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.
St. Nicholas Waltz
Lita Roza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While your arms held me tightly,
We danced the Saint Nicholas Waltz.
Pretty music, happy laughter,
But the parting came after
We danced the Saint Nicholas Waltz.
I stood and let you go,
But now that we're apart
It breaks my heart!
Hurry home dear, and together
Every Christmas, for ever
We dance the Saint Nicholas Waltz!
I stood and let you go,
Alone across the snow,
But now that we're apart
It breaks my heart!
Hurry home dear, and together
Every Christmas, for ever
We dance the Saint Nicholas Waltz!
The lyrics of Lita Roza's "St Nicholas Waltz" evoke the memory of a joyful and romantic Christmas dance that came to an end too soon. The song describes the atmosphere of the event, with Christmas candles illuminating the scene and the singer enjoying a close embrace with her dancing partner while pretty music plays in the background. However, the waltz had to end eventually, and the two had to part ways. The singer is left standing alone in the snow, watching her partner walk away, and feeling heartbroken.
The song's repetition of the last stanza emphasises the yearning of the singer for her partner to return so that they can relive the beautiful moment they shared, not just for this Christmas but for all the Christmases to come. It's a sentiment that so many people who have experienced a beautiful moment only to let it slip away will find relatable. Ultimately, the "St Nicholas Waltz" captures the bittersweet experience of experiencing something truly beautiful only to have it taken away.
Line by Line Meaning
Christmas candles gleaming brightly,
The bright and radiant Christmas candles illuminated the venue
While your arms held me tightly,
While I was in your caring embrace
We danced the Saint Nicholas Waltz.
We danced together, in sync, following the choreography of the Saint Nicholas Waltz
Pretty music, happy laughter,
The beautiful music, accompanied by our delightful laughter
But the parting came after
However, we had to separate afterwards
We danced the Saint Nicholas Waltz.
Despite the impending separation, we still managed to enjoy and dance the Saint Nicholas Waltz
I stood and let you go,
I stood and watched as you left me
Alone across the snow,
As you walked away, into the snowy night, leaving me all by myself
But now that we're apart
But now that we're no longer together
It breaks my heart!
It's devastating and heart-wrenching!
Hurry home dear, and together
Come back home soon, my love, so that we can be together again
Every Christmas, for ever
Every Christmas, for the rest of our lives
We dance the Saint Nicholas Waltz!
We will dance the Saint Nicholas Waltz, once again, when we reunite
Lyrics © LANDON CREATIVE, INC.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@david210560
It is sad that we do not hear more of these great old songs from the past.
@amstepheninlondon
Yes, absolutely.
@sheilaodwyer5031
I have a new favourite Xmas song.....can't believe I only heard this today....beautiful
@amstepheninlondon
Yes, absolutely.