Born in 1926, she was the eldest of seven children, and began work at an ea… Read Full Bio ↴Born in 1926, she was the eldest of seven children, and began work at an early age to support the family. She owed her sultry looks to her Spanish father, an amateur accordionist who also played piano in several Liverpool nightclubs.

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.

Wild Is The Wind
Lita Roza Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Love me, love me, say you do
Let me fly away with you
For my love is like the wind
And wild is the wind

Give me more than one caress
Satisfy this hungriness
Let the wind blow through your heart

For wild is the wind

You touch me, I hear the sound of mandolins
You kiss me, and with your kiss the world begins
You're Spring to me, all things to me
You're life itself

Like a leaf clings to a tree
Oh, my darling, cling to me
For we're creatures of the wind

And wild is the wind, the wind
Wild is my love for you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Lita Roza's "Wild is the Wind" signify the passion and intensity of a love that is uncontrollable and wild. The song includes a plea for love to be granted to the singer, in order to escape with the object of her desires. The first stanza emphasizes the wild nature of the love, with the singer comparing herself to the wind. The second stanza has an air of desire, with the singer asking for more than just one caress, and wanting to satisfy her hunger. The third stanza brings the idea of spring and new beginnings, with the singer stating that the person she loves is all things to her, and even life itself.

The metaphor of wind is ever-present in the lyrics, representing the uncontrollable force of love. The wind is unpredictable, as are the emotions associated with love. The mandolin sound in “You touch me, I hear the sound of mandolins” highlights the folky and melodious aspect of the song. Lita Roza's delivery in the song is striking and emotional. She sings the lyrics with the passion and yearning that is conveyed in the words. This heart-wrenching ballad has been covered by numerous artists including David Bowie, Nina Simone, and Barbra Streisand, but the original by Roza remains the most well-known version.

Line by Line Meaning

Love me, love me, say you do
Express your love for me, and let me know you love me

Let me fly away with you
Allow me to escape with you and be free

For my love is like the wind
My love is ever-changing and uncontrollable like the wind

And wild is the wind
The wind is untamed and unpredictable, just like my love

Give me more than one caress
Show me more than just a simple touch or affectionate act

Satisfy this hungriness
Fulfill my longing desire to be loved and wanted

Let the wind blow through your heart
Allow yourself to be moved and swept away by love like the wind

For wild is the wind
Embrace the unpredictability and passion of love, just like the wind

You touch me, I hear the sound of mandolins
Your touch ignites a beautiful and melodic response within me

You kiss me, and with your kiss the world begins
Your kiss has the power to create a beautiful and perfect world for us

You're Spring to me, all things to me
You symbolize rebirth, renewal, and provide everything I need

You're life itself
You are the reason for my existence and the purpose of my being

Like a leaf clings to a tree
Just as a leaf needs a tree to survive, I need you in my life

Oh, my darling, cling to me
Stay close to me and never leave my side, my love

For we're creatures of the wind
We're free-spirited beings who move with the unpredictable nature of love

And wild is the wind, the wind
Our love is untamed and passionate, just like the wind

Wild is my love for you
My love for you is unbridled and passionate, just like the wind

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ned Washington, Dimitri Tiomkin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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