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.

Ma ritournelle
Tino Rossi Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

MA RITOURNELLE

1.
Le jour s'est enfui,
la nuit prend son voile
Et mes blancs moutons
se sont endormis

Tout seul dans le soir,
(Version Femme : Je rêve à tes yeux.)
je chante aux étoiles
Ecoute ma voix,
écoute la nuit :

Ma ritournelle
C'est la plus belle
Ecoute-la chanter le soir
Le vent l'emporte
Près de la porte
Où sur le banc tu viens t'asseoir
La lune blanche
(V.F. Dans la nuit claire)
Vers toi se penche
(La lune éclaire)
Et met du ciel dans tes cheveux
(Chaque sentier d'un rayon blanc)
Mon coeur soupire
Et semble dire
C'est toi que j'aime et que je veux !
Dans la douceur du soir
Entends ma ritournelle !
J'irai bientôt te voir.
Eho ! Eho ! Entends mon chant d'espoir.

2.
Mais nous descendrons
(V.F. Mais je descendrai)
un soir au village
Et d'autres bergers
te feront la cour
(V.F. te font les yeux doux)
Malgré leurs chansons
tu resteras sage
Il n'est qu'un refrain
pour parler d'amour
(V.F. pour nos rendez-vous !)

Ma ritournelle
C'est la plus belle
Ecoute-la chanter le soir
Le vent l'emporte
Près de la porte
Où sur le banc tu viens t'asseoir
La lune blanche
(V.F. Dans la nuit claire)
Vers toi se penche
(La lune éclaire)
Et met du ciel dans tes cheveux
(Chaque sentier d'un rayon blanc)
Mon coeur soupire
Et semble dire
C'est toi que j'aime et que je veux !
Dans les échos du soir
Entends ma ritournelle !
Mon coeur te dit bonsoir.
Eho ! Eho ! Bonsoir !

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Tino Rossi's song Ma ritournelle describe a man singing alone in the night, with his sheep sleeping and the stars shining above. He sings his "ritournelle," or refrain, which he believes is the most beautiful. He asks the person he loves to listen to it and let it transport them to the bench where they often sit together. The white moon leans down to shine on their hair, and his heart sighs, saying "it's you that I love and want."

In the second verse, the man warns that one day they will go down to the village and other shepherds will court her with their songs, but she must remain faithful to their refrain, their "rendez-vous." He repeats his love for her and wishes her good night in the echoes of the evening.

Overall, the song is a romantic and wistful ode to the simple pleasures of the countryside and the enduring power of love. The use of natural imagery, such as the moon and the stars, serves to enhance the mood of the song, which is gentle and soothing. The singer's voice is tender and emotive, conveying the depth of his feelings and his longing for his beloved.

Line by Line Meaning

Le jour s'est enfui, la nuit prend son voile
Day has passed, night is coming

Et mes blancs moutons se sont endormis
My white sheep have gone to sleep

Tout seul dans le soir, je chante aux étoiles
Alone in the evening, I sing to the stars

Ecoute ma voix, écoute la nuit : Ma ritournelle
Listen to my voice, listen to the night: My tune

C'est la plus belle Ecoute-la chanter le soir
It's the most beautiful, listen to it sing in the evening

Le vent l'emporte Près de la porte Où sur le banc tu viens t'asseoir
The wind carries it, near the door where you come to sit on the bench

La lune blanche Vers toi se penche Et met du ciel dans tes cheveux
The white moon leans towards you and adds some sky in your hair

Mon coeur soupire Et semble dire C'est toi que j'aime et que je veux !
My heart sighs and seems to say it's you that I love and want!

Dans la douceur du soir Entends ma ritournelle ! J'irai bientôt te voir. Eho ! Eho ! Entends mon chant d'espoir.
In the sweetness of the evening, listen to my tune! I'll come see you soon. Hey! Hey! Listen to my song of hope.

Mais nous descendrons un soir au village Et d'autres bergers te feront la cour. Malgré leurs chansons tu resteras sage. Il n'est qu'un refrain pour parler d'amour
But we'll go down to the village one evening, and other shepherds will try to win your heart. Despite their songs, you'll stay wise. There's only one chorus to talk about love.

Dans les échos du soir Entends ma ritournelle ! Mon coeur te dit bonsoir. Eho ! Eho ! Bonsoir !
In the echoes of the evening, listen to my tune! My heart says goodnight to you. Hey! Hey! Goodnight!

Lyrics © BEUSCHER ARPEGE
Written by: HENRI BOURTAYRE, JEAN MARTELLI

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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