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
Cia
Connie Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Softly the silvery rain is sighing
Slowly the flame of our love is dying
It rains on our love, and we must part
Ciao, ciao, Bambina, the rain is falling
Once more I kiss you and then goodbye
Our love was just like a fairy story
Are raindrops trembling upon your face, dear
Or are they teardrops for the love we knew?
Ciao, ciao, Bambina, my heart is calling
While rain is falling I cry with you
Ciao, ciao, Bambina, the rain is falling
Once more I kiss you and then goodbye
Our love was just like a fairy story
But all its glory must pass us by
Are raindrops trembling upon your face, dear
Or are they teardrops for the love we knew?
Ciao, ciao, Bambina, my heart is calling
While rain is falling I cry with you
The song "Ciao, Ciao Bambina" is a melancholic ballad sung in a soft, almost whispering tone by Connie Francis. The song is about saying goodbye to a loved one as the rain falls, with violins playing in the background creating a mournful atmosphere. The lyrics speak of the death of love; the singer acknowledges their love was like a fairy story but admits that now, in the rain, they must say their goodbyes.
The first couplet of the song is a poignant description of the atmosphere, with violins crying in the wind and the rain falling softly. The image is one of despair- the very forces of nature seem to be lamenting the end of the couple's love story. As the song progresses, the singer's heart-wrenching farewell to their lover becomes more apparent. The lyrics "Are raindrops trembling upon your face, dear/ Or are they teardrops for the love we knew?" reveal the singer's uncertainty over their partner's emotions. In the end, as the rain continues to fall, the singer of the song cries with their lover as they must face the harsh reality of their separation.
Overall, "Ciao, Ciao Bambina" is a powerfully emotional song that captures the feeling of love's end. It is a classic example of a romantic ballad, with its imagery of rain, violins, and sorrowful goodbyes.
Line by Line Meaning
Violins played by the wind are crying
The sound of the wind is like sad violins as if it knows our love is ending.
Softly the silvery rain is sighing
The rain is like a sad whisper, signifying the end of our love.
Slowly the flame of our love is dying
Our love is dying and fading away, like a flame being extinguished slowly.
It rains on our love, and we must part
The rain represents the sadness of our love ending, and we have to say goodbye.
Ciao, ciao, Bambina, the rain is falling
Goodbye, my love, as the rain falls down around us.
Once more I kiss you and then goodbye
We must say farewell to each other with one last kiss.
Our love was just like a fairy story
Our love was like a magical fairy tale, but now it's coming to an end.
But all its glory must pass us by
The happiness we found in our love can never last forever, and it's time to move on.
Are raindrops trembling upon your face, dear
I wonder if the raindrops on your face are just from the rain, or are they tears for what we had?
Or are they teardrops for the love we knew?
Are those tears because of the love we shared and now have to let go of?
Ciao, ciao, Bambina, my heart is calling
Goodbye, my love, my heart aches as I say farewell.
While rain is falling I cry with you
As the rain pours down around us, we both cry for the end of our love.
Lyrics © SEMI
Written by: DOMENICO MODUGNO, EDOARDO VERDE, MITCHELL PARISH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Angel Di Rees
on Fallin'
awesome