCIS: AQUELLOS OJOS VERDES.
SHE ENCHANTS YOU WITH HER BEAUTIFUL VOICE. LOVELY LYRICS!!!!
THIS MUSIC TOUCHES THE HEART STRINGS WITH PRECIOUS MEMORIES. TQ ❤❤❤
@maggiemenares9429
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🌷🤗super canciones romanticas😘😘😘😘😘😘😘💝
@ewanowak5229
To piękny głos anioła !!!! Jedna z najlepszych wokalistek wszech czasów.
@loekivanderkooi
Geweldig het is mijn idool
@fernandoretamal1727
Su voz inconfundible no se puede confundir gracias Connie por ser tu como eres siento mucha alegría por tu maravillosa vos ídola
@conniefrancis4743
Hi dear🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
Thanks for your love and support that has brought me this far, it has been a hard time for me going through this but your love and support keeps me going and standing strong in this difficult times. I do read your heartwarming comments and I truly appreciate all you’ve done for me throughout the years.
It’s a season of love😍❤️❤️ for me and so I decided to put a smile on the faces of my fans by going through my YouTube channel am checking out on my fans, so I can get to communicate with my fans better through discussion of depth and humor listening to o and criticism of my career.💞💞🙏💖.
@lanuevacantinadejuanchito
Sin palabras, que belleza.