Golden Era singer, who rejected Frank Sinatra, was forbidden from marrying the love of her life; he died at 37, none of her 4 marriages lasted

Indian Express

18-07-2025

The world of music suffered a great loss on 17 July, as the nightingale of the 50s and 60s, Connie Francis, tragically passed away at the age of 87. An artiste who saw her music resurrected through the power of the internet just months before taking her final exit. She helped shape an entire generation's idea of love and companionship, but in reality, Connie Francis, the woman who left Frank Sinatra waiting at a table, could never find true love for herself, at least not the kind that stayed. However, there was once a time when Connie could picture someone while singing her ballads, for there was a man that she loved but ultimately couldn't be with.
Connie grew up in an Italian/Jewish neighbourhood, and right from her childhood, her father pushed her to be a performer. She has talked about her difficult relationship with him in her memoir 'Among My Souvenirs' and admitted that even though he was always supportive of her career, he sometimes did too much in the quest of making her successful. While coming up the ranks, Connie met Bobby Darin, a young chap, who, according to what she told Closer, 'was the smartest man she had ever met.' What bloomed into the greatest love affair of her life started off on shaky ground.
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Connie and Bobby started writing music together, and one day he came to her with a new song. Francis in turn gave some notes and made some changes to the lyrics, which made Bobby furious. Even though he left angry, he would soon return after accepting the changes, and that was the foundation of their relationship. The two penniless lovers were both trying to make it in the cut-throat business, but Darin had a clock constantly ticking over his head. When he was a child, multiple infections and rheumatic fever rendered his heart weak. The doctors told Bobby that he wouldn't live long, and that is why, according to Connie, he wanted to be a star before he was 25. The clock might be the reason why Bobby even proposed marriage early in their relationship, but Connie refused because she wanted them to be successful before leaping into matrimony.
Both of them would soon start finding work, as Bobby became a regular in several famous nightclubs and Connie became an overnight sensation with her song 'Who's Sorry Now?' As more fame and success started falling into their laps, the love grew, but it wasn't meant to last. Connie's father had the final say in all the decisions she made regarding her career and her life, and he did not approve of Bobby. Her father would even go on to pull a gun on Bobby and tell him to leave the studio where she was rehearsing. Connie admitted that she was afraid for Bobby and thought that her father's actions could affect his already weak heart. She decided to listen to her father and keep her distance, but the two still kept in touch through letters. However, Connie's father made it impossible for the two to maintain this relationship, and they would soon part ways.
Bobby went on to write several chart-breaking songs, win two Grammys and even get an Oscar nomination. His condition caught up with him though, and he ultimately passed away at the age of 37. Connie would go on to reject many suitors, including the famous crooner Frank Sinatra, who she reportedly left alone at a table after he used some foul language in front of her. She got married four times, and her longest was with Joseph Garzilli, which lasted for 5 years. It is quite possible that Bobby would have passed away around the same time, even if he married Connie like he wanted to, but she would definitely have had a much smoother life with the love of her life, considering all the horrors that she faced, including her father's death, her brother's murder, and the ghastly motel incident. Ironically, the woman who inspired the people of her generation to love and introduced her kind of old-school affection to this generation never found love for herself. But she will be remembered dearly, and all her fans, new and old, will hope that she is once again united with the one that got away.