Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio (30 March 1913 – 6 February 2… Read Full Bio ↴Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio (30 March 1913 – 6 February 2007), was an American singer and one of the more successful hit-makers of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Laine has had worldwide sales of over 250 million disks, and has earned 21 gold records. Originally a rhythm and blues influenced jazz singer, his energetic, passionate style has led some to consider him the first of the blue-eyed soul singers. Eventually he expanded to such varied genres as popular standards, gospel, folk, country, rock 'n' roll, and a hard-driving (and slightly campy) form of western/Americana.
... Throughout the 1950s, Laine enjoyed a second career singing the title songs of Hollywood films and television shows, including: Gunfight At OK Corral, 3:10 To Yuma, Bullwhip, and Rawhide. His rendition of the title song for Mel Brooks' 1974 movie Blazing Saddles won an Oscar nomination for Best Song, and his recording of "Rawhide" for the television series of the same name has become a classic of the genre.

Mam'selle
Frankie Laine Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It was Montmartre
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

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

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

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Frankie Laine's Mam'selle describe a romantic memory that the singer had of a small cafe in Montmartre where he had a rendezvous with a woman named Mam'selle. The setting is described as being in the middle of the night during springtime and there was music playing in the background. The singer reminisces about how the violins playing were warm and sweet, just like Mam'selle, and how as the night went on a kiss turned into a sigh. He describes Mam'selle's lovely eyes and how they sparkled like wine. The singer confesses that no heart has ever yearned for anyone the way his does for Mam'selle, but he is aware that someday she will say goodbye and both he and the violins will cry.

The lyrics to Mam'selle are full of romantic imagery that transports the listener to a small corner of Montmartre. The song creates a dream-like atmosphere with the violins providing a soft melody that complements only the intimate setting of a small cafe. The song speaks to the passing of time and how moments become etched in one's memory. The singer is bittersweet when he wonders out loud about the eventual end of his infatuation with Mam'selle.

Line by Line Meaning

It was Montmartre
The location was Montmartre

It was midnight Come to think of it
The time was midnight, and the singer recalls the memory

It was spring
The season was spring

There was music I was listening
The singer was listening to music at the time

Then in the room somewhere someone began to sing
A person in the room began to sing a serenade

This serenade made for remembering
The serenade was memorable

A small cafe, Mam'selle
The setting was a small cafe

Our rendezvous, Mam'selle
The singer and Mam'selle had a rendezvous at the cafe

The violins were warm and sweet
The violins playing were warm and sweet

And so were you, Mam'selle
Mam'selle was also warm and sweet

And as the night danced by
The night passed quickly

A kiss became a sigh
The kiss was so emotional that it resulted in a sigh

Your lovely eyes seemed to sparkle
Mam'selle's eyes shone beautifully

Just like wine does
Her eyes shone like wine

No heart ever yearned the way mine does for you
The singer's heart yearned for Mam'selle like no other

And yet I know too well
The singer knows that this love will not last

Some day you'll say goodbye
Mam'selle will say goodbye someday

Then violins will cry
The violins will symbolize the sadness when Mam'selle leaves

And so will I, Mam'selle
The singer will also cry when Mam'selle leaves

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edmund Goulding, Mack Gordon

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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