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
It Doesn't Matter Anymore
Connie Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well you left me here so I could sit and cry
Golly gee what have you done to me
Well I guess it doesn't really matter anymore
Do you remember baby last September
How you held me tight each and every night
Oh baby how you drove me crazy
There's no use in me a-cryin'
I've done everything and now I'm sick of trying
I've thrown away my nights, wasted all my days over you
Now you go your way baby and I'll go mine
Now and forever 'till the end of time
And I'll find somebody new and baby
We'll say we're through and you won't matter anymore
There's no use in me a-cryin'
I've done everything and now I'm sick of trying
I've thrown away my nights, wasted all my days over you
Now you go your way baby and I'll go mine
Now and forever 'till the end of time
And I'll find somebody new and baby
We'll say we're through and you won't matter anymore
And you won't matter anymore
You won't matter anymore
The lyrics of "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" by Connie Francis depict the aftermath of a failed relationship. The singer addresses her former lover who left her alone to cry. She reminisces about the time they spent together and how he used to drive her crazy. However, now that he's gone, she realizes that it doesn't really matter anymore. She has done everything in her power to try and save the relationship, but now she's tired of crying and wasting her days and nights over someone who's no longer present. She's moving on and finding someone new, and the former lover won't matter anymore.
The song emphasizes the importance of self-worth and moving on from a broken relationship. The use of phrases like "I've thrown away my nights, wasted all my days over you" and "I'll find somebody new" shows optimism and strength in the face of heartbreak. The repetition of "you won't matter anymore" at the end of the song emphasizes the singer's newfound perspective and the closure she receives from leaving the past behind.
Line by Line Meaning
There you go and baby here am I
Here I am, waiting for you after you left me.
Well you left me here so I could sit and cry
You left me behind to suffer and cry without you.
Golly gee what have you done to me
What have you done to me? I'm hurt and broken.
Well I guess it doesn't really matter anymore
It doesn't matter anymore. I'm moving on from you.
Do you remember baby last September
Do you remember last September when we were together?
How you held me tight each and every night
How you used to hold me tight every night.
Oh baby how you drove me crazy
How you used to make me feel crazy with love.
But I guess it doesn't matter anymore
It doesn't matter anymore because we're not together.
There's no use in me a-cryin'
It's pointless to cry over you anymore.
I've done everything and now I'm sick of trying
I've tried everything to be with you, but now I'm done.
I've thrown away my nights, wasted all my days over you
I've wasted so much time and energy on you, and I regret it.
Now you go your way baby and I'll go mine
We're going our separate ways now.
Now and forever 'till the end of time
We're done with each other forever.
And I'll find somebody new and baby
I'll move on and find someone else to love.
We'll say we're through and you won't matter anymore
We'll officially end things and you won't be important to me anymore.
And you won't matter anymore
You won't matter to me anymore.
Writer(s): Paul Anka
Contributed by Liam C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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