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 Won't Be Home To You
Connie Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't want to see you anymore I won't be home to you
So henoey now I know the score and you and I are through
You might as well be passing by I won't be home to you
Well you can beg and you can cry I won't be home to you
Without you I'll be even high the moment I lose you
sounds
And I really thought you loved me
Till I caught you messin' around and around and around
Don't even call me on the phone I won't be home to you
Don't want to be here all alone but I won't be home to
you
Well you can weep and you can moan you and I are through
(Let me hear it like it is now yeah yeah)
You kept tellin' me you love me...
Don't even call me on the phone...
Well you can weep and you can moan you and I are through
The song "I Won't Be Home to You" by Connie Francis tells a story of a woman who has finally had enough of her cheating partner. The lyrics reveal that the man has been dishonest and unfaithful, and the woman can no longer tolerate his behavior. The opening lines, "When you come knockin' at my door, I won't be home to you. Don't want to see you anymore, I won't be home to you," reveal her decision to cut ties with the man and leave him behind.
The woman expresses her newfound freedom and the relief she feels in getting rid of this negative relationship. She declares that she will not be home when he comes to see her and will not answer his calls. The lines "Without you, I'll be even high, the moment I lose you" suggest that she feels a sense of liberation, and she knows that in the long run, she will be better off without him.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "you and I are through" multiple times, emphasizing the finality of their breakup. The lyrics also hint at the woman's initial belief in the man's love for her ("And I really thought you loved me till I caught you messin' around and around and around"), underscoring the pain of betrayal.
Overall, "I Won't Be Home to You" is an honest, empowering song about finding the strength to walk away from a toxic relationship and move on with life.
Line by Line Meaning
When you come knockin' at my door I won't be home to you
I will not be there for you when you come to me
Don't want to see you anymore I won't be home to you
I don't wish to meet you because it's over between us
So henoey now I know the score and you and I are through
I am aware of the situation now, and we are done with each other
You might as well be passing by I won't be home to you
I won't pay attention to you even if you are around me
Well you can beg and you can cry I won't be home to you
If you plead or cry, it won't change my decision not to be with you
Without you I'll be even high the moment I lose you
I will feel better and relieved after I separate myself from you
You kept tellin' me you love me you kept makin' pretty sounds
You used to say things to me that made me believe that you loved me
And I really thought you loved me
I was convinced that you had genuine feelings for me
Till I caught you messin' around and around and around
I found out that you were cheating on me repeatedly
Don't even call me on the phone I won't be home to you
I don't want to receive any phone calls, as I won't be there to pick it up or talk to you
Don't want to be here all alone but I won't be home to you
I don't want to be lonely, but I won't come back to you
Well you can weep and you can moan you and I are through
Even if you cry and whine, there's no going back to our past relationship
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EDDIE CURTIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mikewise5674
This woman deserves to be in the 'rock and roll hall of fame'!
@jakre10
My favorite song on the album
@lourivalimbuseiro5469
Great,great,the best singer all time.