The Italian born and American raised Bennett is a singer's singer, having s… Read Full Bio ↴The Italian born and American raised Bennett is a singer's singer, having sung on TV, in community theater, club dates, conventions and even the inaugurations of presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush. Walking in the footsteps of her idols such as Barbra Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald, Barry Manilow and Bette Midler, Sylvia has opened for artists as diverse as Bob Hope, Phyllis Diller, Jackie Mason, Dizzy Gillespie, Barry Gibb and David Brenner.

Her big break came in the 1980's, when legendary vibraphonist (and National Arts Award Winner) Lionel Hampton took Sylvia under his wing and made her the first female singer to record with him in thirty years. She recounts, “Lionel validated me as a performer and inspired me to be the best singer I can be. He made me realize that the audience was the most important thing and that all I needed to do was to sing from the heart and be honest.” Sylvia worked with Hampton for ten years, touring and recording two albums together. The first, Sentimental Journey, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1987. The second project, There Will Never Be Another You, was a CD/DVD tribute to “Hamp” from Sylvia, and she furthered the honor to her mentor with the show, “The Lady and the Legend,” premiering in Miami in 2007.

Songs From The Heart featuring the Three Tenors emerged in the wake of Sylvia's tribute to Hampton, when her producer, two-time Grammy nominee and two-time ASCAP Award winner, Hal Batt, suggested that she record timeless love songs and standards, backed by a small band to convey the desired intimacy. Sylvia was enamored of the idea immediately. “I'm a hopeless romantic,” she says unhesitatingly, “I think that love is what life is all about - wanting it, having it, losing it and having it again.” The songs, classics from the great American songbook, were chosen for how they related to the experience of love, making it a concept album, akin in spirit to Frank Sinatra's great concept albums of the mid-1950's.

The album really took off when Sylvia was joined on the recording by tenor saxophone legends, Boots Randolph, Ed Calle and Kirk Whalum. The tenors enhance the album's smoky and organic vibe, complementing Sylvia's silky smooth voice. “It was a thrill to have those incredible players on the album,” enthuses Sylvia. “The only song they played on together was "Since I Fell For You," and it was pure magic.” Producer Batt declares, “We captured a moment in time that won't happen again between three of the greatest tenor sax players in the world.”

Sylvia's exquisite taste shines in the selection and performance of the material. From “My Funny Valentine,” (“It sums up everything about love to me") to “They Can't Take That Away From Me,” (“Nothing and no one can take away the time you have with someone”) to "How Long Has This Been Going On," (“I first sang that song in junior high - but now I really know what that song is about”), Sylvia utilizes her phenomenal ability to get inside these classic songs and have them reveal emotional dimensions previously unfamiliar.

Sylvia is eager to perform these songs in her natural environment - in front of a live audience. “I'll be doing romance themed nights, performing the album as well as the material I did with Lionel Hampton,” she says. It's clear that she's immensely proud of Songs From The Heart featuring the Three Tenors and that she knows she touched on something. Sylvia concludes, “We live in such a technological world today that I think we forgot about touching people. I think we all need a hug, we need to be embraced - we're living in a troubled world. There's nothing better than romance and being with someone who can shelter you from those storms.”

C'est magnifique
Sylvia Bennett Lyrics

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C′est magnifique

La vie est là
Qui vous prend par le bras
Oh la la la
C'est magnifique

Des jours tout bleus

Des baisers lumineux
C′est magnifique

Donner son cœur
Avec un bouquet d'fleurs
Oh la la la
Mais c'est magnifique

Et faire un jour
Un mariage d′amour
C′est magnifique

Partir là-bas
Lune miel a cuba
Oh la la la
C'est magnifique

Sous ce climat
Les baisers sont comme ça
C′est magnifique

Des nuits d'amour
Qui durent 45 jours
Oh lalalal
Mais c′est magnifique

Revoir Paris
Retrouver ses amis
C'est magnifique

Donner son cœur
Avec un bouquet d′fleur
Oh la la la
Mais c'est magnifique

Et faire un jour
Un mariage d'amour
C′est magnifique
C′est magnifique

Overall Meaning

The song "C'est Magnifique" by Sylvia Bennet celebrates the joy of life, love, and romance. The lyrics convey a sense of excitement and happiness through vivid imagery and language. The opening lines "La vie est là/ Qui vous prend par le bras/ Oh la la la/ C'est magnifique" (Life is here/ Taking you by the arm/ Oh la la la/ It's magnificent) suggest that something amazing and wonderful is happening, and the rest of the song elaborates on this theme.

The verses describe different aspects of love and romance, from the thrill of a new relationship ("Des jours tout bleus/ Des baisers lumineux") to the joy of sharing a marriage with the one you love ("Et faire un jour/ Un mariage d'amour"). The chorus repeats the phrase "C'est magnifique," emphasizing the idea that love and life are truly beautiful and awe-inspiring.

Overall, the lyrics of "C'est Magnifique" capture the magic and joy of life, love, and happiness. The song celebrates the simple pleasures of romance, from holding hands to sharing a kiss, and encourages listeners to appreciate the beauty and wonder of every moment.

Line by Line Meaning

C'est magnifique
Life is wonderful and amazing

La vie est là
Life is here, right now

Qui vous prend par le bras
It takes you by the arm and leads you

Oh la la la
Indicates excitement and joy

Des jours tout bleus
Days full of blue skies and happiness

Des baisers lumineux
Kisses that are full of light and love

Donner son cœur
Giving your heart

Avec un bouquet d'fleurs
With a bouquet of flowers

Mais c'est magnifique
But it's magnificent

Et faire un jour
And one day

Un mariage d'amour
A wedding full of love