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
Teach Me How to Twist
Connie Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Teach me teach me how to twist I gotta learn to do the twist
Set it top my list teach me teach me how to twist
Oh say you will say you will say you will
Oh say you will now say you will say you will
Oh say you will say you will say you will
Round and round and round and round shimmy shimmy all around
Do the twist do the twist
I got it now I got it now got it now
I got it now got it now got it now
I'm doin' the twist and I like it like this
How I am doing now partner all right there
OK let me hear like it is now
Teach me teach me how to twist...
I got it now got it now got it now...
The lyrics to Connie Francis's song Teach Me How to Twist are a plea from the singer to her partner to teach her how to do the twist dance. The song is an upbeat and playful nod to the popular dance craze of the early 1960s, and the lyrics encourage the listener to join in and learn the steps too. The repeated refrain of "Teach me teach me how to twist" highlights the playful and flirtatious nature of the song.
The verses describe the twisting motion of the dance, with the listener encouraged to "wiggle up and wiggle down" and "shimmy shimmy all around". The final refrain of "I got it now, I'm doin' the twist and I like it like this" demonstrates the feeling of accomplishment that comes with mastering the dance, as well as the sheer enjoyment of participating in it.
Line by Line Meaning
Teach me teach me how to twist I gotta learn to do the twist
The singer is requesting to be taught how to do the dance move known as the twist, and emphasizes the need to learn it.
Set it top my list teach me teach me how to twist
The singer regards learning how to twist as a high priority and wants to be taught as soon as possible.
Oh say you will say you will say you will
The singer is requesting assurance from the other person that they will agree to teach them how to twist.
Round and round and round and round wiggle up and wiggle down
The artist is describing the twisting dance move with a rhyming pattern and hand motions.
Round and round and round and round shimmy shimmy all around
The artist continues to describe the twisting dance move using different rhyming patterns and movements.
Do the twist do the twist
The singer is encouraging themselves and others to perform the twisting dance move.
I got it now I got it now got it now
The singer is announcing that they have successfully learned how to twist, and repeats it for emphasis.
I'm doin' the twist and I like it like this
The artist is expressing their enjoyment of performing the twist dance move and plans to continue doing it.
How I am doing now partner all right there
The artist is asking their partner if they are doing well with the twist and if their partner is enjoying themselves.
OK let me hear like it is now
The artist is asking their partner for honest feedback on how they are doing with the twist.
Contributed by Natalie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gladys Betancourt
Idola de siempre viva connie🇨🇱
Gladys Betancourt
Hermosa connie francis eres única
Lourdes Rey Murcia
sube mas canciones como estas
Lourdes Rey Murcia
es muy buena
Lourdes Rey Murcia
me gusta mucho
Gil Freitas
THE BEST TWIST,I MISS
Gladys Betancourt
😗😗👍👍
Charlie Honig
Year Please"