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.

Noël et l'enfant
Tino Rossi Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Noël c'est l'amour
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 claire

Un 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

Overall Meaning

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