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
I'm Movin' On
Connie Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Means your true-lovin' daddy ain't comin' back
'Cause I'm movin' on, I'll soon be gone
You were flyin' too high, for my little old sky
So I'm movin' on
That big loud whistle as it blew and blew
Said hello to the southland, we're comin' to you
You had the laugh on me, so I've set you free
And I'm movin' on
Mister fireman won't you please listen to me
'Cause I got a pretty mama in Tennessee
Keep movin' me on, keep rollin' on
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll
And keep movin' me on
Mister Engineer, take that throttle in hand
This rattler's the fastest in the southern land
To keep movin' me on, keep rollin' on
You gonna ease my mind, put me there on time
And keep rollin' on
I've told you baby, from time to time
But you just wouldn't listen or pay me no mind
Now I'm movin' on, I'm rollin' on
You've broken your vow, and it's all over now
So I'm movin' on
You've switched your engine now I ain't got time
For a triflin' woman on my main line
Cause I'm movin on, you done your daddy wrong
I warned you twice, now you can settle the price
'Cause I'm movin on
But someday baby when you've had your play
You're gonna want your daddy but your daddy will say
Keep movin' on, you stayed away too long
I'm through with you, too bad you're blue
Keep movin' on
The lyrics of Connie Francis's song I'm Movin' On depict the thoughts of a narrator who is leaving behind a past relationship that didn't work out. The song begins with the sound of a train whistle, representing the singer's departure from their old life. They explain that the train heading south means that their true-lovin' daddy is not coming back. The singer is leaving behind somebody who they feel was flying too high, and thus, they are moving on. The second verse suggests that the singer has found peace from the laughter of their past lover and that they are free now. Alas, the singer's attention turns to the fireman; they are asking for him to listen because he needs to get to a pretty mama back in Tennessee. It's clear from this somewhat plaintive cry that the singer is determined to move on, with or without a lover but must reach a destination.
Despite the song's upbeat tone, there is a clear sense of pain and betrayal in the lyrics. The singer blames their former lover for the love affair's end and accuses them of breaking vows they had agreed to. They suggest that their old lover had "switched engines," meaning that they had gotten involved with someone new, leaving the singer no choice but to move on. However, the singer warns their former lover that, someday, they will want their daddy back, but they will already have moved on, leaving no room for remorse.
Line by Line Meaning
That big eight-wheeler rollin' down the track
Train going away from you
Means your true-lovin' daddy ain't comin' back
Father figure is out of her life for good
'Cause I'm movin' on, I'll soon be gone
She's moving on with her life and leaving the past behind
You were flyin' too high, for my little old sky
You had different expectations in life than I did
So I'm movin' on
She's decided to move on with her life
That big loud whistle as it blew and blew
The sound of the train leaving
Said hello to the southland, we're comin' to you
Announcing the arrival of the train to a new place
When we're movin' on, oh hear my song
As she moves on with her life, she sings about it
You had the laugh on me, so I've set you free
You had the upper hand, but I'm letting you go
And I'm movin' on
She's moving on, and there's no looking back
Mister fireman won't you please listen to me
Requesting help from a worker on the train
'Cause I got a pretty mama in Tennessee
She has someone waiting for her in Tennessee
Keep movin' me on, keep rollin' on
As the train's moving, keep going forward with life
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll
Keep the train moving and don't stall
And keep movin' me on
She wants to keep moving forward with life
Mister Engineer, take that throttle in hand
Talking to the person in charge of the train
This rattler's the fastest in the southern land
The train is the fastest in the South
To keep movin' me on, keep rollin' on
Don't stop or pause in life
You gonna ease my mind, put me there on time
You'll help me feel at ease and arrive on time
And keep rollin' on
To keep going forward and progressing
I've told you baby, from time to time
She's tried to communicate her feelings in the past
But you just wouldn't listen or pay me no mind
But you ignored her or didn't take her seriously
Now I'm movin' on, I'm rollin' on
She's leaving and moving on with her life
You've broken your vow, and it's all over now
You've not kept your promise, and the relationship is done
So I'm movin' on
She's leaving and moving on
You've switched your engine now I ain't got time
You've changed your mind or attitude, and she's not interested anymore
For a triflin' woman on my main line
For a woman who doesn't have her priorities straight
'Cause I'm movin on, you done your daddy wrong
She's leaving, and you're to blame for causing the split
I warned you twice, now you can settle the price
She gave warnings about the consequences, and you'll now face them
'Cause I'm movin on
She's leaving because of what you did
But someday baby when you've had your play
At some point, she predicts that you'll want her back
You're gonna want your daddy but your daddy will say
She won't be available to you, even though you may want her
Keep movin' on, you stayed away too long
Keep moving forward, because you took too long to decide
I'm through with you, too bad you're blue
She's done with you, even if it makes you sad
Keep movin' on
Keep progressing and don't look back
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Hank Snow
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
lourival imbuseiro
Excelente contagiante,super talentosa,é isso BRAVÍSSIMA,LA FRANCONERA...
Gladys Betancourt
MARAVILLOSA CONNIE
jakre10
Love Love Love this!!!
CHARLES PUPPI
Nice
Sandy Ballard
Sandy goes music