Lita Roza

Lilian Patricia Roza (14 March 1926 – 14 August 2008) was an English singer best known for her 1953 recording "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?", which reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart.

Early life Lilian Patricia Roza was born in Liverpool on 14 March 1926, the eldest of seven children to Francis Vincent Roza, a Spanish-born marine engineer and part-time musician, and Elizabeth Anne Roza, who was English.

Career At the age of 12, she saw an advert in the local newspaper for juvenile dancers and passed the audition. By the time she was 15, was working with the comedian and fellow Merseysider Ted Ray. A year later, she answered an advertisement and got a job as a singer in the "New Yorker" club in Southport for £5 per week. Soon afterwards she signed up with the Harry Roy Orchestra in London, moving on to work with other bands of the era, including that of Edmundo Ros. She appeared as a lounge singer in the 1955 film Cast a Dark Shadow, where she sang "Leave Me Alone".

Roza's "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?", a cover version of Patti Page's original, was the peak of her career, topping the UK Singles Chart. Her covers of the songs "Hey There" and "Jimmy Unknown" became minor hits in the mid-1950s.

She remained a top UK recording artist during the remainder of the 1950s and was voted the Top British Female Singer in the New Musical Express poll winners' charts from 1951 to 1955. Melody Maker readers also voted her its Top Girl Singer in the dance band section of the poll in 1951 and 1952.

On 28 November 2002, she gave her last public performance on Radio Merseyside. In 1956, Roza wed trumpet player Ronnie Hughes, a member of Ted Heath's orchestra; the marriage ultimately dissolved, though the couple maintained a friendly relationship and experienced occasional reconciliations thereafter.

Elton John said that "we just don't make singers like Lita Roza anymore".

Discography Singles 1951 "Allentown Jail" / "I Wish I Knew" 1951 "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" / "A Wonderful Guy" 1952 "My Very Good Friend – The Milkman" / "Colonel Bogey" 1952 "Oakie Boogie" / "Raminay" 1952 "Love, Where Are You Now?" / "High Noon" 1953 "Return To Paradise" / "Tell Me We'll Meet Again" (London 45-1349) 1953 "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?" / "Tell Me We'll Meet Again" – UK No. 1 1953 "Seven Lonely Days" / "No-one Will Ever Know" 1953 "Crazy Man, Crazy" / "Oo! What You Do to Me" 1954 "Changing Partners" / "Just A Dream or Two Ago" 1954 "Make Love to Me" / "Bell Bottom Blues" 1954 "Secret Love" / "Young at Heart" 1954 "Skinnie Minnie (Fishtail)" / "My Kid Brother" 1954 "Call off the Wedding" / "The 'Mama Doll' Song" 1954 "Smile" / "Love is a Beautiful Stranger" 1955 "Heartbeat" / "Leave Me Alone" 1955 "Let Me Go Lover" / "Make Yourself Comfortable" 1955 "Tomorrow" / "Foolishly" 1955 "Two Hearts, Two Kisses (Make One Love)" / "Keep Me in Mind" 1955 "The Man in the Raincoat" / "Today and Ev'ry Day" 1955 "Hey There" / "Hernando's Hideaway" – UK No. 17 1956 "Jimmy Unknown" / "The Rose Tattoo" – UK No. 15 1956 "Too Young to Go Steady" / "You're Not Alone" 1956 "Love Where Are You Now" / "Why Don't You Believe Me?" 1956 "If Someone Had Told Me" / "Have You Heard?" 1956 "No Time for Tears" / "But Love Me (Love but Me)" 1956 "Innismore" / "The Last Waltz" 1956 "Hey! Jealous Lover" / "Julie" 1957 "Lucky Lips" / "Tears Don't Care Who Cries Them" 1957 "Tonight My Heart She Is Crying" / "Five Oranges Four Apples" 1957 "I Need You" / "You've Changed" 1958 "Pretend You Don't See Him" / "Ha-Ha-Ha!" 1958 "I Need Somebody" / "You're the Greatest" 1958 "I Could Have Danced All Night" / "The Wonderful Season of Love" 1958 "Sorry, Sorry, Sorry" / "Hillside in Scotland" 1958 "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)" / "It's a Boy" 1959 "This Is My Town" / "Oh Dear What Can the Matter Be" 1959 "Allentown Jail" / "Once in a While" 1959 "Let It Rain, Let It Rain" / " Maybe You'll Be There" 1965 "What Am I Supposed to Do" / "Where Do I Go from Here" 1965 "Keep Watch Over Him" / "Stranger Things Have Happened" EPs 1956 Lita Roza 1956 Love-ly Lita Roza Sings 1957 Lita Roza 1957 Lita Roza No. 2 1958 Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea Albums 1955 Listening in the After-Hours 1956 Love Is the Answer 1956 Lita Roza 1957 Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea 1958 Me on a Carousel 1960 Drinka Lita Roza Day recorded on 4 May 1960 Film

Cast a Dark Shadow - Lounge singer

Compilations

The Best of Lita Roza (CD, 2007)