Darío Moreno
Encyclopedia
Darío Moreno was a Turkish
polyglot
singer of Jewish origin, as well as an accomplished composer
, lyricist
and guitarist
, who was born in Aydın
, Turkey
, in 1921, and who attained fame and made a remarkable career centered in France which also included films, during the fifties
and the sixties
.
orphanage of İzmir (Nido De Guerfanos) by his mother and remained there until he was four.
After a primary education in the Jewish educational establishments of İzmir, he did many odd jobs during his early youth. But he has also put great effort into improving his education at the same time while working to make a living, and having started as an errand boy in the cabinet of one of the city's prominent lawyers, he was in time raised to becoming a clerk in his office. In the evenings, he would study French
in İzmir's Central Library. With a guitar that had fallen into his hands by chance, he also learned, mainly on his own with occasional tutoring asked here and there, to master playing that instrument.
He started singing in the Bar Mitzva feasts as a secondary occupation. In his early twenties, he had already become a well-known singer in İzmir, and particularly among the Jewish community. During his military service in the Turkish Army
, he was employed as a singer in officers' quarters in various garrisons and became more focused on music. His first truly professional musical performance started in his hometown right after his discharge, through connections established while under the arms. Since he had started making money thanks to music, he moved to the better-off Jewish quarter of Karataş
to a house in a street leading to the historical building of Asansör
, one of the city's landmarks (and which means, literally, the "Elevator", people taking an actual elevator to go to the higher part of the quarter, this part being separated by the coastal strait with a steep slope). This street is named Dario Moreno Sokağı (Dario Moreno Street) today in his memory.
A hyperactive personality, Darío Moreno died of a heart attack in a taxi while going to the airport in Istanbul on 1 December 1968. He was only 47. He was buried in Holon, Israel
, by his mother Madam Roza.
İzmir! My sweet and dear city!
If I die far away from you one day,
May they bring me to you,
But, while taking me to my grave,
May they not say of me, "He died",
May they say, "He is sleeping".
If you only knew how sweet they are, the girls of İstanbul,
How they can attract you to their side, from far away,
That I could not forget them, all lovely as they are,
And how I was bewitched at first sight by one, and how I loved her,
Wishing I could live forever and destiny could keep us together.
is one of the most remembered of Moreno's songs. It was very famous in the 50s and early 60s. The original version of this catchy song (having a Greek style music) and the identity of its composer are disputed. It appeared in one of the films of the Egyptian actor Ismail Yassin in the 50s and in another Egyptian film of Sabah from the same era. Dario Moreno performed it in the late 50s. In Europe, the song became popular with the help of Bob Azzam
(a Lebanese singer who was born in Egypt in 1925 and died in Monte Carlo 2004, who like Moreno was the son of Jewish parents), who released it in 1960 in France with lyrics consisting of at least 3 languages: "Chérie je t'aime, chéri je t'adore – como la salsa del pomodoro" (Darling, I love you, darling, I adore you – like tomato sauce). Bruno Gigliotti, (Orlando) the brother of famous singer Dalida
, also covered the song. This song, with its Greek style music and polyglotic lyrics, can be considered as a historical documentation of the cosmopolitan era in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. During that era, a large cosmopolitan polyglotic community, mainly Greeks, Jews and Italians, lived in the Egyptian city. A sizable portion lived in the Attareen district, where the events of the song take place.
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
polyglot
Polyglot (person)
A polyglot is someone with a high degree of proficiency in several languages. A bilingual person can speak two languages fluently, whereas a trilingual three; above that the term multilingual may be used.-Hyperpolyglot:...
singer of Jewish origin, as well as an accomplished composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, who was born in Aydın
Aydin
Aydın is a city in and the seat of Aydın Province in Turkey's Aegean Region. The city is located at the heart of the lower valley of Büyük Menderes River at a commanding position for the region extending from the uplands of the valley down to the seacoast...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, in 1921, and who attained fame and made a remarkable career centered in France which also included films, during the fifties
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
and the sixties
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
.
Biography
His real name was David Arugete and he was born in the poorer Jewish quarter of İzmir to a large family. He was orphaned in early childhood when his father, who worked in a train station in the city, was shot dead under tragic circumstances. He was placed in the SephardicSephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
orphanage of İzmir (Nido De Guerfanos) by his mother and remained there until he was four.
After a primary education in the Jewish educational establishments of İzmir, he did many odd jobs during his early youth. But he has also put great effort into improving his education at the same time while working to make a living, and having started as an errand boy in the cabinet of one of the city's prominent lawyers, he was in time raised to becoming a clerk in his office. In the evenings, he would study French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
in İzmir's Central Library. With a guitar that had fallen into his hands by chance, he also learned, mainly on his own with occasional tutoring asked here and there, to master playing that instrument.
He started singing in the Bar Mitzva feasts as a secondary occupation. In his early twenties, he had already become a well-known singer in İzmir, and particularly among the Jewish community. During his military service in the Turkish Army
Turkish Army
The Turkish Army or Turkish Land Forces is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The modern history of the army began with its formation after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire...
, he was employed as a singer in officers' quarters in various garrisons and became more focused on music. His first truly professional musical performance started in his hometown right after his discharge, through connections established while under the arms. Since he had started making money thanks to music, he moved to the better-off Jewish quarter of Karataş
Karatas, Izmir
Karataş is a neighborhood of İzmir, Turkey, within the boundaries of the city's central metropolitan district of Konak. The neighborhood no longer has an official delimitation or status and exists as a notional zone that is admitted to stretch along the small cove of the same name in the Gulf of...
to a house in a street leading to the historical building of Asansör
Asansör
Asansör is a historical building in İzmir's Karataş quarter, within the boundaries of the metropolitan district of Konak...
, one of the city's landmarks (and which means, literally, the "Elevator", people taking an actual elevator to go to the higher part of the quarter, this part being separated by the coastal strait with a steep slope). This street is named Dario Moreno Sokağı (Dario Moreno Street) today in his memory.
A hyperactive personality, Darío Moreno died of a heart attack in a taxi while going to the airport in Istanbul on 1 December 1968. He was only 47. He was buried in Holon, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, by his mother Madam Roza.
Lyrics
- My dear İzmir (Canım İzmir, written in Turkish)
İzmir! My sweet and dear city!
If I die far away from you one day,
May they bring me to you,
But, while taking me to my grave,
May they not say of me, "He died",
May they say, "He is sleeping".
- The girls of İstanbul (İstanbul kızları, written in Turkish)
If you only knew how sweet they are, the girls of İstanbul,
How they can attract you to their side, from far away,
That I could not forget them, all lovely as they are,
And how I was bewitched at first sight by one, and how I loved her,
Wishing I could live forever and destiny could keep us together.
Ya Mustafa
Ya MustafaYa Mustafa
Ya Mustafa, also spelled Ya Mustapha , is a famous Egyptian song of unclear origin, whose lyrics are composed in 3 different languages: Arabic, French and Italian. There are also versions in the Greek and Turkish languages, where they are very popular in the respective countries . The music of the...
is one of the most remembered of Moreno's songs. It was very famous in the 50s and early 60s. The original version of this catchy song (having a Greek style music) and the identity of its composer are disputed. It appeared in one of the films of the Egyptian actor Ismail Yassin in the 50s and in another Egyptian film of Sabah from the same era. Dario Moreno performed it in the late 50s. In Europe, the song became popular with the help of Bob Azzam
Bob Azzam
Bob Azzam was a Lebanese singer. With his international hit song "Mustapha", Azzam achieved success in France in the 1960s. The track peaked at #23 in the UK Singles Chart, spending fourteen weeks in that chart...
(a Lebanese singer who was born in Egypt in 1925 and died in Monte Carlo 2004, who like Moreno was the son of Jewish parents), who released it in 1960 in France with lyrics consisting of at least 3 languages: "Chérie je t'aime, chéri je t'adore – como la salsa del pomodoro" (Darling, I love you, darling, I adore you – like tomato sauce). Bruno Gigliotti, (Orlando) the brother of famous singer Dalida
Dalida
Dalida , born with Italian name of Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti, was a world-famous singer and actress born in Egypt with Italian origins but naturalised French with the name Yolanda Gigliotti. She spent her early years in Egypt amongst the Italian Egyptian community, but she lived most of her adult...
, also covered the song. This song, with its Greek style music and polyglotic lyrics, can be considered as a historical documentation of the cosmopolitan era in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. During that era, a large cosmopolitan polyglotic community, mainly Greeks, Jews and Italians, lived in the Egyptian city. A sizable portion lived in the Attareen district, where the events of the song take place.
Films
- La femme et le pantin, by Julien DuvivierJulien DuvivierJulien Duvivier was a French film director. He was prominent in French cinema in the years 1930-1960...
with Brigitte BardotBrigitte BardotBrigitte Anne-Marie Bardot is a French former fashion model, actress, singer and animal rights activist. She was one of the best-known sex-symbols of the 1960s.In her early life, Bardot was an aspiring ballet dancer... - Le salaire de la peur, 1952, by Henri-Georges ClouzotHenri-Georges ClouzotHenri-Georges Clouzot was a French film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best remembered for his work in the thriller film genre, having directed The Wages of Fear and Les Diaboliques, which are critically recognized to be among the greatest films from the 1950s...
with Yves MontandYves Montand-Early life:Montand was born Ivo Livi in Monsummano Terme, Italy, the son of poor peasants Giuseppina and Giovanni Livi, a broommaker. Montand's mother was a devout Catholic, while his father held strong Communist beliefs. Because of the Fascist regime in Italy, Montand's family left for France in...
, Charles VanelCharles VanelCharles-Marie Vanel, known as Charles Vanel was a French director and actor. He made his screen debut in 1912, in Robert Péguy's Jim Crow...
and Peter van EyckPeter van EyckPeter van Eyck, born Götz von Eick , was a German-American actor.-Biography:... - La Môme vert-de-gris, 1953, by Bernard BorderieBernard BorderieBernard Borderie , son of Raymond Borderie, one of the producers of Les Enfants du Paradis , was a French film director and screenwriter.-Selected filmography:...
with Eddie ConstantineEddie ConstantineEddie Constantine was an American-born French actor and singer who spent his career working in Europe....
with Howard VernonHoward VernonHoward Vernon was a Swiss actor.Vernon was born Mario Lippert to a Swiss father and an American mother and was fluent in German, English, and French...
, Dominique WilmsDominique Wilms-Selected filmography:* Les pépées font la loi * Bombs on Monte Carlo * Caesar the Conqueror * Panic in Bangkok * A Ace and Four Queens * Um Null Uhr schnappt die Falle zu -External links:...
and Maurice RonetMaurice RonetMaurice Ronet was a French film actor, director and writer.-Biography:Maurice Ronet was born Maurice Julien Marie Robinet in Nice, Alpes Maritimes, the only child of professional stage actors Émile Robinet and Gilberte Dubreuil. He made his stage debut in 1941, along side his parents, in Sacha... - Quai des blondes, by Paul Cadeac with Michel AuclairMichel AuclairMichel Auclair was an actor of Serbian and French ancestry, known best for his roles in French cinema.Auclair was born Vladimir Vujović to a Serbian father and a French mother in Koblenz. His father was Vojislav Vujović, prominent Yugoslav Communist and secretary of the Communist Youth...
- Tous peuvent me tuer, 1957, by Henri DecoinHenri DecoinHenri Decoin was a French film director and screenwriter. He directed 50 films between 1933 and 1964. He was also a swimmer who competed for France in the men's 400 metre freestyle event at the 1908 Summer Olympics and the water polo tournament at the 1912 Summer Olympics.-Selected filmography:*...
with Anouk AiméeAnouk AiméeAnouk Aimée is a French film actress. Aimée has appeared in 70 films since 1947. She began her film career in 1947 at age 14. In 1958 she portrayed the tragic artist Jeanne Hébuterne in the film Les Amants de Montparnasse... - Oh! que mambo, 1959, by John Berry with Magali Noël
- Voulez-vous danser avec moi ?, 1959, by Michel Boisrond with Henri Vidal, Brigitte BardotBrigitte BardotBrigitte Anne-Marie Bardot is a French former fashion model, actress, singer and animal rights activist. She was one of the best-known sex-symbols of the 1960s.In her early life, Bardot was an aspiring ballet dancer...
and Noël Roquevert - Candide ou l'Optimisme au XXe siècleCandide ou l'optimisme au XXe siècleCandide ou l'Optimisme du XXe siècle is a 1960 French comedy drama film directed by Norbert Carbonnaux and written by Carbonnaux and Albert Simonin. It stars Jean-Pierre Cassel as Candide, Pierre Brasseur as Pangloss, Louis de Funès as the officer of the Gestapo, and Daliah Lavi as Cunégonde...
, 1960, by Norbert Carbonnaux with Jean-Pierre CasselJean-Pierre CasselJean-Pierre Cassel was a French actor.-Life and career:Cassel was born Jean-Pierre Crochon in Paris, the son of Louise-Marguerite , an opera singer, and Georges Crochon, a doctor. Cassel was discovered by Gene Kelly as he tap danced on stage, and later cast in the 1957 film The Happy Road...
and Dahlia Lavi - Le tout pour le tout, 1960, by Patrice Dally with Karen Blanguernon with Dirk Sanders
- Marie des Isles, 1960, by Georges Combret mat der Belinda Lee
- Tintin et le mystère de la toison d'orTintin and the Golden FleeceTintin and the Golden Fleece is a film first released in France on December 6, 1961...
, 1961, by Jean-Jacques VierneJean-Jacques VierneJean-Jacques Vierne was a French film director.-Filmography:* Rififi * La fête espagnole * Tintin and the Golden Fleece...
with Charles VanelCharles VanelCharles-Marie Vanel, known as Charles Vanel was a French director and actor. He made his screen debut in 1912, in Robert Péguy's Jim Crow...
with Georges WilsonGeorges WilsonGeorges Wilson was a French film and television actor. He is the father of French actor Lambert Wilson.Wilson was born in Champigny-sur-Marne, Seine , to a French father and an Irish mother... - Le bon Roi Dagobert, 1963, by Pierre Chevalier with FernandelFernandelFernand Joseph Désiré Contandin , better known as Fernandel, was a French actor and singer. Born in Marseille, France, he was a comedy star who first gained popularity in French vaudeville, operettas, and music-hall revues...
and Gino CerviGino CerviGino Cervi was an Italian actor of international fame.Cervi was born in Bologna. His father was the theatre critic Antonio Cervi.In 1928, he married Nini Gordini and they had a son, Tonino Cervi... - Hotel ParadisoHotel Paradiso (film)Hotel Paradiso is a 1966 film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by Peter Glenville and based on the play Hotel du Libre Echange by Maurice Desvallières and Georges Feydeau.-Synopsis:...
, 1966 - Le Saint prend l'affûtLe Saint prend l'affûtLe Saint prend l'affût is a French adventure drama film from 1966. It was directed by Christian-Jaque, written by Jean Ferry, starring Jean Marais and Raffaella Carrà...
(1966)
Albums
- Granada- Adios Amigos
- Bossa Nova
- Calypso
- Le coco
- Canım İzmirIzmirIzmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
- Si Tu Vas A Rio / Viens
- Long Bos
- Moreno Poy poy
- Mulata Ye Ye Ye
- Hatıralar Hayal Oldu / Olam Boyun Kurbanı
- Tropical Dario
- Oh Que Dario