Dick Haymes (September 13, 19… Read Full Bio ↴Powerful, milky smooth, rich baritone.
Dick Haymes (September 13, 1918 – March 28, 1980) was one of the most popular American male vocalists of the 1940s and early 1950s.
He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His Irish-born mother, Marguerite Haymes (1894-1987), was a well-known vocal coach and instructor. He became the vocalist in a number of big bands, worked in Hollywood on radio and in many films throughout the forties and fifties.
He never became a United States citizen and avoided military service during World War II by asserting his non-belligerent status as a citizen of Argentina, which was neutral. Years later (1955), this act of his nearly caused his deportation to Argentina on an unrelated technicality in immigration law. During World War II, he was briefly detained at Ellis Island.
Haymes was married six times and had six children. His most famous marriages were to film actresses Joanne Dru (1941-1949) and Rita Hayworth (1953-1955). His daughter Stephanie Haymes was married to Sir Elton John's lyricist Bernie Taupin
He died in Los Angeles from lung cancer, at the age of 61.
Mam'selle
Dick Haymes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was midnight Come to think of it
It was spring
There was music I was listening
Then in the room somewhere someone began to sing
This serenade made for remembering
A small cafe, Mam'selle
The violins were warm and sweet
And so were you, Mam'selle
And as the night danced by
A kiss became a sigh
Your lovely eyes seemed to sparkle
Just like wine does
No heart ever yearned the way mine does for you
And yet I know too well
Some day you'll say goodbye
Then violins will cry
And so will I, Mam'selle
A small cafe, Mam'selle
Our rendezvous, Mam'selle
The violins were warm and sweet
And so were you, Mam'selle
And as the night danced by
A kiss became a sigh
Your lovely eyes seemed to sparkle
Just like wine does
No heart ever yearned the way mine does for you
And yet I know too well
Some day you'll say goodbye
Then violins will cry
And so will I, Mam'selle
The song "Mam'selle" by Dick Haymes is a nostalgic love song that takes place in Montmartre, Paris. The singer reminisces about a beautiful spring night when he met a woman named Mam'selle in a small cafe. The violins played warm and sweet music, and the singer compares Mam'selle's beauty to wine. As the night went on, the singer fell even more in love with her and they shared a kiss that became a sigh. The singer's heart yearns for her and he knows that one day she will say goodbye, leaving the violins to cry and the singer to mourn.
The lyrics of "Mam'selle" paint a vivid picture of a romantic evening in a Parisian cafe. The song is written in a nostalgic tone, and it evokes a sense of longing for a past love. The singer's use of imagery, such as comparing Mam'selle's eyes to wine, adds depth and emotion to the song. The line "No heart ever yearned the way mine does for you" captures the intensity of the singer's love for Mam'selle, while the final lines of the song ("Then violins will cry / And so will I, Mam'selle") convey the inevitable heartbreak that comes with loving someone who will eventually leave.
Line by Line Meaning
It was Montmartre
The setting was the Parisian neighborhood of Montmartre
It was midnight Come to think of it
It was midnight and as he reflects on the memory, he realizes the significance
It was spring
The time of year was spring
There was music I was listening
He was listening to music
Then in the room somewhere someone began to sing
A person in the room began to sing
This serenade made for remembering
The song was memorable and made an impression on him
A small cafe, Mam'selle
The memory takes place in a small cafe and he addresses the person he is remembering as 'Mam'selle'
Our rendezvous, Mam'selle
The cafe was a meeting spot for the two of them
The violins were warm and sweet
The music being played by the violins was warm and sweet
And so were you, Mam'selle
The person he is remembering was also warm and sweet
And as the night danced by
As the night went on
A kiss became a sigh
The moment became emotional and intense
Your lovely eyes seemed to sparkle
The person's lovely eyes caught his attention and appeared to sparkle
Just like wine does
The sparkling reminded him of the effervescence in wine
No heart ever yearned the way mine does for you
He has an unparalleled longing for this person
And yet I know too well
He is aware of the reality of the situation
Some day you'll say goodbye
The person will inevitably say goodbye
Then violins will cry
He imagines the violins will evoke sadness when the goodbye occurs
And so will I, Mam'selle
He will also be emotional and cry when they part ways
A small cafe, Mam'selle
He repeats the memory of the cafe and person he is remembering
Our rendezvous, Mam'selle
Again reiterating the personal meeting spot they shared
The violins were warm and sweet
Once more, he recalls the soothing sound of the violins
And so were you, Mam'selle
Lastly, he fondly recalls the warm demeanor of the person he is remembering
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edmund Goulding, Mack Gordon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
guitarreman
Fell in love with this song and that movie.....so now I just need to learn that style of dance in the cafe scene.
CvB 69
Learn it... and keep this culture alive! :-)
nicholas moore
Great song. Love this music.
Sable Jak
I've listened to this by so many different singers, Johnny Hartman being the best of the others... but none will surpass Dick Haymes.
Rube Waddell
Australia's 52nd number one hit along with a version by Frank Sinatra
Big Bad White Cracker
Nice but Art Lund owns it
Joe Tursi
He was married to some of the world's most beautiful women: Rita Hayworth, Fran Jeffries and Joann Dru among them. Why? He wasn't particularly handsome, certainly not wealthy. It was his voice. Women can't resist men with romantic voices.
Jonas Mendez
He married over three times?