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
Buttons And Bows
Connie Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the wrong one I have chose
Let's go where they keep on wearin'
Those frills and flowers and buttons and bows
Rings and things and buttons and bows.
Don't bury me in this prairie
Take me where the cement grows
Where they love a gal by the cut o' her clothes
And you'll stand out, in buttons and bows.
I'll love you in buckskin
Or skirts that you've homespun
But I'll love ya' longer, stronger
Where yer friends don't tote a gun
My bones denounce the buckboard bounce
And the cactus hurts my toes
Let's vamoose where gals keep a-usin'
Those silks and satins and linen that shows
And I'm all yours in buttons and bows.
Gimme eastern trimmin' where women are women
In high silk hose and peek-a-boo clothes
And French perfume that rocks the room
And I'm all yours in buttons and bows.
Buttons and bows, buttons and bows
"Buttons and Bows" is a popular song by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, which was originally written for the movie, The Paleface (1948), starring Bob Hope and Jane Russell. The song became popular and earned an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The lyrics of the song express the singer's desire to move to a big city where she can wear frills, flowers, buttons, and bows, and be appreciated for her sense of style. The singer prefers the city to the prairie and rural areas where people are not as fashionable. The lyrics also express the singer's love for her partner and her willingness to love them no matter what they wear.
The song reflects the style of music in the 1940s and 1950s, with the use of the accordion, a common instrument in many big band compositions of the time. The lyrics used metaphors and allusions to convey the singer's desire for a better life, which was a common theme in many movies and songs of the time. The song's upbeat and catchy tune made it popular with audiences who enjoyed dancing and singing along.
Line by Line Meaning
East is east and west is west
The two directions East and West are dissimilar from one another.
And the wrong one I have chose
I have selected the wrong direction to travel in.
Let's go where they keep on wearin'
Let's go to a place where people still wear
Those frills and flowers and buttons and bows
clothing items like frills, flowers, and buttons and bows.
Rings and things and buttons and bows.
Various ornamental objects like rings, things and buttons and bows.
Don't bury me in this prairie
I do not want to be laid to rest in this prairie.
Take me where the cement grows
Take me to a city where there is growth and development.
Let's move down to some big town
Let's relocate to a large and thriving urban area.
Where they love a gal by the cut o' her clothes
Where women are judged on the style of their clothing.
And you'll stand out, in buttons and bows.
Wearing ornamental clothing items like buttons and bows will make you unique.
I'll love you in buckskin
I will always love you, even if you wear rough clothing like buckskin.
Or skirts that you've homespun
Or even if you create your own clothing like homespun skirts.
But I'll love ya' longer, stronger
But my love will endure and grow stronger.
Where your friends don't tote a gun
In a place where there is no need to carry guns for protection.
My bones denounce the buckboard bounce
Traveling in a bumpy, uncomfortable buckboard is painful.
And the cactus hurts my toes
Walking around in a desert filled with cacti is uncomfortable.
Let's vamoose where gals keep a-usin'
Let's leave this place and go where women wear more luxurious clothing.
Those silks and satins and linen that shows
Clothing materials like silk, satin, and linen, which reveal more of the body.
And I'm all yours in buttons and bows.
I belong to you when I wear ornamental clothing items like buttons and bows.
Gimme eastern trimmin' where women are women
Give me clothing with eastern trims, where women are considered to be more feminine.
In high silk hose and peek-a-boo clothes
In clothing items like high silk stockings and peek-a-boo clothes.
And French perfume that rocks the room
And with French perfume, which fills up the room with its fragrance.
And I'm all yours in buttons and bows.
I am devoted to you when wearing ornamental clothing items like buttons and bows.
Buttons and bows, buttons and bows
Repeating the desire for ornamental clothing items like buttons and bows.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kevin Harkin
Sorry everyone, I'll be taking this channel down in a few days. There are a few people upset that I upload to YouTube before I send them the file. So, it's best to just take the channel down. I don't need anymore stress in my life. Love you all!!!
Gladys Betancourt
CONNIE FRANCIS LA VOZ MAS LINDA DEL MUNDO 😘
lourival imbuseiro
Um bom dia saltitante e super ensolarado,alegre,e cheio de esperança é o que essa SUPERSTAR transmite a todos nós.Bravissima e Talentosíssima Connie Francis.Que todos os seus admiradores tenham a Nice Day...
D
Wow i love this song! Nothing is better than listening to a connie song for the first time
Kevin Harkin
D. This was released on the "Bear Family" box set in 1996. It's a great song that Connie interprets perfectly.
Patricia Stafford
Never knew Connie recorded this. song. It is a great version. Thanks Kevin.
Kevin Harkin
@Patricia Stafford You're welcome, Pat!❤
Patricia Stafford
@Kevin Harkin Thanks, Kevin for that information.
Kevin Harkin
Yes, Pat. She recorded this in 1962, and it was part of the original "Award Winning Motion Picture Hits" album. She scrubbed this song "Button and Bows" and a year later added the new award-winning song, "The Days of Wine and Roses."
William Dane
Thank goodness for Bear Family Records. Wish they could have completed the project!