CONNIE FRANCIS: "MISIRLOU" (1965)

I created this video slide show a couple of years ago and it has been "ripped" by others and posted. I guess I'm flattered that somebody else would want the video and want to pass it off as his own. The important thing is to promote the wonderful music of Connie Francis. (Hopefully, this original one will stay up for a while!) And as with all the other videos I post, it is for enjoyment only - not embedding and not for sale.

The track is from Connie's superlative 1965 MGM LP, "Connie Francis Sings the All-Time International Hits." A remarkable arrangement - and fabulous performance, ending in a stunning high note. (Photos and LP track are from my personal collection.)

The original American and international hit was a surfer style instrumental by Dick Dale that is still considered one of the top rock-n-roll records of all time.

FROM WIKIPEDIA: "The Greek word Misirlou refers specifically to a Muslim Egyptian woman (as opposed to a Christian Egyptiotissa); thus this song refers to a cross-faith, cross-race, relationship, a risqué subject at its time. . .
The song was rearranged as a solo instrumental guitar piece by Dick Dale in 1962. Dale's father and uncles were Lebanese-American musicians who were a part of the aforementioned ethnic nightclub scene. Although they were Arab, they, like other performers, played the music of all the main cultures which made up the nightclub patrons—that included Greek music and Misirlou. During a performance, Dale was bet by a young fan that he could not play a song on only one string of his guitar. Later that night, he remembered seeing his uncle play "Misirlou" on one string (actually a double string) of the oud. He tried to imitate that style on his guitar, but vastly increased the song's tempo to make it into rock'n'roll, and the result was the famous Dick Dale "Miserlou". It was Dale's version that introduced "Misirlou" to a wider audience in the United States as "Miserlou."

The song's oriental melody has been so popular for so long that many people, from Morocco to Iran, claim it to be a folk song from their own country. In fact, in the realm of Middle Eastern music, the song is a very simplistic one, since it is little more than going up and down the scale of Makam Hijaz Kar (E-F-G#-A-B-C-D#).

The Beach Boys recorded a Dale-inspired "Miserlou" for the 1963 album Surfin' USA, forever making "Miserlou" a staple of American pop culture. Hundreds of recordings have been made to date, by performers as diverse as Agent Orange and Connie Francis."

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[janknuckey]

If you get a minute check out Connie singing Siboney ! Magical.....

Or I will wait for you.....heavenly !!!

[AConnieChannel]

@janknuckey I have both of those recordings and I totally agree - both are heavenly and magical! Thanks for writing!  Happy New Year! - Ken

[CHASxWILSON]

No one quite like her. One of my favorite tunes and she nailed it. I remember there once was a recording of her doing Malaguena. I've looked for it but have only found (an excellent) live recording that she did. Is my memory deceiving me, or did she in fact record Malaguena in the studio once?

[AConnieChannel]

@CHASxWILSON Hi there! Your memory is correct! She did record that song on her 1959 LP, "Connie Francis Sings Spanish and Latin American Favorites." I think it is uploaded on You Tube somewhere. If not, I'll share it with you.

[MelissaTicky]

First record i ever bought was Connie... First cassette i ever bought greatest hits Connie Francis, she was also my first CD.

I love her voice i wish i could sing like her.

[AConnieChannel]

@MelissaTicky You have great taste! She truly is a fantastic singer! Thanks for "tuning in" to my channel and I hope you'll subscribe. Thanks!

[natalianiarchou]

The greek one is better!! after all is the original one!! i like this one 2 tho

but nothing is like the original! ;)

[kostaras2]

The best version of all.

[Shrinksjp]

@CHASxWILSON Malaguena was a top 40 hit for Connie.

[Shrinksjp]

@CHASxWILSON The studio version of Malaguena is on youtube.

[Shrinksjp]

@CHASxWILSON It was also a top 40 hit for Connie.

[blackvegar]

@ConfusedSponge excuse me for sounding a little hipster when I say this, but isn't the cheesy sound what makes it so great? Its not as blatantly meaningful as the 40s tried to be, but the 60s were a lot more fun!

[lilbitnga]

Love it!

[chev6art]

@AConnieChannel I like Connie, too, but I like Dick Dale's version of this song. But Connie made me realise that there are English lyrics....but translated from a Biblical era dialect. (lol)

[ConfusedSponge]

I'm sorry, but fuck 60s Pop! This song is way too fast and raunchy. The tempo is all wrong. This is supposed to be a sentimental and poetic song and they ruined it by making it cheesy. If some 40s Traditional Pop lady singer did this, it would be brilliant and heavenly!