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
Eine Insel für zwei
Connie Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Die sich lieben wie wir
Gibt es bestimmt irgendwo.
Auf der blauen Lagune verträumt sag' ich dir
Darling
Ich liebe dich so.
Frag' den Wind
Frag' den Mond
Wo das Glück ewig wohnt
Ohne zu vergeh'n.
Denn der Wind und der Mond und alle Sterne
Werden Dich und auch mich so gut versteh'n.
Eine Insel für zwei
Die sich lieben wie wir
Gibt es bestimmt irgendwo.
Auf der blauen Lagune verträumt sag' ich dir
Darling
Ich liebe dich so.
Alle:
Auf der blauen Lagune verträumt sag' ich dir
Sie:
Darling
Ich liebe dich so.
The lyrics of Connie Francis's song, Eine Insel für zwei, describe the search for a perfect place for two lovers, where they can be alone and happy. The singer believes that such a place must exist somewhere in the world, and she suggests the blue lagoon as a possible location. She tells her beloved that she loves him so much and that the wind, the moon, and the stars will understand their love and guide them to their paradise. The song is a romantic and dreamy ballad about love and the hope for a perfect life together.
The lyrics of the song are simple and straightforward, but they convey a powerful message of longing and hope. The singer expresses her feelings of love and happiness with a soft and soothing voice that matches the gentle melody of the song. The use of nature imagery, such as the wind, the moon, and the stars, adds a poetic touch to the lyrics and reinforces the idea of a universal and eternal love.
Overall, Eine Insel für zwei is a beautiful and uplifting song that celebrates the power of love and the human desire for happiness and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
Eine Insel für zwei
A place for only two people who love each other like we do
Die sich lieben wie wir
Who love each other as much as we do
Gibt es bestimmt irgendwo.
There is certainly such a place somewhere
Auf der blauen Lagune verträumt sag' ich dir
On the blue lagoon, dreamily, I tell you
Darling
My beloved
Ich liebe dich so.
I love you so much
Frag' den Wind
Ask the wind
Frag' den Mond
Ask the moon
Frag' alle Sterne
Ask all the stars
Wo das Glück ewig wohnt
Where happiness lives forever
Ohne zu vergeh'n.
Without ever fading away
Denn der Wind und der Mond und alle Sterne
Because the wind, the moon, and all the stars
Werden Dich und auch mich so gut versteh'n.
Will understand you and me so well
Alle:
Everyone:
Auf der blauen Lagune verträumt sag' ich dir
On the blue lagoon, dreamily, I tell you
Sie:
She:
Darling
My beloved
Ich liebe dich so.
I love you so much
Contributed by Katherine F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Franz Meister
Beide wunderschön: Die zauberhafte Connie und ihre Stimme.
Markku Olavi
If angels could sing, they'd sing like Connie Francis!!! She has been my favorite singer over 60 years and still will be!
Kat Crunchy
Hi Markku Olavi, yes, I agree, Connie Francis has soul and emotion and can express it with her beautiful and uniqe voice. Thanks for the comment.
Albert Stuchetz
Connie Francis war in meiner Jugend mein Schwarm und ich höre ihre Lieder heute noch immer wieder gern ,Danke Connie.
Günther Klingler
Da kann ich mich nur anschließen, ich glaub ich hab all ihre deutsch gesungenen Titel bei mir gebunkert und höre diese auch ab und zu - einfach eine einmalige Stimme.
Oll B
Sie ist ein einzigartiges Phantom
Kat Crunchy
Hallo Albert, Connie Francis ist heute noch weltweit bekannt und beliebt,
danke für deinen Kommentar. Kat
Gottfried Artner
Seit 59 Jahren unverkennbar beliebt!
connie francis
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.💞💞🙏💖💕
Meike Claßen
So schön ..erinnert mich an meine Mutter sie hatte es mir immer vorgesungen ..