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
Jalousie
Connie Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I sometimes wonder, if this spell that I'm under
Can only be a melody, for I know no one but me
Has won your heart, but when the music starts
My peace departs from the moment
they play that lovely strain
And we surrender to all it's charm again
We dance to a tango of love
Your heart beats with mine as we sway
You eyes give the answer I'm dreaming of
That soft word your cruel lips will never say
I fear that the music will end
And shatter the spell it may lend
To make me believe, when your eyes just deceive
But it's only the tango you love.
I feel that the music will end
And shatter the spell it may lend
To make me believe, when your eyes just deceive
And, it's only the tango you love.
It's only the tango that you love.
The song Jalousie by Connie Francis is a poignant depiction of the emotions that jealousy can stir up in a person. The lead singer sings about how jealousy is consuming her day and night, and makes her wonder if this condition is merely a product of music or a melody that she cannot escape. She admits that she knows she has won the affections of her partner, and yet when the music starts, her peace departs, and they surrender to its charms once again.
Line by Line Meaning
Jealousy, night and day you torture me
I am constantly tormented by my jealousy for you, day and night.
I sometimes wonder, if this spell that I'm under Can only be a melody, for I know no one but meHas won your heart, but when the music starts
I wonder if my obsession with you is just a symptom of my love for music, even though you have chosen me above others. But when we dance to music together, my doubts vanish.
My peace departs from the momentthey play that lovely strainAnd we surrender to all it's charm againThis jealousy that tortures me, is ecstasy, mystery, pain
As soon as the music starts playing, I forget all my inner turmoil and give in to its alluring power. My jealousy for you is both exhilarating and agonizing.
We dance to a tango of loveYour heart beats with mine as we swayYou eyes give the answer I'm dreaming ofThat soft word your cruel lips will never say
We dance together as if in a passionate tango, our hearts in sync. Your eyes speak to me with the love I long for, but your lips refuse to say the words I crave.
I fear that the music will endAnd shatter the spell it may lendTo make me believe, when your eyes just deceiveBut it's only the tango you love.
I fear that the end of this dance will break the magical illusion that makes me think you love me. But deep down, I know that it's only the dance itself that you love, not me.
I feel that the music will endAnd shatter the spell it may lendTo make me believe, when your eyes just deceiveAnd, it's only the tango you love.
I feel that the end of the music is getting closer, which will destroy the fantasy that I have built in my mind about us. I know that this is simply a tango, and that romantic feelings are not mutual.
It's only the tango that you love.
Ultimately, I realize that you only love the tango itself, and not me. My jealousy and fears were for naught.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JACOB GADE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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