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.
Vive le Vent
Tino Rossi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Qui s'en va sifflant, soufflant, dans les grands sapins verts, oh
Vive le temps, vive le temps, vive le temps d′hiver
Boule de neige et jour de l'an et bonne année grand-mère
Joyeux, joyeux Noël aux mille bougies
Quand chantent vers le ciel les cloches de la nuit, oh
Vive le vent, vive le vent, vive le vent d'hiverQui rapporte aux vieux enfants leurs souvenirs d′hiver
Sur le long chemin tout blanc de neige blanche
Un vieux monsieur s′avance avec sa canne dans la main
Et tout là-haut le vent qui siffle dans les branches
Lui souffle la romance qu'il chantait petit enfant
Vive le vent, vive le vent, vive le vent d′hiver
Qui s'en va sifflant, soufflant, dans les grands sapins verts, oh
Vive le temps, vive le temps, vive le temps d′hiver
Boule de neige et jour de l'an et bonne année grand-mère
Joyeux, joyeux Noël aux mille bougies
Quand chantent vers le ciel les cloches de la nuit, oh
Vive le vent, vive le vent, vive le vent d′hiver
Qui rapporte aux vieux enfants leurs souvenirs d'hiver
Et le vieux monsieur descend vers le village
C'est l′heure où tout est sage et l′ombre danse au coin du feu
Mais dans chaque maison il flotte un air de fête
Partout la table est prête et l'on entend la même chanson
Vive le vent, vive le vent, vive le vent d′hiver
Qui s'en va sifflant, soufflant, dans les grands sapins verts, oh
Vive le temps, vive le temps, vive le temps d′hiver
Boule de neige et jour de l'an, et bonne année grand-mère
"Vive le Vent" also known as "Jingle Bells" in French is a festive and joyous song celebrating winter, Christmas and the holiday season. Entirely sung in French, the song describes the excitement and beauty of winter with its chilly winds, snowy landscapes, and mistletoe hung up in every home. The song reminisces about the grandmothers and older people in the family who celebrate the New Year while exchanging their winter stories with children. The lyrics also describe a scene of an old man walking with his cane, mesmerized by the winter romance that the wind sings in his ears. The song ends with the old man reaching the village and joining people to celebrate the holiday season.
On the surface level, "Vive le Vent" is a simple and catchy song that can get anyone into the holiday spirit. However, the song also represents the cultural experiences of France during the winter season. In France, Christmas is celebrated in a family-oriented way, where families meet and share their favorite Christmas memories.
Line by Line Meaning
Vive le vent, vive le vent, vive le vent d′hiver
Long live the wind, long live the winter wind
Qui s'en va sifflant, soufflant, dans les grands sapins verts, oh
Which goes whistling and blowing, through the tall green pines, oh
Vive le temps, vive le temps, vive le temps d′hiver
Long live the weather, long live the winter weather
Boule de neige et jour de l'an et bonne année grand-mère
Snowball fights, New Year's Day and Happy New Year Grandma
Joyeux, joyeux Noël aux mille bougies
Merry, merry Christmas with a thousand candles
Quand chantent vers le ciel les cloches de la nuit, oh
When the bells of the night sing towards the sky, oh
Qui rapporte aux vieux enfants leurs souvenirs d′hiver
Which brings winter memories back to old children
Sur le long chemin tout blanc de neige blanche
On the long road all white with snow
Un vieux monsieur s′avance avec sa canne dans la main
An old man walks with his cane in hand
Et tout là-haut le vent qui siffle dans les branches
And up there the wind whistling in the branches
Lui souffle la romance qu'il chantait petit enfant
Whispers to him the romance he sang as a little child
Et le vieux monsieur descend vers le village
And the old man goes down to the village
C'est l′heure où tout est sage et l′ombre danse au coin du feu
It's the time when everything is peaceful and shadows dance by the fire
Mais dans chaque maison il flotte un air de fête
But in every house there's a festive atmosphere
Partout la table est prête et l'on entend la même chanson
Everywhere the table is set and the same song is heard
Writer(s): Francis Blanche, Rolf Marbot
Contributed by Alexandra W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@juanmalm7621
Merveilleux noel. Merveilleux Tino Rossi. Merveilleuse messe de minuit. Merveilleuse enfance
@dominiqueguisset1243
Bonjour merci beaucoup très bon moment et souvenir inoubliable. Les meilleurs moments c'est vraiment Noël et les fêtes de famille. Très bonne fête de Noël et de fin d'année 2o24.
@learauline5917
Un classique incontournable que mes petits enfants adorent et qui me rappelle mes Noël av mes parents et ma famille 😍
@suzannemery1581
Nos NOEL MERVEILLEUX..AVEC NOS PARENTS...NOUS ATTENDIONS.... LE PÈRE NOËL.!!!!!
@pascalvinay1956
Tino Rossi, l'un des plus grands chanteurs de tous les siècles.
@dominiqueguisset1243
Bonjour merci beaucoup très bon moment et très sympa merci beaucoup bonne fête de Noël et de bonne fête de fin d'année.
@lucietrimpont2407
Magnifique ses chansons ça nous rappel nos parents ont étaient heureux
@christianmatifas8873
Nous étions heureux d Avent avec nos parent de passer ces fêtes d annee et joyeux Noël à tout le monde
@karinefabregues8071
❤
@lucaks3801
J'adore cette chanson :-) !