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
Don't Break the Heart That Loves
Connie Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't break the heart that loves you
Handle it with care
Don't break the heart that needs you
Darling, please be fair
Why do you flirt, and constantly hurt me?
Why do you treat our love so carelessly?
You know I'm jealous of you
And yet you seem to try
To go out of your way to be unkind
Sweetheart, I'm begging of you
Don't break this heart that loves you
Don't break this heart of mine
Darling, please don't hurt me
Please, don't make me cry
I don't know what I'd do if you'd ever say goodbye
Remember, I love you so much
And love is life's greatest joy
Please don't break my heart like a child breaks a little toy
Sweetheart, I'm begging of you
Don't break this heart that loves you
Don't break this heart of mine (don't break this heart)
The lyrics of the song "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" by Connie Francis are about the plea of a lover to their significant other to treat their love with care and kindness. The singer is hurt and confused by their lover's actions, and they question why their love is being treated so carelessly, and why they constantly flirt and hurt them. They express their jealousy towards their lover, who seems to go out of their way to be unkind. The singer is begging their lover not to break their heart, and to handle their love with care.
The song captures the essence of a tender plea to a lover who may not realize the intensity of the love they share. The singer's heart is fragile, and they are essentially laying it at the feet of their lover, hoping they will cherish it and not take it for granted. The song is a poignant reminder of the importance of treating love with kindness, and how easy it is to break someone's heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't break the heart that loves you
Take care of the heart that loves you
Handle it with care
Treat it with gentleness
Don't break the heart that needs you
Please be kind to the heart that relies on you
Darling, please be fair
Please act in a fair manner, my love
Why do you flirt, and constantly hurt me?
Why do you tease and cause me pain?
Why do you treat our love so carelessly?
Why do you disregard our love?
You know I'm jealous of you
I feel envious of you
And yet you seem to try
Despite this, you appear to make an effort
To go out of your way to be unkind
To deliberately be cruel
Sweetheart, I'm begging of you
My dear, I'm pleading with you
Don't break this heart that loves you
Don't break my loving heart
Don't break this heart of mine
Please refrain from breaking my heart
Darling, please don't hurt me
My love, please don't harm me
Please, don't make me cry
Please don't cause me to shed tears
I don't know what I'd do if you'd ever say goodbye
I'm uncertain how I'd cope if you left me
Remember, I love you so much
Recall that I deeply adore you
And love is life's greatest joy
Love is the ultimate delight in life
Please don't break my heart like a child breaks a little toy
Please avoid shattering my heart as a child would break a toy
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BENNY DAVIS, TED MURRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ronaldherrera1238
Don't break the heart ..... that loves you !!
Handle it with care ....
Don't break the heart - that needs you
Darling - please be fair -
Why do you flirt? and constantly hurt me?
Why do you treat our love so carelessly?
You know I'm jealousยจ- of you
And yet you seem to try!!
To go out of your way -
To be unkind
Sweetheart - I'm begging of you
Don't break this heart that loves you !!
Don't break this heart of mine !!
Darling .... please don't hurt me
Please, don't make me cry -
I don't know what I'd do if you'd ever say goodbye
Remember - I love you so much
And love is life's greatest joy
Please don't break my heart like a child breaks a little toy -
Sweetheart - I'm begging of you
Don't break this heart that loves you !!
Don't break this heart - of mine ....!!
@theresachiorazzi4571
Where ever Connie is today I wish her the best my hubby loved her songs and so did I who wouldnโt love Connie.
@conniefrancis5883
Hi there๐น๐น๐น๐น๐น๐น
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 youโve done for me throughout the years.
Itโs a season of love๐โค๏ธโค๏ธ for me and so I decided to put a smile on the faces of my fans by going through my YouTube channel and 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.๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ
@helenahmilanska4678
She's adorable, very beautiful voice, She's my only one still today no one can singing as she does. God bless. ๐๐
@garyangelo6439
I believe this woman is truly an ICON I LOVE Her DEEPLY One in a MILLION I still listed and ENJOY
@rogerturner1881
that intro helped it a lot to stardom to #1 spot.Incidentally it climbed by steps to #1 from #4,#3,#2,#1 Not many did that i can tell you. It's also the 1st #1 in 1962 with a narration.
@drgn1
That year '62 is two years before I was born. But what an impressive song. So beautiful!
@petegrillot7315
OH, How I love her voice... 2019 today's my 63 birthday and I still am infatuated by Connie's songs.
@rogerturner1881
you should listen to IT WOULD STILL BE WORTH IT 1960, AVE MARIA 1959, I WANNA BE WITH YOU 1966, ELI ELI 1960 playback,1982 vocal as orig is lost POWERFUL VOCAL..
@philomenapeterson1790
Sung so beautifully, gracefully and in harmony. Melody is very good. Romantic
@johnmarotta4940
What a great voice she is one of my favorites.How can you not love her music so sincere