Connie Francis, the immensely popular mid-century pop singer known for teary ballads exemplified by “Who’s Sorry Now?” and jaunty, infectious near-novelty records “Stupid Cupid” and “Vacation,” died Wednesday. She was 87.
Her statement was announced on Facebook by her publicist and longtime friend Ron Roberts. A cause was not disclosed, but Francis was recently hospitalized in Florida where she reported “extreme pain” after suffering a fractured hip.
In today’s post, Roberts writes: “It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that i inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night. I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news. More details will follow later.”
Francis’ heyday was the late 1950s to the mid-1960s, when she scored 35 Top 40 and 16 Top 10 hits, placing three in the top spot: “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool,” “My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own” and “Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You.” From 1960-65 she appeared in four lighthearted comedy films beginning with the Spring Break classic Where the Boys Are, named after her Top 5 1961 hit.
Among her other best-known songs are “Lipstick on Your Collar” and its B-side “Frankie,” “My Happiness,” “Mama,” Breakin’ in a Brand New Broken Heart,” “Second Hand Love,” “Never on Sunday” and “Vacation.” Francis never scored a Grammy nomination, but she performed on the ceremony during her early-’60s heyday.
She also had a pair of Top 10 LPs in 1960 with Italian Favorites and More Italian Favorites. Never on Sunday peaked at No. 11 the following year, and she also had a hit Christmas album in 1963. Her compilation disc from that year, The Very Best of Connie Francis, is certified Gold.
In a surprising late-in-life turn, Francis recently enjoyed a revival of interest when her 1962 song “Pretty Little Baby” went viral on TikTok, with the singer suddenly gaining a huge profile among a new generation of fans (watch a video for the song below). Francis even has a presence on one of Broadway’s biggest new hits: Just in Time, starring Jonathan Groff as Bobby Darin, features Francis as a character (she and Darin had a relationship in the 1950s). Portrayed by the Tony-nominated Gracie Lawrence, the Francis character gets a fair share of moments in the spotlight including performances of her songs “Who’s Sorry Now” and “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool.”
Born Concetta Franconero to working-class parents in Newark on December 12, 1938, Francis was playing the accordion by age 3. She began performing for local churches and other gatherings shortly thereafter, and by 11 was appearing on local television shows and then the national Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour and Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts.
Unlike so many child stars of the age, Francis developed into a grown-up star with her adult heartbreak songs like “Who’s Sorry Now?” and “Lipstick on Your Collar.”
Tragedy struck in 1974 when Francis was attacked and raped by a stranger in her hotel room following a performance at the Westbury Music Fair in Westbury, NY. It happened just as the 1950s/early ’60s nostalgia wave revived the careers of so many of her contemporaries, but she largely withdrew from public view for years after. She detailed her ordeal in the 1984 autobiography, Who’s Sorry Now? She eventually would return to performing live, often in Las Vegas. She officially retired in 2018.
Francis is survived by son, Joey Garzilli, whom she and then-husband Joseph Garzilli adopted.
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