- J'attendrai is the French version of the Italian song Tornerai, with music by Dino Olivieri and Italian lyrics by Nino Rastelli, written in 1936 and said to be inspired by Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.
- The French lyrics were written by Louis Poterat, and the song was first recorded in 1938 by Rina Ketty, becoming a major wartime tune in France as a love song about waiting for peace and liberation.
- The tune spread across Europe in many forms, including instrumental versions by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli in 1938, and it was adapted into other languages and English versions after the war.
- Dalida recorded a version for her 1975 album J'attendrai and released a single in 1976; this disco arrangement is considered France’s first disco hit, topping the charts in France and Wallonia and performing well in other markets.
- The song has been widely covered by gypsy jazz ensembles and pop artists—examples include Raffaella Carrà, Jill Barber, and Antonella Ruggiero—and has appeared in films such as Das Boot, underscoring its enduring international appeal.
