Around the World with CONNIE FRANCIS

Many people thinks that Connie Francis, aka Concetta Rosemarie Franconero, was one of the best female vocalist of all time. I certainly agree: she was the top female vocalist of the late 50's and early 60's, amassing records sales equal to and surpass those of many of her male contemporaries. She branched into big band, country, ethnic, and many many other styles of music. She has the knack of wrenching the emotions with her powerhouse voice. Connie's music, transcending any and all boundaries, is capable of taming the beast, soothing the wounded heart and lifting the fallen spirit. Connie Francis has an affinity for languages and has sang many of her well-known songs and standards in other languages, like italian, spanish, german or even jewish. That's the reason this Rato's collection of Connie's songs is named "Around The World".

She starred in four (nondescript) films, sang voice-overs in movies for actresses who could not sing, and was a guest star on innumerable TV shows. Music critics who didn't take kindly to Francis' pop music years were eventually won over by her versatility. Until the present day Connie Francis continues to sing to sold-out audiences. She has recorded more than 70 albums. It's hard to underestimate the talents of this American-Italian girl (who grew up in a Jewish neighborhood in New Jersey - she was born in Newark, in 1938, December 12). Connie Francis interpretation of music is meticulous, enabling her to become one of the most popular international entertainers of this century. Sadly, Connie passed away on the 17th July, 2025. She was 87 years.

CONNIE FRANCIS: EP "Who's Sorry Now"

Released on French EP EPF mgm 25

(FRANCE, 1958)

A DOUZEN OF INTERNATIONAL HITS

Original Released on LP MGM E/SE 4298 (1965)

Concetta Rosemarie Franconero

Original Released on LP MGM SE-3869 (1960)

Connie Francis is considered by many to be the premier female vocalist of the 1950s and early 1960s. After one listen to this album you will be thoroughly convinced of the same - adding the word ‘versatile’ to the mix. Connie had previous recordings on the MGM label with a similar ‘international’ flavor, which seemed to be as de rigueur back then as the International House of Pancakes restaurant chain, which was created in the late 1950s… The jet age made neighboring continents more easily reachable and of more in interest in popular culture. The MGM albums “Italian Favorites” and “Spanish Favorites” were both impressively, if not flawlessly, performed in ‘native tongues.’ One might have predicted an album of French love songs to follow, but instead, Connie (born Concetta Rosemarie Franconero in Newark, NJ) chose the challenge of tackling a set of traditional Yiddish folk songs! (Oy, the tsuris of being a female pop icon in the Eisenhower era…) It should be noted that Connie, no slouch in the sales department, had a lot of sechel at marketing and selling her unique blend of pop, jazz, and country. She had the ability to articulate the emotions of any song with her powerhouse voice.

On this album, Connie’s ability to fluidly master the Yiddish and Hebrew accents is amazing. The woman is simply cantor-esque! Connie actually delivers “Shein Vi De Levone” with a slight Oklahoma drawl, but it only adds to the color. Like Sinatra, Connie is highly adept at making a song her own by putting in little signature flourishes. Listen to this collection’s opener, “Tzena Tzena,” for the hypnotic beat of Havah Negilah (I wish I could have had this version sung at my Bar Mitzvah), and the triumphant closer “Mom-E-Le,” and you will immediately realize how amazingly seductive Yiddish standards can be! Shocking that no James Bond film was ever filmed in Israel… After experiencing the inspirational splendor of Connie’s musical Bat Mitzvah soundtrack, you will be convinced she is a stellar talent, an “uber-shikse,” as it were. Connie continues working today, some 50 years after her auspicious debut. She sings a wide range of her big band, rock and roll, country, and ethnic favorites. Connie is still as elegant and truly beautiful as ever… Her music is her passion, and ours. Can the “Connie Francis Sings Hip-Hop” collection be far off? (Hal Lifson)