At the age of twelve she saw an advertisment in the local newspapers for juvenile dancers and passed the audition.
By sixteen [at the hight of the Nazi Blitz-bombing raids on Liverpool she answered another advert, when she managed to secure a job as a singer in the "New Yorker" - a Southport, Merseyside club. She got that job at £5 a week, then shortly afterwards signed up with the Harry Roy Orchestra in London. She moved on from this to work with other bands of the era including that of Edmundo Ros.
By the time she was eighteen war-ravaged London was still a dangerous place to work and she had decided to retire from show business - choosing marriage to an American and a life in Miami in exchange. London was full of American servicemen at the time, one of whom Roza married and off they went to safety in America.
However, this did not last and shortly after WW2 she returned to the UK In 1950 she became lead female singer with the Ted Heath Band, and by 1954 had achieved enough public acclaim to leave the band and pursue a solo recording career on her own.
1956 she married the trumpet player, Ronnie Harris.
She remained a top UK recording artist during the remainder of the 1950s, but her subsequent recordings never recaptured the magic she had shown while with Ted Heath.[citation needed]
She was voted the 'Top British Female Singer' in the New Musical Express' pool winners charts consecutively from 1951 to 1955. Melody Maker readers also voted her their 'Top Girl Singer' in the Dance Band section of their pools in 1951 and 1952.
Her 1953 number one hit record "How Much is that Doggie in the Window?" afforded Roza the privilege of being the first British female singer to top the UK Singles Chart.
On Wednesday March 14, 2001 a Wall of Fame was inaugurated opposite the famous Cavern Club on Mathew Street, in downtown Liverpool, with Roza presiding at the ceremony.
At November 28, 2002, in Liverpool, she gave her last public performance on Radio Merseyside.
Lita Roza died peacefully at home on 14 August 2008, aged 82.
In the Window
Lita Roza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The one with the waggely tail
How much is that doggy in the window Woof woof
I do hope that doggy′s for sale
I must take a trip to California
And leave my poor sweetheart alone
If he has a dog he won't be
How much is that doggy in the window Woof woof
The one with the waggely tail
How much is that doggy in the window Woof woof
I do hope that doggy′s for sale
I read in the papers there are robbers woof woof
With flashlights that shine in the dark My love needs
A doggy to protect him And scare them away with one bark
I don't want a bunny or a kitty
I don't want a parrot that talks
I don′t want a bowl of little fishes
You can′t take a goldfish for walks
How much is that doggy in the window Woof woof
The one with the waggely tail
How much is that doggy in the window Woof woof
I do hope that doggy's for sale
Lita Roza's 1952 hit, "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window," is a sweet song about a lonely person searching for a companion, but the lyrics can be interpreted in a darker, more complex way. The singer's desire for a dog is rooted in a fear of being alone and vulnerable. The line "If he has a dog he won't be/Lonesome" suggests that the singer's love interest is insufficient company, while "I read in the papers there are robbers" implies an underlying paranoia. In this way, the song becomes less about the love of a pet and more about the search for security in an uncertain world.
The lyrics also touch upon the cultural ideal of pet ownership as a status symbol. The singer wants this particular dog, with the "waggely tail," and inquires about its price, as if owning a dog bred to look a certain way is a marker of wealth and taste. This theme is amplified when the singer declares "I don't want a bunny or a kitty/I don't want a parrot that talks/I don't want a bowl of little fishes/You can't take a goldfish for walks," reinforcing the value placed on large, expensive, and trainable animals as opposed to smaller, less impressive pets.
Overall, "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window" is a charming song with a deeper subtext, exploring themes of loneliness, insecurity, and social stratification.
Line by Line Meaning
How much is that doggy in the window Woof woof
Asking the cost of the dog in the store window
The one with the waggely tail
Referring to the dog's enthusiastic tail movement
I do hope that doggy's for sale
Expressing a desire to purchase the dog if it is available for sale
I must take a trip to California
Stating the need to travel to California
And leave my poor sweetheart alone
Acknowledging the separation from a loved one due to travel
If he has a dog he won't be Lonesome
Suggesting that owning a dog can provide companionship
And the doggy will have a good home
Assuring that the dog will be well taken care of
I read in the papers there are robbers woof woof
Referring to news stories about robberies
With flashlights that shine in the dark
Describing the tools used by robbers in the news stories
My love needs A doggy to protect him
Suggesting that a dog can provide protection to a loved one
And scare them away with one bark
Emphasizing the dog's protective capabilities
I don't want a bunny or a kitty
Stating a preference for a dog over other pets
I don't want a parrot that talks
Further emphasizing the desire for a dog over other pets
I don't want a bowl of little fishes
Rejecting the idea of owning fish as a pet
You can't take a goldfish for walks
Highlighting the limitations of owning certain types of pets
Writer(s): Bob Merrill
Contributed by Mila K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@robertcunningham3363
I had a jack Russell and I sang that song to him. He always barked at me and wagged his tail. I know he is in heaven having fun with the angels.
@larryjohn6627
This is Great Tribute to all dogs .I loved this song
@OnlyFiftiesAgainmjp
Larry John Thanks very much,glad you enjoyed hearing this fun song by Lita Roza,one of my favourite singers from the 50's !
@shannonvanderhoof4810
One of my MoMA's favorite sing alongs 🎶 🐕
@Handle0i
Immaculate ,. One. TAKE ,what you hear
@puppetlady1
This song is very memorable for me. As a child, I remember my mother recording an excellent cover of it onto a 45 rpm record.
@OnlyFiftiesAgainmjp
puppetladyNJ That's an interesting fact,I'm happy to have brought back those nice memories for you,I don't suppose you still have that recording ?
@puppetlady1
Unfortunately, no. ) o :
but I may have to go into the studio on this one. lol
@OnlyFiftiesAgainmjp
puppetladyNJ Lol !
@puppetlady1
***** I finished it.