Dillon was born in 1944 in Linstead, St. Catherine, Jamaica.[1] Influenced by American singers Connie Francis, Patti Page and Dionne Warwick, she began singing in talent contests. It was during a performance at the Glass Bucket Club in Kingston, Jamaica with the group The Vulcans, that Duke Reid's session guitarist Lynn Taitt discovered Dillon.[1]
Dillon was 22 when she recorded her first record for Duke Reid. In 1967, Reid released Dillon's "Don’t Stay Away". While most of Dillon’s subsequent recordings would be covers of popular and obscure American songs including Bettye Swann's "Make Me Yours", Perry Como's "Tulips and Heather," The Grass Roots "Midnight Confessions", and Stephen Stills's "Love the One You're With"; "Don't Stay Away" was an original composition featuring Tommy McCook and the Supersonics as the backing band.
Another original song, "It’s Rocking Time" would later be turned into the Alton Ellis' hit "Rocksteady". While these early recordings demonstrate Dillon's mastery of the rocksteady sound, a much slower, soulful, response to the sultry weather that made ska's upbeat rhythm and tempo undesirable even impracticable, it was no indication of her greatest performance, 1967’s "Perfidia". Popularized by the American surf rock band The Ventures, "Perfidia" is a 1940 song written by Alberto Domínguez and made popular by the Cuban bandleader, Xavier Cugat.
At the end of 1967, Dillon moved to New York.[1] The following five years, she spent living a double life. She had a family and career in the United States, flying frequently back to Kingston, Jamaica to continue recording for Reid.
After a number of singles and an album entitled Living in Love, Dillon ended her recording career in 1971. She was 27 years old.
In 1991, Michael Bonnet, the entertainment director for the Oceanea Hotel in Kingston approached Dillon inviting her to sing. Her refusal at first was later rescinded and sparked a revitalized interest in performing and recording. In the years following, Dillion would tour the UK, Germany and Japan.
In 1998 Phyllis Dillon returned to the recording studio with Lynn Taitt, marked by reinterest in ska music in the United States. She remained active until illness took hold.
Phyllis Dillon died on 15 April 2004 in New York, after a two year battle with cancer, at the age of 59.
Perfidia
Phyllis Dillon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For I found you, the love my life
In somebody else's arms
Your eyes, are echoing Perfidia
Forgetful of the promise of love
You're shared another's charms
Are faded like a broken melody
While the Gods of love look down and laugh
At what romantic fools, we mortals be
And now, I know my love was not for you
And so I'll take it back with a sigh
Perfidia's one goodbye
Sock to me, baby
With a sad lament my dreams
Have faded like a broken melody
While the Gods of love look down and laugh
At what romantic fools, we mortals be
And now, I know my love was not for you
And so I'll take it back with a sigh
Perfidia's one goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye
The lyrics to Phyllis Dillon's song "Perfidia" express the heartbreak and sorrow of a woman who has lost the love of her life to another person. The song begins with the line "To you, my heart cries out Perfidia," which can be interpreted as her calling out the name of her lost love. She then reflects on how she found the love of her life, only to see them in somebody else's arms. The phrase "Perfidia" is repeated throughout the song, echoing the pain and betrayal she feels.
The lyrics describe how the woman's dreams have been shattered like a broken melody, and how the gods of love look down and laugh at the foolishness of mortals who believe in romantic love. The final verse reveals that the woman now knows that her love was not meant for her lost love, and she says goodbye with a sigh. The repeated "goodbyes" at the end of the song emphasize the depth of her sorrow and finality of their separation.
Overall, the lyrics of "Perfidia" convey the universal theme of lost love and heartbreak in a poignant and poetic way. The repetition of the word "Perfidia" throughout the song creates a sense of longing and melancholy, and the final goodbye highlights the finality of the loss.
Line by Line Meaning
To you, my heart cries out Perfidia
My heart is in pain and full of sorrow, because of you and your acts of deceit.
For I found you, the love my life
I was convinced that you were the person I was meant to be with forever.
In somebody else's arms
However, I discovered that you were with someone else, being intimate with them and sharing love that wasn't meant for me.
Your eyes, are echoing Perfidia
Your eyes reveal your true nature, which is lacking in sincerity and honesty.
Forgetful of the promise of love
You have ignored the sacred vows and promises we made to each other.
You're shared another's charms
You have given your love, affection, and attraction to some other person, leaving me devastated.
With a sad lament my dreams
My hopes, aspirations, dreams, and expectations have all been shattered into pieces.
Are faded like a broken melody
My heart's desire has suffered a similar fate as a broken melody that no longer resonates with anyone.
While the Gods of love look down and laugh
Love, which is seen as a godly thing, mocks us and ridicules our foolish acts of trying to find and keep it.
At what romantic fools, we mortals be
We, humans, are foolish and naive when it comes to love, forgetting that it is elusive and painful at times.
And now, I know my love was not for you
I have come to the realization that my love and affection for you were misplaced and not reciprocated.
And so I'll take it back with a sigh
I will retract all the love that I have given you, even though doing so will leave a deep sense of sorrow and regret in me.
Perfidia's one goodbye
This is my final goodbye to you, and I hope that someday you will realize the pain and hurt that you have caused me.
Goodbye, goodbye
I am bidding a final farewell to our failed love story.
Goodbye, goodbye
I am accepting the fact that our love was never meant to be, and I am letting go of it with a heavy heart.
Goodbye, goodbye
May we both find peace and closure as we move on with our lives.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Alberto Dominguez, Milton Leeds
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Moody__Mango
Lyrics:
To you, my heart cries out Perfidia
For I found you, the love my life
In somebody else's arms
Your eyes, are echoing Perfidia
Forgetful of the promise of love
You're shared another's charms
With a sad lament my dreams
Are faded like a broken melody
While the Gods of love look down and laugh
At what romantic fools, we mortals be
And now, I know my love was not for you
And so I'll take it back with a sigh
Perfidia's one goodbye
Sock it to me, baby
With a sad lament my dreams
Have faded like a broken melody
While the Gods of love look down and laugh
At what romantic fools, we mortals be
And now, I know my love was not for you
And so I'll take it back with a sigh
Perfidia's one goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye
@lolasfigureskatingvideos
This has been my favorite song forever and people never get it. If you're listening, YOU GET IT!
@dombenedetto7745
Minha música eterna.
@rogerpeachey2212
This was one of the first many many reggae tracks I bought.still play it now .love it.
@cabbageswithcars9532
this is a lovely song , ive listened to everything from punk to classical , have a listen to twilight time by the platters if you havent heard it , with the headphones on and youre eyes shut some voice .
@knightswatch1005
Me too
@mosecastro9481
Thank you
@ronaldstrange8981
My 22 year old grandson has recommended this to his 87 year old grandfather, I know the song from years ago. But this version really touches a chord in me. Kind regards to all her fans. March, 2023.
@lisaf938
You have a cool grandson. I just discovered this version today and I love it. I hope he played you other versions of the song from Glenn Miller to Linda Rondstadt. Kind regards back to you.
@ronaldstrange8981
@@lisaf938 Thank you so much Lisa. Greatly appreciated. As a young man, had a beautiful boxer dog called Lisa, Her nickname was Bunter Lulu! Regards.
@soniaharrison1016
Sometimes the internet is snd can be a wonderful place. This reminds me of London, where I grew up in 1965.