The Singing Nun: One-Hit Wonder
If you are of a ‘certain age’, you can’t help but remember the Singing Nun.
A one-hit wonder, the Singing Nun became famous in 1964 for her #1 hit song “Dominique.” If my sister played that record one more time, I was gonna clobber her.
The Singing Nun was from Belgium and had a real name. It was Jeanine Deckers. Soon after her song took the world by storm, she retreated from the spotlight. It was all too much for her. Did you know that she came to a tragic end? She did. She committed suicide in 1985.
Relive your Singing Nun moments by watching this vintage Ed Sullivan video.
February 6th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
No kidding, I never knew that about the Singing Nun. You really don’t think of a nun — any nun — committing a mortal sin like that.
February 6th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
I remember that song. I liked it the first time. ONLY.
February 6th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Mad: See the amazing things you can learn at The Boomer Chronicles?
Lisa: Totally.
February 6th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
I’m so sad to hear this. Seour Sourire committed suicide. How much pain she must have been in and how despairing.
February 6th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
That is so incredibly sad. I loved that song (like your sister, I’m sure i drove everyone crazy, but it was such a happy song.) And now to hear that she committed a mortal sin in the eyes of the church…
February 7th, 2007 at 12:37 am
Oh no. Did you read the lyrics?
February 7th, 2007 at 9:46 pm
I also remember the Nun that sang….sorry she died the way she did…I went to Catholic school for 8 years….I had my fill of nuns…good and bad!
February 8th, 2007 at 9:46 am
Hattie: I haven’t read the lyrics. I better go do that.
Just to clear up one thing, by the time The Singing Nun committed suicide she had already left the church a long time before.
February 8th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
I was only 3 when the song came out, Rhea, so I don’t remember it directly but I do have some early memories of the TV show and the adorable Sally Fields. I saw the movie as well but that was long after it was released.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
I think the Flying Nun was an attempt to capitalize on the Singing Nun phenomenon. (And it was a phenomenon.)
Can you confirm or deny?
February 9th, 2007 at 8:37 am
Okay, so now I can’t get the song out of my head.
February 9th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
Liz: I know! Curses! I have it in my head, too. Aarrrggghhh!
February 9th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Utenzi and Curm: The movie was based on the real nun’s life, but she rejected it as fiction.
February 12th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
The real Test of a “Boomer”–do you have “Dominique” on your I-pod?
(We have at least two versions–one by the nun plus an instrumental version)
February 12th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Vancojo: First, we have to see how many have I-pods.
February 13th, 2007 at 11:24 am
If you don’t have an i-Pod you are stuck with the music that your oldies station tells you was the music of your childhood. After a while you hear those songs so often you begin to believe it. But get an ipod and you can
include Harry Belafonte and Chad and Dean and stuff you’ll never get on FM. (I’m a decade so older than 40 something, as you might guess).
February 13th, 2007 at 11:30 am
Woops!! Senior moment. I meant to say Jan and Dean. (Chad and Jeremy were another act altogether) Sorry!!
July 14th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Being of french canadian descent I loved the song.
I am a christian and I feel deeply saddened and empathetic toward this woman who was obviously in my mind a very deep thinking human being who struggled with her feelings. Jesus christ tells us to judge not lest you be judged.