Tino Rossi (April 29, 1907 - September 26, 1983) was a singer and film acto… Read Full Bio ↴Tino Rossi (April 29, 1907 - September 26, 1983) was a singer and film actor.

Born Constantino Rossi in Ajaccio, Corsica, France, he became a tenor of French cabaret and one of the great romantic idols of his time. Gifted with an operatic voice, a "Latin Lover" persona made him a movie star as well. Over his career, Rossi made hundreds of records and appeared in more than 25 films, the most notable of which was the 1953 production, Si Versailles m'était conté directed by Sacha Guitry. His romantic ballads had women swooning and his art-songs by Jules Massenet (1842-1912), Reynaldo Hahn (1875-1947), and other composers helped draw sold out audiences wherever he performed.

As a young man, he played guitar and sang at a variety of small venues in his hometown of Ajaccio before going on to perform in Marseilles and at resort clubs along the French Riviera. In the early 1930s he went to Paris and within a few years achieved enormous success, joining a Columbia Records roster that included the biggest stars of the day such as Lucienne Boyer, Damia, Pills et Tabet, Mireille, and Jean Sablon.

Rossi's success was greatly aided by songwriter Vincent Scotto (1876-1952), who wrote his first hits and collaborated with him for many years, composing and arranging many Rossi songs. Prior to World War II. Rossi was a major box office attraction in the French speaking world but expanded his audience to America with a 1938 visit followed up by wartime tours across the USA and Canada. In 1946, his song "Petit Papa Noël" sold more than thirty million copies worldwide. A Christmas classic for the family, the song still sells by the thousands each Yuletide season. The recipient of many musical awards, including the prestigious Grand Prix du Disque, Tino Rossi is the most popular personality to ever come from Corsica other than Napoleon Bonaparte.

In 1947 he married Lilia Vetti, a young dancer he met while making a film. They would have a son together in a marriage that lasted for a lifetime. A star of film and the operetta scene, Tino Rossi's career also evolved into the television era, appearing in a number of popular variety shows. Age, and the advent of rock and roll in the 1960s saw him take backstage with the new generation of music lovers but he remained enormously popular with a following built up over fifty years of performing.

In 1982, for his contribution to France and its culture, President François Mitterrand named Tino Rossi a Commander of the Legion of Honor. That same year Rossi gave his last public performance at the Casino de Paris, a show that popular demand turned into a three month stint.

Tino Rossi died of pancreatic cancer in 1983 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, France. His body returned to his native Ajaccio for burial in the family plot at the local cemetery. His hometown named a street and the sailing harbor in his honor and at Nogent-sur-Marne, on the River Marne in Paris, there is a square named Tino Rossi Square.

J'ai trop aimé
Tino Rossi Lyrics

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J’AI TROP AIME

J’ai trop aimé pour croire encore à l’amour
Je suis lassé des serments et des toujours
Pourquoi tes lèvres tendres
Se tendent-elles vers moi
Je ne veux plus entendre
La mélodie de ta voix

J’ai trop aimé sans rien avoir en retour
Que la fumée d’un joli rêve d’amour
Je ne crois plus en rien
Je suis las des chagrins
J’ai peur de toi et de tes chaînes
J’ai trop souffert d’amour

Je t’aime ces mots que tu me dis
Ressemble à tant de rengaines
Qui traînent dans la nuit
Et même si tu n’as pas menti
Il y a dans ma mémoire
Bien trop d’espoirs
Trahis.

J’ai trop aimé pour croire encore à l’amour
Je suis lassé des serments et des toujours
Pourquoi tes lèvres tendres
Se tendent-elles vers moi
Je ne veux plus entendre
La mélodie de ta voix
Je dis ça et pourtant je sais trop bien
Que dans tes bras me trouvera le matin
Peut être qu’avec toi
Viendront enfin les joies

Que je n’avais connues qu’en rêves mais
Cette fois pour toujours.

Overall Meaning

In the lyrics of "J'ai trop aimé" by Tino Rossi, the singer expresses a sense of disillusionment and weariness when it comes to love. The opening lines convey a sentiment of having loved too deeply and intensely, to the point where belief in love itself has been shattered. The singer is tired of promises and eternal declarations of love, implying a sense of betrayal or disappointment in romantic relationships. The imagery of "tes lèvres tendres se tendent-elles vers moi" suggests a hesitancy towards affection and a reluctance to engage with love again.

The repetition of the chorus reinforces the theme of being jaded and emotionally exhausted from past experiences. The singer voices a desire to distance themselves from the sweet words and melodies of love, indicating a fear of being hurt or deceived once more. The acknowledgment that love has been one-sided, only yielding the ephemeral "fumée d’un joli rêve d’amour," further intensifies the feeling of disillusionment and emotional pain.

The second verse delves deeper into the internal conflict faced by the singer. Despite trying to convince themselves that they no longer believe in love, there lingers a sense of longing and vulnerability. The mention of memories filled with dashed hopes and betrayed expectations reflects the lingering wounds of past relationships and the struggle to trust again. The juxtaposition of "j’ai peur de toi et de tes chaînes" unveils a fear of becoming trapped in a cycle of hurt and disappointment once more.

Towards the end of the lyrics, there is a hint of conflicting emotions and a glimmer of hope amidst the despair. Despite the singer's avowal of rejecting love, there is an admission of the inevitable pull towards the one they love, suggesting a complex mix of emotions and desires. The bittersweet acknowledgment that joy might be found in the arms of the beloved in the morning hints at a fragile optimism, mingled with a sense of resignation to the unpredictable nature of love. The final line, "cette fois pour toujours," encapsulates a poignant longing for lasting happiness and fulfillment, despite the scars of past heartaches.

J'ai trop aiméTino Rossi Lyrics

J'ai trop aimé
Tino Rossi Lyrics