After the very famous song Mon amant de Saint-Jean (my lover from Saint-Jean), in 1942, Lucienne Delyle became the most popular French female singer of 1950s.
Born in Paris, she was a fully educated pharmacist. First she sung as an amateur singer, until 1939, when she was heard and immediately engaged by Jacques Canetti, the artistic director of Radio Cité. In 1940 she married the jazzman Aimé Barelli (1917-1995), who guided her career ever since. With him she had a daughter, Minouche Barelli (1947-2004). After the immense success of the song "Mon amant de Saint-Jean" (My Lover From Saint-Jean), in 1942, Lucienne Delyle became the most popular French female singer in France. She was most popular during the 1950s. In 1953, Bruno Coquatrix invited her and young Gilbert Bécaud to be the stars for the gala opening concert at the „Olympia". Delyle's career declined rapidly in the end of the 1950s, due to the progress of the leukemia she suffered from. In 1960 she gave the last series of concerts on the stage of „Bobino". She died in Monte Carlo, in 1962.
Luna Rossa
Lucienne Delyle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dans la ville endormie, le vent frissonne
a tous mes souvenirs, je m'abandonnes.
Pour me parler de toi dans la nuit brune
je n'ai plus qu'une amie et c'est la lune.
1er refrain
O Luna Rossa reine des nuits,
du haut des cieux toi qui me sourit
veux-tu porter cette mélodie
à celle que j'adore
puisque toi seule en a le pouvoir
Luna Rossa je voudrais savoir
si mon amour m'est resté ce soir
toujours aussi fidèle.
Luna Rossa
m'est-elle encore sincère?
Luna Rossa, ne ment pas
tant pis pour moi si je dois en pleurer.
On m'a déjà menti tant de fois,
on m'a déjà volé tant de joies
O Luna Rossa
je ne veux pas
qu'à ton tour tu me trompes.
2ème couplet
Tous les diamants du ciel clignotent et dansent
pour pleurer avec moi sur ton absence
mais demain finira notre infortune,
si tu sais comme moi prier la lune.
2ème refrain
O Luna Rossa reine des nuits
tu as connu toutes nos folies
et tu savais quand sonnait minuit
te couvrir d'un nuage.
O Luna Rossa, les soirs d'été
tu nous guidais parmi les sentiers
où nos deux ombres semblaient flâner
ne formant qu'une image.
Luna Rossa,
tu sais combien je l'aime
Luna Rossa promets moi
que loin de moi
tu la protégeras;
et quand alors elle reviendra
Luna Rossa
nous prierons tout bas
car tous les deux nous croyons en toi
autant qu'en la Madone.
Luna Rossa,
Luna Rossa.
In Lucienne Delyle's song Luna Rossa, the singer is speaking to the moon, asking for help in confirming whether or not their love is still sincere. The lyrics speak of a city sleeping as the singer opens up to their memories of their past love. They ask the moon to carry a melody to their love, a request only the moon can fulfill. The singer worries that they will be deceived again, that they will lose more joy than they already have, and begs the moon to not deceive them as well. The singer believes the moon has the power to make things right, and seeks its guidance as they hope for a brighter future.
The lyrics of Luna Rossa are characterized by poetic language that speaks to themes of doubt, memory, and faith. The singer feels alone and helpless as they look to the moon for answers. The moon is seen as a powerful force that can change things for the better; it is the only thing the singer feels they can turn to in their time of need. The word "Luna Rossa" means "red moon," a term that conjures powerful images of mystery and intrigue. The imagery in the song is quite vivid, with the moon imagined as a protector who guides and comforts people in times of trouble.
Line by Line Meaning
Dans la ville endormie, le vent frissonne
In the sleeping city, the wind is shivering
a tous mes souvenirs, je m'abandonnes.
I surrender to all my memories
Pour me parler de toi dans la nuit brune
To speak of you in the brown night
je n'ai plus qu'une amie et c'est la lune.
I have no friends left but the moon.
O Luna Rossa reine des nuits,
Oh Luna Rossa queen of the nights
du haut des cieux toi qui me sourit
From the sky above, you smile at me
veux-tu porter cette mélodie
Do you want to carry this melody
à celle que j'adore
To the one I adore
puisque toi seule en a le pouvoir
Since only you have the power
Luna Rossa je voudrais savoir
Luna Rossa, I would like to know
si mon amour m'est resté ce soir
If my love is still with me tonight
toujours aussi fidèle.
Always as faithful.
Luna Rossa
Luna Rossa
m'est-elle encore sincère?
Is it still sincere to me?
Luna Rossa, ne ment pas
Luna Rossa, don't lie
tant pis pour moi si je dois en pleurer.
Too bad for me if I have to cry about it.
On m'a déjà menti tant de fois,
I've already been lied to so many times
on m'a déjà volé tant de joies
So many joys have already been stolen from me
O Luna Rossa
Oh Luna Rossa
je ne veux pas
I don't want
qu'à ton tour tu me trompes.
For you to deceive me in turn.
Tous les diamants du ciel clignotent et dansent
All the diamonds in the sky are blinking and dancing
pour pleurer avec moi sur ton absence
To cry with me for your absence
mais demain finira notre infortune,
But tomorrow our misfortune will end
si tu sais comme moi prier la lune.
If you know how to pray to the moon like I do.
O Luna Rossa reine des nuits
Oh Luna Rossa queen of the nights
tu as connu toutes nos folies
You have known all our follies
et tu savais quand sonnait minuit
And you knew when midnight struck
te couvrir d'un nuage.
To cover you with a cloud.
O Luna Rossa, les soirs d'été
Oh Luna Rossa, on summer evenings
tu nous guidais parmi les sentiers
You guided us along the paths
où nos deux ombres semblaient flâner
Where our two shadows seemed to stroll
ne formant qu'une image.
Forming just one image.
Luna Rossa,
Luna Rossa,
tu sais combien je l'aime
You know how much I love her
Luna Rossa promets moi
Luna Rossa, promise me
que loin de moi
That far away from me
tu la protégeras;
You will protect her;
et quand alors elle reviendra
And when she returns
Luna Rossa
Luna Rossa
nous prierons tout bas
We will pray softly
car tous les deux nous croyons en toi
Because both of us believe in you
autant qu'en la Madone.
As much as in the Madonna.
Luna Rossa,
Luna Rossa,
Luna Rossa.
Luna Rossa.
Writer(s): Vincenzo de Crescenzo, Antonio Viscione
Contributed by Zachary S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.