He released a handful of independent records before signing with United Artists in 1965. Several singles made the adult contemporary charts between 1966 and 1969, including “There Must Be a Way” (1967; No. 13); “All the Time” (1967; No. 19); “Oh What It Seemed To Be” (1968; No. 35) and the movie theme song “Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell” (1969, No. 38). Surprisingly, Roselli’s signature tune, “Mala Femmena,” only mustered its way to No. 135 on the Billboard "Bubbling Under" chart in 1963. He eventually released more than 30 albums: “Life & Love Italian Style” (1965; No. 96); “The Great Ones!” (1965; No. 145); “There Must Be a Way” (1967; No. 191); and “Core Spezzato” (1969; No. 184) were the most successful. Roselli owns the rights to his back catalogue and has released most of his early albums on compact disc.
Although Roselli was constantly in the shadow of Frank Sinatra (the Sinatra and Roselli families lived on the same street in Hoboken), Roselli carved out a healthy niche for himself, particularly among the Italian-American community. Although he never enjoyed the mainstream success of such Italian-American performers as Frankie Laine, Dean Martin, Vic Damone, Perry Como or Jerry Vale, he could easily fill such venues as Carnegie Hall and the Copacabana. In the ‘90s, he was a dependable sellout at New York's Westbury Music Fair and Trump Plaza in Atlantic City.
“Making the Wiseguys Weep: The Jimmy Roselli Story,” written by David Evanier, was published in 1998.
Medley
Jimmy Roselli Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You must have been a wonderful child
When you were only startin'
To go to kindergarten
I bet you drove the little boys wild!
An' when it came to winning blue ribbons,
You must have shown the other kids how
As they handed you the prize
I bet you made the cutest bow!
Oh! You must have been a beautiful baby,
'cause baby look at you now
Does your dad appreciate
That you are merely great?
Does your mother realize
You're such a treat for the eyes?
You must have been a beautiful baby,
You must have been a wonderful child
When you were only startin'
To go to kindergarten
I bet you drove the little boys wild!
An' when it came to winning blue ribbons,
You must have shown the other kids how
I can see the judge's eyes
As they handed you the prize
I bet you made the cutest bow!
Oh!, You must have been a beautiful baby,
'cause baby look at you now (she's a cutie!)
Baby look at you now
The song "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" by Jimmy Roselli sings about a person who was once a beautiful and wonderful child, driving other kids wild with their cuteness and ability to win blue ribbons. The lyrics mingle envy and admiration for this person, who is believed to have grown to become a great achiever in life. It then asks whether the person's parents appreciate how great they've become, and comments on how much of a treat they are to the eyes.
The song highlights how a person's potential greatness can be discerned from their formative years, and how a person's beauty and ability to win at an early age serve as predictors of future success. The tone of the song is upbeat, joyful, and full of admiration for this person's talent and beauty.
Overall, the lyrics to "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" convey a sense of longing for the lost beauty of childhood and a desire to ensure that the person identified in the song remains appreciated and recognized for their achievements.
Line by Line Meaning
You must have been a beautiful baby,
It appears that you were an incredibly gorgeous infant,
You must have been a wonderful child
It's quite likely that you were an amazing and delightful kid,
When you were only startin'
Even when you were just beginning your childhood,
To go to kindergarten
And preparing to enter school for the first time,
I bet you drove the little boys wild!
You certainly must have captivated the attention of all the boys around you!
An' when it came to winning blue ribbons,
Furthermore, whenever there was a contest for blue ribbon prizes,
You must have shown the other kids how
You were likely to outdo all the other kids on display,
I can see the judge's eyes
I can picture the evaluators' questioning looks,
As they handed you the prize
As they granted you the trophy,
I bet you made the cutest bow!
I'm convinced you must have made the most adorable curtsy!
Oh! You must have been a beautiful baby,
Indeed, it's quite clear that you were once an absolute beauty,
'cause baby look at you now
and now as an adult, you have grown into quite the beauty as well!
Does your dad appreciate
I wonder if your father realizes
That you are merely great?
That you are not only gorgeous, but also great in many other ways?
Does your mother realize
I wonder if your mother is aware
You're such a treat for the eyes?
That you're such a feast for the eyes?
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Thomas William Dunn, John H. Mercer, Harry Warren
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nyccatholic2765
So Emotional!
So Heartful!!!!
So Beautiful!!!
SO ITALIAN AMERICAN!!!!
Thank You❤🇺🇸🇮🇹⚘
@italianamericangoldenera8307
Thanks for listening
@nyccatholic2765
@@italianamericangoldenera8307
GRAZIE MILLE!!
@italianamericangoldenera8307
Thank you too!
@JackiePhillipsTheSocialPet
Great job! Another great collection! My grandparents were from Abruzzi and came over in 1910 and 1913. They raised their 7 kids in Erie, PA. My dad was born in 1918. He came out to San Francisco during WW2 and never went back. He raised two families with 8 kids. I was one of the lucky ones and was born in SF in 1964!!
@italianamericangoldenera8307
Thanks for sharing and again Grazie grazie grazie for listening
@nyccatholic2765
❤Beautiful! My GrandParents were from ABRUZZO TOO!!!
Salute a La Famiglia Italiani Americana🇮🇹🇺🇸⚘♥️🗽🕯
@williamdane4194
How beautiful to awake to these Italian recordings 😊Grazie 🙏
@italianamericangoldenera8307
Buongiorno Guglielmo Thank you too!
@Michaelbos
❤️👏👏👏👏