Before teaming up with Keely Smith, Prima was already a popular trumpet player, singer and consumate SHOWMAN for over a decade who'd already been married three times. He had scored success by writing the swing anthem "Sing, Sing, Sing" a huge hit for for Benny Goodman, and scored with some novelty tunes for himself like "Robin Hood", "Bell Bottom Trousers" in 1945 and 1948's "Civilization (Bongo Bongo Bongo)". Prima had emerged from the New Orleans jazz scene, before starting a big band, and his charm & looks had him selling out major venues nationwide including drawing record crowds to New York's Paramount Theater. His records often played upon his Sicilian heritage, and novelty tracks included "Please No Squeeza Da Banana," and "Josephine, Please No Lean On The Bell."
He was considered a bit philanderous, and dated numerous women even when married. The boisterous & colorful Italian-American performer had already operated a nightclub under the name the "Famous Door" in Los Angeles where he also began dating starlets & using show biz contacts to appear in some films alongside fellow performers like Bing Crosby.
Dorothy Jacqueline Keely aka Keely Smith was discovered by Prima in Norfolk VA on tour in the late 1940's. She came up to the bandstand and won an impromptu talent contest with her voice. Prima took an instant liking to her dry wit and got the young girl's mother to sign a permission slip and she hit the road with the band. At the time Prima was signed to Columbia, and they began recording material under the direction of Mitch Miller.
Prima's career had many ups & downs, and his financial status was always precarious. By the early 1950's, with his popularity waning he could no longer afford to pay a big band, and he could find no steady work anymore on the east coast. After a desperate plea to an old talent agent friend, he was signed to play five graveyard sets in a small lounge in a new Las Vegas casino called the Sahara in 1954. Legend has it that Prima was so broke when he arrived in the desert outpost that his shoes had holes in them.
Explaining his situation to his brother in New Orleans, it was arranged that a small combo of young musicians led by Sam Butera would be shipped out to Las Vegas pronto to back Louis & Keely.
Barely having met before their opening night, the group instantly became a hit in Las Vegas, and they performed nightly from midnight until 6 am. Prima would blow his horn ala Louis Armstrong, joking, jigging and jostling against Butera on the tiny stage. Keely would ignore the boys hyperactive hub bub, filing her nails, and looking bored & blase' between her vocal lines. The audiences ate up the mix of comedy & hot swing sounds.
The tiny Casbar lounge began filling up early and joining stray gamblers some nights were other show people and celebrities like Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack entourage. Suddenly, like a phoenix, Prima was back on top and was offered a recording contract from Sinatra's label Capitol.
They had numeous hits, and the casino show excitement was captured live for the 1956 album the album The Wildest! They later won a Grammy in 1959 for their collaboration on "That Old Black Magic".
The liner notes described their combination of talents:
"By all odds, the combination of Louis Prima and Keely Smith shouldn't work. How could Louis, a confirmed inciter to riot, and Keely, normally a model of smoky-voiced sobriety, do anything but clash? But clash they don't. Explode they do!"
-from The Hits Of Louis And Keely, Capitol Records
Despite having two children, Prima and Smith divorced in the early 1960's after it became apparent the couple were no longer aligned, most conspicuously the curious culprit Louis "Just a Gigolo" Prima being unable to curb his wandering eye. He eventually remarried for a 5th and final time to Gia Maione and continued the act in a similar vein while Keely Smith went on to a solo career that continues to this day as a popular balladeer.
Buona Sera
Louis Prima & Keely Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It is time to say goodnight to Napoli
Though it's hard for us to whisper, buona sera
With that old moon above the Meditteranean sea
In the mornin' signorina we'll go walkin'
When the mountains help the sun come into sight
And by the little jewelry shop we'll stop and linger
While I buy a wedding ring for your finger
In the meantime let me tell you that I love you
Buona sera, signorina kiss me goodnight
Buona sera, signorina kiss me goodnight
Buona sera, signorina, buona sera
It is time to say goodnight to Napoli
Though it's hard for us to whisper, buona sera
With that old moon above the Meditteranean sea
In the mornin' signorina we'll go walkin'
When the mountains help the sun come into sight
And by the little jewelry shop we'll stop and linger
While I buy a wedding ring for your finger
In the meantime let me tell you that I love you
Buona sera, signorina kiss me goodnight
By the little jewelry shop we'll stop and linger
While I buy a wedding ring for your finger
In the meantime let me tell you that I love you
Buona sera, signorina kiss me goodnight
Buona sera, signorina kiss me goodnight
Sera, signorina kiss me goodnight
Louis Prima's Buona Sera is a slow and romantic tune that speaks of bidding goodbye to Naples for the night. The song starts with Buona sera, signorina, buona sera, which is the Italian way of saying good evening to a lady. This is followed by the acknowledgement that it is time to say goodnight to Naples, but this is difficult to do with the old moon above the Mediterranean Sea. The song then takes a romantic turn with the line, "In the meantime let me tell you that I love you," which is followed by the sweet request to receive a kiss goodnight.
The song then goes back to talking about the next day when the mountains help the sun come into sight and the couple can take a walk. They plan on stopping by a little jewelry shop where Prima promises to purchase a wedding ring for the lady. The song ends with the repetition of the request for a kiss goodnight.
Overall, Buona Sera is a heartwarming love song that tells the story of a man deeply in love with a woman and Savoring the moments he spends with her in the beautiful city of Naples.
Line by Line Meaning
Buona sera, signorina, buona sera
Good evening, miss, good evening.
It is time to say goodnight to Napoli
It's time to say goodnight to Naples.
Though it's hard for us to whisper, buona sera
Although it's difficult for us to whisper, good evening.
With that old moon above the Meditteranean sea
With the old moon above the Mediterranean Sea.
In the mornin' signorina we'll go walkin'
In the morning, miss, we'll go walking.
When the mountains help the sun come into sight
When the mountains assist the sun to rise.
And by the little jewelry shop we'll stop and linger
And we'll stop and linger at the small jewelry shop.
While I buy a wedding ring for your finger
While I purchase a wedding ring for your finger.
In the meantime let me tell you that I love you
In the meantime, let me tell you that I love you.
Buona sera, signorina kiss me goodnight
Goodnight, miss, kiss me goodnight.
Sera, signorina kiss me goodnight
Goodnight, miss, kiss me goodnight.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Peter De Rose, Carl Sigman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind