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.
Noël c'est l'amour
Tino Rossi Lyrics
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Viens chanter toi mon frère
Noël c'est l'amour
C'est un cœur éternel
Du temps de ma mère
Sa voix familière
Chantait douce et claireUn enfant est né
La voix de ma mère
Amour et prière
La voix de ma mère
Qui m'a tant donné
Des lumières dans la neige
Mille étoiles du berger
Et les hommes en cortège
Vont chanter la joie d'aimer
Noël c'est l'amour
Dans les yeux de l'enfance
Noël c'est l'amour
Le plus beau le plus grand
Un monde commence
D'un peu d'espérance
D'un ange qui danse
Auprès d'un enfant
Noël c'est l'amour
Viens chanter toi mon frère
Noël c'est l'amour
C'est un cœur éternel
Reviens, toi mon frère
Et vois la lumière
La nuit de lumière
Qui descend du ciel
Et moi sur la Terre
J'entends douce et claire
La voix de ma mère
Qui chante Noël
The song "Noël c'est l'amour" by Tino Rossi celebrates the spirit of love and togetherness during the festive season of Christmas. The song urges the listeners to forget their worries and come together to sing about the eternal love that Christmas represents. The chorus "Noël c'est l'amour" means Christmas is love and the repetition of this phrase throughout the song reinforces the message of the song.
The first verse of the song talks about the singer's mother and her familiar voice that used to sing gently and clearly about the birth of Jesus. This invokes a sense of nostalgia and a feeling of warmth and comfort. The second verse refers to the lights in the snow, the stars, and the procession of people who sing about the joy of love. The song makes a reference to the angels dancing around an infant in the manger, and how this moment marked the beginning of a new world filled with hope and love.
The song brings together people from different backgrounds and beliefs to celebrate love and the joy of Christmas. It invokes a sense of togetherness and is a reminder that love is eternal and can bring people together despite all odds.
Line by Line Meaning
Noël c'est l'amour
Christmas is all about love
Viens chanter toi mon frère
Come and sing with me, my brother
C'est un cœur éternel
It is an eternal heart
Du temps de ma mère
In my mother's time
Sa voix familière
Her familiar voice
Chantait douce et claire
Sang softly and clearly
Un enfant est né
A child is born
La voix de ma mère
My mother's voice
Amour et prière
Love and prayer
Qui m'a tant donné
That has given me so much
Des lumières dans la neige
Lights in the snow
Mille étoiles du berger
Thousands of shepherd stars
Et les hommes en cortège
And the procession of men
Vont chanter la joie d'aimer
Will sing the joy of love
Dans les yeux de l'enfance
In the eyes of a child
Le plus beau le plus grand
The most beautiful, the greatest
Un monde commence
A world begins
D'un peu d'espérance
With a little bit of hope
D'un ange qui danse
With an angel dancing
Auprès d'un enfant
Next to a child
Et vois la lumière
And see the light
La nuit de lumière
The night of light
Qui descend du ciel
Descending from heaven
Reviens, toi mon frère
Come back, my brother
J'entends douce et claire
I hear softly and clearly
La voix de ma mère
My mother's voice
Qui chante Noël
Singing about Christmas
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Henri Alexandre Contet, Norbert Glanzberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind