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.
Mona Lisa
Tino Rossi Lyrics
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You're so like the lady with the mystic smile
Is it only cause you're lonely they have blamed you
For that Mona Lisa strangeness in your smile
Do you smile to tempt a lover Mona Lisa?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
They just lie there, and they die there
Or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art.
Do you smile to tempt a lover Mona Lisa?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
They just lie there, and they die there
Are you warm, are you real Mona Lisa?
Or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art.
Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa.
In Tino Rossi's song "Mona Lisa," the lyrics describe the enigmatic woman known as the Mona Lisa, famously painted by Leonardo da Vinci. The song wonders if her famous smile is a mask to hide her inner sadness, or if it's simply a tool to draw in a lover. The lyrics explore the idea that this seemingly perfect work of art may actually be a lonely and broken person, with many dreams and desires left unfulfilled.
The song invites listeners to contemplate the complexity of the human experience and how things are not always as they seem on the surface. The Mona Lisa has become so famous that people may forget that there is a real person behind that smile, with thoughts, feelings, and emotions. The lyrics suggest that perhaps we should not be so quick to judge others based on their outward appearance or reputation, but rather try to understand and empathize with their inner world.
Overall, "Mona Lisa" is a poignant and introspective song that asks us to look beyond a famous painting and see the person behind it, with all their joys and sorrows, dreams and disappointments.
Line by Line Meaning
Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa men have named you
People have given you the name 'Mona Lisa'
You're so like the lady with the mystic smile
You resemble the woman with the enigmatic smile
Is it only cause you're lonely they have blamed you
Have they accused you of being strange just because you are lonely?
For that Mona Lisa strangeness in your smile
This strangeness is what can be seen in your smile
Do you smile to tempt a lover Mona Lisa?
Are you smiling to lure a romantic partner, Mona Lisa?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Perhaps it is a way for you to conceal a heart that has been broken?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
Numerous aspirations have been brought to your attention
They just lie there, and they die there
These dreams remain unfulfilled and passing away
Are you warm, are you real Mona Lisa?
Are you genuine, are you full of warmth Mona Lisa?
Or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art.
Or are you just a beautiful artwork that is cold and lonely inside.
Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa.
Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa.
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ray Evans, Jay Livingston
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind