J'attendrai
Encyclopedia
"J'attendrai" is a French popular song recorded by Rina Ketty
in 1938. It is a translation of the Italian song "Tornerai" (Italian
for "You Will Return") composed by Dino Olivieri (music) and Nino Rastelli (lyrics) in 1933; the French lyrics were written by Louis Potérat. The song was also recorded in German under the title "Komm zurück", in Czech as "Věřím vám" and in Polish as "Czekam cię" (with lyrics translated by Andrzej Włast
).
Achieving great popularity in its day, the song has since come to be seen as emblematic of the start of World War II
.
sings Tino Rossi J'ATTENDRAI in her CD "BOLEROS"
, was recorded twice by Mieczysław Fogg - first recording was made in 1939 and released by Syrena Rekord
under catalog number 2294. Second rendition of this song was recorded about 1961 as a part of medley, and was issued on several LPs.
for her 1975 album J'attendrai
. The following year, she covered the song again for her disco
album Coup de chapeau au passé
: that version reached the Dutch charts on February 21, 1976. It spent 4 weeks on the charts and as # 9 in 1 week.
on the album Souvenir d'Italie, published in 2007 , and is currently available on iTunes
.
recording appears in the German movie Das Boot
or The Boat by Wolfgang Petersen
starring Jürgen Prochnow
. The commander plays it over the intercom shortly after leaving port.
The intro of J'attendrai is also heard in a sleeping quarters of the underground barracks of Fort Eben-Emael
. The room shows visitors what sleeping quarters of regular soldiers looked like in 1940, when Belgium was attacked by Nazi-Germany.
J'attendrai is the main song in the Arch of Triumph, a 1985 film starring Anthony Hopkins
and Lesley-Anne Down
J'attendrai has also been recorded by the legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt
, and by Tino Rossi
.
The song called J'attendrai by Claude François
is a French version of Reach out I'll be there.
A recording of J'attendrai by Jean Sablon
features in the 2006 motion picture A Good Year
.
The Rina Ketty recording was used at the beginning of the 2007 documentary My Enemy's Enemy, about the life and trial of Klaus Barbie.
Rina Ketty
Rina Ketty , born Rina Pichetto, was a French chanteuse.-Life:Rina Ketty was born Rina Pichetto on 1 March 1911 in Sarzana, Italy. She went to Paris in the 1930s. In 1938 and 1939, she made her breakthrough with songs like Sombreros et mantilles and J'attendrai...
in 1938. It is a translation of the Italian song "Tornerai" (Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
for "You Will Return") composed by Dino Olivieri (music) and Nino Rastelli (lyrics) in 1933; the French lyrics were written by Louis Potérat. The song was also recorded in German under the title "Komm zurück", in Czech as "Věřím vám" and in Polish as "Czekam cię" (with lyrics translated by Andrzej Włast
Andrzej Włast
Andrzej Włast was a Polish Jewish songwriter. He wrote the lyrics for the 1929 hit song "Tango Milonga". He died in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II.-Biography:...
).
Achieving great popularity in its day, the song has since come to be seen as emblematic of the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
RAQUEL BITTON
French singer RAQUEL BITTONRaquel Bitton (singer)
Raquel Bitton is a critically acclaimed French jazz singer and interpreter of Edith Piaf's songs.-Life and career:...
sings Tino Rossi J'ATTENDRAI in her CD "BOLEROS"
Mieczysław Fogg
Polish cover of this song, titled "Czekam cię", with lyrics by Andrzej WłastAndrzej Włast
Andrzej Włast was a Polish Jewish songwriter. He wrote the lyrics for the 1929 hit song "Tango Milonga". He died in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II.-Biography:...
, was recorded twice by Mieczysław Fogg - first recording was made in 1939 and released by Syrena Rekord
Syrena Rekord
Syrena Record was a Polish record company.The company was established in 1904 by Juliusz Fejgenbaum. It took the name of Syrena Rekord in 1908. The company produced gramophone records till the invasion of Poland in 1939. The company's discography includes around 14,000 titles....
under catalog number 2294. Second rendition of this song was recorded about 1961 as a part of medley, and was issued on several LPs.
Dalida
A more recent popular version was recorded by DalidaDalida
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...
for her 1975 album J'attendrai
J'attendrai (album)
-Track listing:# J'attendrai# L'amour à la une# C'est mieux comme ça# Il venait d'avoir 18 ans# Et de l'amour... de l'amour # Ta femme# Ne lui dis pas# Raphaël# Mein lieber herr# Gigi l'amoroso...
. The following year, she covered the song again for her disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
album Coup de chapeau au passé
Coup de chapeau au passé
-Track listing:* La mer* La vie en rose* Maman* Parle-moi d'amour, mon amour * Que reste-t-il de nos amours? * Besame mucho * Les feuilles mortes* J'attendrai* Le petit bonheur...
: that version reached the Dutch charts on February 21, 1976. It spent 4 weeks on the charts and as # 9 in 1 week.
Antonella Ruggiero
A recent version of this song was recorded by Italian singer Antonella RuggieroAntonella Ruggiero
-Biography:Antonella Ruggiero was born in Genoa, Liguria and made her first recording, Io Matia , in 1974. Matia is the stage name under which Antonella Ruggiero officially began her solo career with the first and rare 45 rpm vinyl record, however had already collaborated with the Jet in their LP...
on the album Souvenir d'Italie, published in 2007 , and is currently available on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
.
Vicky Leandros
In 2010 Greek singer Vicky Leandros recorded this song in a new German version titled " Wenn Du Gehst " ( When you leave ) which is included in her album "Zeitlos" ( Timeless )Other artists and usage in popular culture
The Rina KettyRina Ketty
Rina Ketty , born Rina Pichetto, was a French chanteuse.-Life:Rina Ketty was born Rina Pichetto on 1 March 1911 in Sarzana, Italy. She went to Paris in the 1930s. In 1938 and 1939, she made her breakthrough with songs like Sombreros et mantilles and J'attendrai...
recording appears in the German movie Das Boot
Das Boot
Das Boot is a 1981 German epic war film written and directed by Wolfgang Petersen, produced by Günter Rohrbach, and starring Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, and Klaus Wennemann...
or The Boat by Wolfgang Petersen
Wolfgang Petersen
Wolfgang Petersen is a German film director and screenwriter. His films include The NeverEnding Story, Enemy Mine, Outbreak, In the Line of Fire, Air Force One, The Perfect Storm, Troy, and Poseidon...
starring Jürgen Prochnow
Jürgen Prochnow
Jürgen Prochnow is a German actor. His most well-known roles internationally have been as the sympathetic submarine captain in Das Boot , Duke Leto Atreides I in Dune , the minor, but important role of Neo-Stalinist dictator General Ivan Radek in Air Force One and the villain Maxwell Dent in...
. The commander plays it over the intercom shortly after leaving port.
The intro of J'attendrai is also heard in a sleeping quarters of the underground barracks of Fort Eben-Emael
Fort Eben-Emael
Fort Eben-Emael is an inactive Belgian fortress located between Liège and Maastricht, on the Belgian-Dutch border, near the Albert Canal, and designed to defend Belgium from a German attack across the narrow belt of Dutch territory in the region. Constructed in 1931–1935, it was reputed to be...
. The room shows visitors what sleeping quarters of regular soldiers looked like in 1940, when Belgium was attacked by Nazi-Germany.
J'attendrai is the main song in the Arch of Triumph, a 1985 film starring Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
and Lesley-Anne Down
Lesley-Anne Down
Lesley-Anne Down is a British film and television actress, former model and singer.Down achieved fame as Georgina Worsley in the ITV drama series Upstairs, Downstairs...
J'attendrai has also been recorded by the legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt was a pioneering virtuoso jazz guitarist and composer who invented an entirely new style of jazz guitar technique that has since become a living musical tradition within French gypsy culture...
, and by Tino Rossi
Tino Rossi
Tino Rossi 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...
.
The song called J'attendrai by Claude François
Claude François
Claude François was a French pop singer, songwriter and dancer. He wrote "Comme d'habitude," the original version of "My Way."-Early life:...
is a French version of Reach out I'll be there.
A recording of J'attendrai by Jean Sablon
Jean Sablon
Jean Sablon was a popular French singer and actor.The son of a composer, with brothers and sisters who had successful careers of their own in musical entertainment, Jean Sablon studied piano at the Lyceé Charlemagne in Paris...
features in the 2006 motion picture A Good Year
A Good Year
A Good Year is a 2006 British romantic comedy film, set in London and Provence. It was directed by Ridley Scott, with an international cast including Russell Crowe, Marion Cotillard, Didier Bourdon, Abbie Cornish and Albert Finney...
.
The Rina Ketty recording was used at the beginning of the 2007 documentary My Enemy's Enemy, about the life and trial of Klaus Barbie.
External links
- Du Temps des cerises aux Feuilles mortes - Un site sur la chanson française de 1870 à 1945 - audio file of Rina Ketty Version
- J'attendrai as sung by Rina Ketty in the movie Das Boot
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVxl8kpD_mg