Jo Stafford (born Jo Elizabeth Stafford, 12 November 1917, in Coalinga, Cal… Read Full Bio ↴Jo Stafford (born Jo Elizabeth Stafford, 12 November 1917, in Coalinga, California and died July 16, 2008 at Century City, California) was an American jazz and big band singer whose career spanned the late 1930s through the early 1960s. She was known especially as a fond favorite of name bandleaders during World War II and in the years immediately after. Stafford was greatly admired for the purity of her voice and was considered one of the most versatile vocalists of the era. Even now, hers are widely held as the supreme versions of jazz standards "It Could Happen to You" and "Blue Moon." She sang with male partners on occasion, including Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. She was also considered a pioneer of modern musical parody, having won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album in 1961 (with husband Paul Weston) for their album Jonathan and Darlene Edwards in Paris.

La Vie en Rose
Jo Stafford Lyrics

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Hold me close and hold me fast
The magic spell you cast
This is la vie en rose
When you kiss me, heaven sighs
And though I close my eyes
I see la vie en rose
When you press me to your heart
I'm in a world apart

A world where roses bloom
And when you speak
Angels sing from above
Every day words
Seem to turn into love songs
Give your heart and soul to me
And life will always be
La vie en rose

I thought that love was just a word
They sang about in songs I heard
It took your kisses to reveal
That I was wrong, and love is real

Hold me close and hold me fast
The magic spell you cast
This is la vie en rose
When you kiss me, heaven sighs
And though I close my eyes
I see la vie en rose
When you press me to your heart
I'm in a world apart
A world where roses bloom
And when you speak
Angels sing from above
Every day words
Seem to turn into love songs
Give your heart and soul to me

And life will always be
La vie en rose

Overall Meaning

In "La Vie en Rose," Jo Stafford sings about the transformative power of love, which turns life into a world of beauty, represented by the rose. The opening verses describe the enchantment and magic of love and how it casts a spell on the singer, creating a world of beauty that they never knew existed - la vie en rose. As the song progresses, we learn that it was a kiss from their lover that revealed to the singer the true nature of love and dispelled any former cynicism they may have had. The chorus reinforces the idea that life is forever transformed by being in love, with every everyday word turning into love songs. The singer then implores their lover to give their heart and soul, promising that life will always be la vie en rose.

What makes this song stand out is the way it celebrates love's ability to transform a person's worldview, moving them from a place of cynicism and doubt to one of profound joy and happiness. The rose, often seen as a symbol of beauty and love, becomes the centerpiece of this transformation, representing not only the beauty that the singer sees in their lover but also the beauty that the world holds when seen through the eyes of love.

La Vie en RoseJo Stafford Lyrics

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La Vie en Rose
Jo Stafford Lyrics