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.

Pescadore
Tino Rossi Lyrics

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Dans le silence et le mystère,
Quand les marins de mon pays
Vont vers les îles sanguinaires
Pour y pêcher toute la nuit,
La voix du mousse qui les appelle
Dans les ruelles
De Calvi
Est la plus belle

Des ritournelles
Que je viens chanter aujourd’hui.

(Parlé) Ah ! voilio (sifflet……)
R : Pescadore…
Pescadore…
Addio l’Amore
Dans la nuit sans voile,
Guidé par l’étoile
Hissons notre voile
Bien vite embarquons
Car le vent est bon
Au large…partons…
Pescadore…
Pescadore…
Addio l’Amore
Addio Maria.
Addio Francesca
Andiamo a la Pesca
Pescadore.

Quand nous serons loin du rivage,
Perdus entre le ciel et l’eau,
Je chanterai pour l’équipage
Bercé par le rythme des flots
Et tout là-bas… au clair de lune

Plus d’une brune
Ecoutera
Cette jolie
Mélodie
Que le vent lui apportera.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Tino Rossi & Marcel Cariven Orchestra's song "Pescadore" describe the silence and mystery of the nighttime fishing trips taken by the sailors of the singer's homeland. They highlight the beauty of the call of the cabin boy that echoes through the narrow streets of Calvi, and the melody that the singer brings to the song. The chorus, which is repeated several times throughout the song, speaks of the fishermen leaving their love behind and heading out to sea, guided by the stars, to catch fish. The singer declares that he will sing for the crew as they are surrounded by the sea and sky, and that even the women back on land will listen to the melody carried to them on the wind.

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the beauty and romance of the sea and fishing, as well as the longing and longing for loved ones left on shore. The use of repetition in the chorus emphasizes the sense of urgency, while the descriptions of the fishing journey and the music create a sense of nostalgia and warmth. Overall, the song captures the essence of a sailor's life and their connection to the sea.

PescadoreTino Rossi Lyrics

Pescadore
Tino Rossi Lyrics