Gondolier (song)
1957 single by Dalida
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"Gondolier" is a song by the French singer Dalida, first released on an EP in December 1957. It was her second major hit after "Bambino". Reaching No. 1 on both the La Bourse des Chansons chart and the Music Hall chart in France, it was the title song for Dalida's 1958 album Gondolier.[1] The song also reached No. 1 on the Belgian and Canadian charts.[2]
Description
The song's melody was composed by Peter De Angelis with lyrics by Jean Broussolle.[3] It was released as a promotional single on February 22, 1957,[4] but it received no promotion because of the prolonged success of "Bambino".[4]
As the song did not reach its audience, De Angelis and his colleague Bob Marcucci[5] wrote the English language version which gained success in the US and UK in mid-1957.[6] During an interview in 1958, Dalida said, "I heard on radio Petula Clark singing it in English, and I like it very much so I decided to use the song for my Christmas special show."
At the end of 1957, Dalida used "Gondolier" as the title song of a French TV Christmas special, in which she was the main attraction. The song was issued on EP the next day and it gained instant success.[4] It entered the charts at No. 1 in the first week of January 1958, and eventually spent 53 weeks in the top 20, until the last week of December 1958.[7] It spent 9 weeks as No. 1 in January and February and again reached No. 1 for 10 weeks during the summer, earning Dalida her third gold disc.[8]
Eventually, it became the most sold record of 1958;[7] promotions through TV and concert performances made the song a pop standard in France and one of Dalida's signature tracks.[9]
Cover versions
"Gondolier" has been covered by many artists.
In English, the song has been recorded by several artists under the title "With All My Heart", including:
- Jodie Sands recorded the first version in English, released in April or May 1957. It reached No. 1 in Belgium and was her only major hit in the United States (reaching No. 15 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in 1957).
- Petula Clark released it in June or July 1957 in Belgium and the United Kingdom (it reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart), which was before she became known in the US.[10]
- Judy Scott in 1957.[11]
- Eve Boswell in 1957.[12]
- Dave King in 1957.[13]
- Bing Crosby in 1958.[14]
- Betty Curtis in Italian titled "Con tutto il cuore" in 1958.
- Dawn Robertson in 1977 released a disco version as a maxi-single.