Born in tiny North, South Carolina to Mamie Kitt, who was of Cherokee and African-American descent, and an American father (surname Kitt) of German and Dutch descent, she was raised by her maternal aunt Anna Mae Riley, whom she believed was her mother up until after Riley's death, when she was sent to live in New York City with her real mother.
Kitt began her career as a member of the Katherine Dunham Company and made her film debut with them in Casbah (1948). A talented singer with a distinctive voice, her hits include Let's Do It, C'est Si Bon (It's So Good), Just an Old Fashioned Girl, Monotonous, Love for Sale, I'd Rather Be Burned as a Witch, Uska Dara, Mink, Schmink, Under the Bridges of Paris, and arguably her most recognizable hit, the sexily sung Christmas song Santa Baby. She sang quite a few songs in French, a language she picked up during her years performing in Europe, but she never lost her American accent, which made her French songs sound rather amusing to native French speakers. She dabbled in other languages as well, which she demonstrated in many of the live recordings of her cabaret performances.
In 1950, Orson Welles gave her her first starring role, as Helen of Troy in his staging of Dr. Faustus. A few years later, she was cast in the revue New Faces of 1952, introducing "Monotonous", "C'est Si Bon" and "Santa Baby", three songs with which she continues to be identified. During her run, 20th Century Fox filmed a version of the play. Welles and Kitt allegedly had a torrid affair during her run in Shinbone Alley, which earned her the nickname by Welles as "the most exciting woman in the world". In 1958, Kitt made her feature film debut opposite Sidney Poitier in The Mark of the Hawk. Throughout the rest of the 1950s and early 1960s, Kitt would work on and off in film, television and on nightclub stages. In the late 1960s television series Batman, she played Catwoman after Julie Newmar left the role. This was the role for which she would best be remembered, owing to her purring feline drawl.
In 1968, however, Kitt encountered a substantial professional setback after she made anti-war statements during a White House luncheon that reportedly made First Lady Lady Bird Johnson weep uncontrollably. Professionally exiled from the U.S., she devoted her energies to overseas performances before returning to New York in a triumphant turn in the Broadway spectacle Timbuktu! (a version of the perennial Kismet set in Africa) in 1978. In the musical, one song gives a 'recipe' for mahoun, a preparation of cannabis, in which her sultry purring rendition of the refrain "constantly stirring with a long wooden spoon" was distinctive.
In 1984, she returned to hit music with a dance song, Where Is My Man; the first certified Gold record of her career. Kitt found new audiences in nightclubs across the country, including a whole new generation of gay male fans, and she responded by frequently giving benefit performances in support of HIV/AIDS organizations.
In 2000, Kitt again returned to Broadway in the short but notable run of the revival of the 1920s-themed, The Wild Party, opposite Mandy Patinkin and Toni Collette. In 2003, she replaced Chita Rivera in Nine. In recent years she had also appeared as the Wicked Witch in the North American national touring company of The Wizard of Oz.
One of her more unusual roles was as Kaa the python in a 1994 BBC Radio adaptation of The Jungle Book. Kitt lent her distinctive voice to the role of Yzma in Disney's The Emperor's New Groove and also did other voiceover work such as the voice of Queen Vexus on the animated TV series My Life as a Teenage Robot. She continued her role as Yzma on the spin-off TV series of The Emperor's New Groove, The Emperor's New School.
In recent years, Kitt's annual appearances in New York made her a fixture of the Manhattan cabaret scene. She took the stage at venues such as the Ballroom and, more recently, the Café Carlyle to explore and define her highly stylized image, alternating between signature songs (such as "Old Fashioned Millionaire"), which emphasized a witty, mercenary world-weariness, and less familiar repertoire, much of which she performed with an unexpected ferocity and bite that presented her as a survivor with a seemingly bottomless reservoir of resilience - her version of Here's to Life, frequently used as a closing number, was a sterling example of the latter. This side of her later performances is reflected in at least one of her recordings, Thinking Jazz, which preserves a series of performances with a small jazz combo that took place in the early 1990s in Germany, and which includes both standards (Smoke Gets in Your Eyes) and numbers (such as Something May Go Wrong) that seem more specifically tailored to her talents; one version of the CD includes as bonus performances a fierce, angry Yesterdays and a live take of "C'est Si Bon" that good-humoredly satirizes her sex-kitten persona.
Personal life
Kitt was married to John William McDonald, an associate of a real-estate investment company, from 1960 to 1965. They had one child, a daughter, Kitt (b. 1962, married Charles Lawrence Shapiro); and two grandchildren, Jason and Rachel Shapiro.
Eartha Kitt died of colon cancer on Christmas Day, December 25, 2008.
C'est si bon
Eartha Kitt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
De partir n'importe où
Bras dessus, bras dessous
En chantant des chansons
C'est si bon
De se dire des mots doux
De petits riens du tout
En voyant notre mine ravie
Les passants dans la rue nous envient
C'est si bon
De guetter dans ses yeux
Un espoir merveilleux
Qui donne le frisson
C'est si bon
Ces petites sensations
Ça vaut mieux qu'un million
C'est tellement, tellement bon
(C'est bon, c'est bon)
Mmm, c'est bon
Voilà, c'est bon
Les passants dans la rue
Bras dessus, bras dessous
En chantant des chansons
Quel espoir merveilleux
Mmm, c'est bon
Je cherche un millionnaire
Avec des grands "Cadillac car"
"Mink coats"
Des bijoux jusqu'au cou, tu sais?
Mmm, c'est bon
Cette petites sensations
Ou peut-être quelqu'un
Avec un petit yacht, no?
Ah, c'est bon
C'est bon, c'est bon
Vous savez bien que j'attendrais
Quelqu'un qui pourrait m'apporter
Beaucoup de "loot"
Ce soir? Demain? La semaine prochaine?
N'importe quand
Mmm, c'est bon, si bon
Il sera très. Crazy, no?
Voilà, c'est tellement bon!
The lyrics of “C'est Si Bon!” by Eartha Kitt describe the joy of being in a romantic relationship, where just being together and expressing love through little things feels delightful. The singer expresses her happiness at the idea of going anywhere, arm-in-arm with her lover, singing songs and sharing sweet words that may seem insignificant but hold profound meaning for them. The happiness that they feel is evident in their expressions and demeanor, and those who see them envy what they have. The singer talks about watching the eyes of her lover and seeing a wonderful hope that gives her chills, feeling that she would rather have these feelings of love than a million dollars. The song speaks to how the little moments in a relationship can bring immense joy, and how love itself is something that is truly valuable.
The second half of the song sees the singer dreaming about a rich lover who could provide her with Cadillac cars, mink coats, and lots of jewels. She seems to be torn between wanting these materialistic things and the pure joy that comes from being in love. The lyrics suggest that she wants these luxuries, but only as a bonus to being with someone who makes her feel truly happy. The overall theme of the song emphasizes that even though material possessions may seem desirable, a person's happiness comes from the love they share with someone special.
Line by Line Meaning
C'est si bon
It's so good
De partir n'importe où
To go anywhere
Bras dessus, bras dessous
Arm in arm
En chantant des chansons
Singing songs
De se dire des mots doux
To say sweet words
De petits riens du tout
About nothing at all
Mais qui en disent long
But convey so much
En voyant notre mine ravie
Seeing our happy expressions
Les passants dans la rue nous envient
The passersby envy us
De guetter dans ses yeux
To watch in his/her eyes
Un espoir merveilleux
A wonderful hope
Qui donne le frisson
That gives the shiver
Ces petites sensations
These small sensations
Ça vaut mieux qu'un million
It's worth more than a million
Voilà, c'est bon
There, it's good
Je cherche un millionnaire
I'm looking for a millionaire
Avec des grands "Cadillac car"
With big Cadillac cars
"Mink coats"
Mink coats
Des bijoux jusqu'au cou, tu sais?
Jewels up to your neck, you know?
Ou peut-être quelqu'un
Or perhaps someone
Avec un petit yacht, no?
With a small yacht, isn't it?
Vous savez bien que j'attendrais
You know that I would wait
Quelqu'un qui pourrait m'apporter
For someone who could bring me
Beaucoup de "loot"
Lots of loot
Ce soir? Demain? La semaine prochaine?
Tonight? Tomorrow? Next week?
N'importe quand
Anytime
Il sera très. Crazy, no?
He'll be very crazy, won't he?
Voilà, c'est tellement bon!
There, it's so good!
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, BEUSCHER ARPEGE, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Henri Betti, Andre Hornez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@staciabalego2811
It is so good
C'est si bon
Go anywhere
De partir n'importe où
Arm up, arm down
Bras dessus, bras dessous
Singing songs
En chantant des chansons
It is so good
C'est si bon
To say sweet words
De se dire des mots doux
Little things at all
De petits riens du tout
But who says a lot
Mais qui en disent long
Seeing our mine delighted
En voyant notre mine ravie
Passers-by on the street envy us
Les passants dans la rue nous envient
It is so good
C'est si bon
To watch in his eyes
De guetter dans ses yeux
A wonderful hope
Un espoir merveilleux
Who gives the thrill
Qui donne le frisson
It is so good
C'est si bon
These little sensations
Ces petites sensations
It's better than a million
Ça vaut mieux qu'un million
It's so, so good
C'est tellement, tellement bon
Mmm, it's good
Mmm, c'est bon
There it's good
Voilà, c'est bon
Passers-by in the street
Les passants dans la rue
Arm up, arm down
Bras dessus, bras dessous
Singing songs
En chantant des chansons
What a wonderful hope
Quel espoir merveilleux
Mmm, it's good
Mmm, c'est bon
I'm looking for a millionaire
Je cherche un millionnaire
With big "Cadillac cars"
Avec des grands "Cadillac car"
"Mink coats"
"Mink coats"
Jewelry up to your neck, you know?
Des bijoux jusqu'au cou, tu sais?
Mmm, it's good
Mmm, c'est bon
This little sensations
Cette petites sensations
Or maybe someone
Ou peut-être quelqu'un
With a small yacht, no?
Avec un petit yacht, no?
Ah, it's good
Ah, c'est bon
It's good, it's good
C'est bon, c'est bon
You know I would wait
Vous savez bien que j'attendrais
Someone who could bring me
Quelqu'un qui pourrait m'apporter
Lots of "loot"
Beaucoup de "loot"
Tonight?
Ce soir?
Tomorrow?
Demain?
Next week?
La semaine prochaine?
Whenever
N'importe quand
Mmm, it's good, so good
Mmm, c'est bon, si bon
It will be very.
Il sera très.
Crazy, no?
Crazy, no?
Here it is, it's so good!
Voilà, c'est tellement bon!
@husnainrana4562
It's so good.
From anywhere
Arm-in-arm, arm-in-arm
Singing songs
It's so good.
To say sweet words to each other
Little things at all
But who say a lot
Seeing our look delighted
Passers-by in the street envy us
It's so good.
Watching in his eyes
A wonderful hope
That gives the thrill
It's so good.
These little sensations
It's better than a million
It's so, so good
Mmm, it's good
That's it, it's good
Passers-by on the street
Arm-in-arm, arm-in-arm
Singing songs
What a wonderful hope
Mmm, it's good
I'm looking for a millionaire
With great "Cadillac car"
"Mink coats"
Jewelry up to your neck, you know?
Mmm, it's good
This little sensations
Or maybe someone
With a little yacht, no?
Ah, it's good
It's good, it's good
You know I'd wait
Someone who could bring me
Lots of "loot"
Tonight? tomorrow? Next week?
Anytime
Mmm, it's good, so good
It will be very. Crazy, no?
That's it, it's so good!
@fed8815
C'est si bon
De partir n'importe où
Bras dessus, bras dessous
En chantant des chansons
C'est si bon
De se dire des mots doux
De petits riens du tout
Mais qui en disent long
En voyant notre mine ravie
Les passants dans la rue nous envient
C'est si bon
De guetter dans ses yeux
Un espoir merveilleux
Qui donne le frisson
C'est si bon
Ces petites sensations
Ça vaut mieux qu'un million
C'est tellement, tellement bon
Mmm, c'est bon
Voilà, c'est bon
Les passants dans la rue
Bras dessus, bras dessous
En chantant des chansons
Quel espoir merveilleux
Mmm, c'est bon
Je cherche un millionnaire
Avec des grands "Cadillac car"
"Mink coats"
Des bijoux jusqu'au cou, tu sais?
Mmm, c'est bon
Cette petites sensations
Ou peut-être quelqu'un
Avec un petit yacht, no?
Ah, c'est bon
C'est bon, c'est bon
Vous savez bien que j'attendrais
Quelqu'un qui pourrait m'apporter
Beaucoup de "loot"
Ce soir? Demain? La semaine prochaine?
N'importe quand
Mmm, c'est bon, si bon
Il sera très. Crazy, no?
Voilà, c'est tellement bon!
@husnainrana4562
@ArchEnema 67 It's so good.
From anywhere
Arm-in-arm, arm-in-arm
Singing songs
It's so good.
To say sweet words to each other
Little things at all
But who say a lot
Seeing our look delighted
Passers-by in the street envy us
It's so good.
Watching in his eyes
A wonderful hope
That gives the thrill
It's so good.
These little sensations
It's better than a million
It's so, so good
Mmm, it's good
That's it, it's good
Passers-by on the street
Arm-in-arm, arm-in-arm
Singing songs
What a wonderful hope
Mmm, it's good
I'm looking for a millionaire
With great "Cadillac car"
"Mink coats"
Jewelry up to your neck, you know?
Mmm, it's good
This little sensations
Or maybe someone
With a little yacht, no?
Ah, it's good
It's good, it's good
You know I'd wait
Someone who could bring me
Lots of "loot"
Tonight? tomorrow? Next week?
Anytime
Mmm, it's good, so good
It will be very. Crazy, no?
That's it, it's so good!
@r.westerling4280
C’est si bon
De partir n’importe où
Bras dessus bras dessous
En chantant des chansons
C’est si bon
De se dire des mots doux
Des petits riens du tout
Mais qui en disent long
En voyant notre mine ravie
Les passants dans la rue nous envient
0:45
C’est si bon
De guetter dans ses yeux
Un espoir merveilleux
0:54
Qui donne un frisson
C’est si bon
Ces petites sensations
Ça vaut mieux qu’un million
C’est tellement, tellement bon (si bon, si bon)
C’est bon (si bon, si bon)
Voilà, c’est bon (si bon, si bon)
@isis8724
C'est si bon
De partir n'importe où
Bras dessus bras dessous
En chantant des chansons
C'est si bon
De se dire des mots doux
Des petits rien du tout
Mais qui en disent long
En voyant notre mine ravie
Les passants dans la rue nous envient
C'est si bon
De guetter dans ses yeux
Un espoir merveilleux
Qui donne le frisson
C'est si bon
Ces petites sensations
Et si nous nous aimons
C'est parce que c'est si bon
C'est inouï ce qu'elle a pour séduire
Sans parler de c'que je n'peux pas dire
C'est si bon
Quand je la tiens dans mes bras
De me dire que tout ça
C'est à moi pour de bon
C'est si bon
Et si nous nous aimons
Cherchez pas la raison oh non
C'est parce que c'est si bon
@emmanuel9546
C'est si bon,
De partir n'importe où,
Bras dessus bras dessous,
En chantant des chansons,
C'est si bon,
De se dire des mots doux,
De petit rien du tout,
Mais qui en disent long.
En voyant notre mine ravie
Les passants dans la rue, nous envient
C'est si bon,
De guetter dans ses yeux
Un espoir merveilleux
Qui donne le frisson
C'est si bon
Cette petite sensation
ça vaut mieux qu'un million
C'est tellement tellement bon
Hum, c'est bon
Voilà c'est bon
Les passants dans la rue
Bras dessus bras dessous
En chantant des chansons
Quel espoir merveilleux
Hum, c'est bon
Je cherche un millionnaire
Avec des grands "Cadillac car"
"Mink coats"
Des bijoux
Jusqu'au cou, tu sais
Hum, c'est bon
Cette petite sensation
Ou peut-être quelqu'un avec un petit yacht, non ?
Ah C'est bon
C'est bon, C'est bon
Vous savez bien que j'attends quelqu'un
qui pourrait m'apporter beaucoup de lutte(?) (is it an english
word, I don't know, if she said "lutte" (french : fight,
struggle).
Ce soir, demain, la semaine prochain(e)
N'importe quand
Hum, c'est bon
C'est bon
Il sera très crazy, non ?
Voilà, c'est tellement bon !
@mikew6025
English translation
It's so good
It's so good,
Just wandering around,
Arm in arm, arm in arm,
And Singing songs.
It's so good,
To whisper sweet words - ,
Little nothings,
But little nothing that can be
said again and again.
Seeing our love-struck expression
The passers-by in the street envy us.
It's so good,
To see shining in her eyes
A marvelous promise
That shivers up and down my spine.
They're so good
These little thrills
That are worth more than a million
It's so very, very good.
It's Good - Yes, It's good
The passers-by in the street -
Arm in arm, arm in arm -
Singing songs -
What a marvelous promise
Uummm - It's good.
I'm looking for a millionaire
With big Cadillac cars
Mink coats - jewels
As big as your fist - you know?
It's good
This little feeling -
Perhaps someone
with a little yacht, no?
Aahhh it's good -
it's good - so good-
You know I'm waiting for
someone who can give me
plenty of loot.
Tonight? - Tomorrow?- Next Week?
Doesn't matter when.
Uummm - It's so good - so good
It will be very crazy, no?
It's very good!
@301250
C'est si bon,
De partir n'importe ou,
Bras dessus bras dessous,
En chantant des chansons,
C'est si bon,
De se dire des mots doux -
De petit rien du tout -
Mais qui en disent long.
En voyant notre mine ravie
Les passants dans la rue, nous envient
C'est si bon,
De guetter dans ses yeux
Un espoir merveilleux
Qui donne le frisson
C'est si bon
Ces petit's sensations
A vaut mieux qu'un million.
C'est tell'ment, tell'ment bon
Voil C'est bon
Les passants dans la rue
Bras dessus bras dessous
En chantant des chansons
Quel espoir merveilleux
Uummm - C'est bon.
Je cherche un millionnaire
Avec des grands "Cadillac car"
"Mink coats" - Des bijoux
Jusqu'au cou, tu sais?
C'est bon
Cette petit' sensation
Ou peut-tre quelqu'un
Avec un petit yacht, no?
Aahhh C'est bon
C'est bon, C'est bon
Vous savez bien que j'attendrai
Quelqu'un qui pourrait m'apporter
Beaucoup de "loot."
Ce soir?, Demain?, La semaine prochain?
N'importe quand.
Uummm - C'est bon - si bon
Il sera trs - crazy, no?
Voil, c'est tell'ment bon!
@AnomaliyaAmaliya
C'est si bon
Как же прекрасно
C'est si bon
Как же прекрасно
De partir n'importe où
Уехать куда глаза глядят,
Bras dessus bras dessous
Рука в руке
En chantant des chansons
И распевая песни.
C'est si bon
Как же прекрасно
De se dire des mots doux
Говорить друг другу нежные слова,
Des petits rien du tout
Маленькие пустячки,
Mais qui en disent long
Но они так о многом говорят.
En voyant notre mine ravie
Видя наши сияющие лица,
Les passants dans la rue nous envient
Прохожие завидуют...
C'est si bon
Как же прекрасно
De guetter dans ses yeux
Ловить в его взгляде
Un espoir merveilleux
Чудесную надежду,
Qui donne le frisson
От которой мурашки по коже.
C'est si bon
Как же прекрасно
Cette petite sensation
Это чувство —
Et si nous nous aimons
Мы любим друг друга,
C'est parce que c'est si bon
Ведь это так прекрасно.
C'est inouï ce qu'il a pour séduire
Невероятно, как он умеет соблазнять,
Sans parler de ce que je ne peux pas dire
Чтобы выразить то, что не скажешь словами.
C'est si bon
Как же прекрасно
Quand je me tiens dans ses bras
Быть в твоих объятиях,
De me dire que tout ça
Говорить себе, что
C'est à moi pour de bon
Это принадлежит мне по-настоящему.
C'est si bon
Как же прекрасно
Et si nous nous aimons
И если мы любим друг друга -
Cherchez pas la raison
Не ищите причину,
C'est parce que c'est si bon
Ведь это так прекрасно,
C'est parce que c'est si bon
Так прекрасно,
@elarodino5761
Es tan bueno, es tan bueno
Desde cualquier lugar
Brazo encendido, brazo encendido
Canciones de canto
Es tan bueno, oh, es tan bueno
Decir palabras dulces el uno al otro
Nada en absoluto
Pero eso dice mucho
Que es tan bueno... tan bueno... tan bueno
Ver nuestra mina encantada
Los caminos, en la calle, nos envidian
Es tan bueno, oh, es tan bueno
Para mirar en sus ojos
Maravillosa esperanza
Lo que nos da escalofríos
Es tan bueno, oh, es tan bueno
Estas pequeñas sensaciones
Y si nos amamos
Es porque es tan bueno, tan bueno, tan bueno
Es increíble lo que tiene que seducir
Sin mencionar lo que no puedo decir
Es tan bueno, oh, es tan bueno
Cuando la sostenga en mis brazos
Para decirme que todo esto
Es mío para siempre
Es tan bueno, y si nos amamos el uno al otro
No busques razón
Eso es porque es tan bueno, tan bueno
@ssissigui8846
Her french accent is fantastic! As a French speaking person, I can tell you that she rocked !
@wilbertruffner3586
Thank you. Listening to music from that era. I love it.
@DIANAROSS4EVER
I'm a Spanish-speaking person and her accent is fantastic too when she sings in Spanish. She's amazing.
@tanaschmidt3728
I’m sorry but as much as I love Eartha and this song, some of her pronunciations are really off and I had to look up the lyrics to actually understand her
@marim6087
@@tanaschmidt3728 See I don't really see a problem with it. I've always found it weird that one's expected to have the perfect accent while singing in a foreign language. I'm not a native speaker of French, Dutch or Russian or English, so I have a fat accent. I'm not singing wrong or speaking wrong just because I can't speak it with a perfect accent. But I'm also usually very good at making sense of even very thick foreign accents so I guess I'm not too bothered by her 'off' pronunciations.
@Blablablahx3
I would say it's pretty darn good -- leagues better than most Americans -- but I don't know if I would call it fantastic. She makes several errors that are understandable but they remain glaring errors.
(This coming from a native French speaker)
@arthemislefey
Magnífica, simplesmente espetacular! A música é deliciosa de ouvir, e o visual natural da cantora (sem as artificialidades dos dias atuais) tornam tudo mais lindo. A voz dela é um espetáculo!
@thedealer777
I first heard her on "Hi-Fi." Over these six decades, no other interpretation ever came close, including many French Chanteuses. She had a polished "purr" in her singing voice, that wreaked of sexuality. Listening to her sing was like drinking 20-year-old single-malt scotch, while having the back of a beautiful woman's long-red finger nail gently, ...yet, firmly and playfully glide down your spine! Afterwards, you felt you should go to confession.
@talitam.8414
"including many French Chanteuses" SO true (French woman here!) And her accent is very good too, I'm impressed by her "r" awesome pronunciation.
@c.s.jackson7214
Meow!