Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Now that I have finally read Alice's L'Unica via d'uscita é dentro biography, or rather her professional biography as it is very much based on her career and albums rather than her personal life, I can also reveal to those who haven't read it what she thinks about her and Franco Battiato's joint Eurovision song contest adventure in 1984. It's no secret she's not a fan of competitions and festivals. She writes (freely translated): "The year 1984 had been so far very satisfying professionally and marked by two duets. First with German songwriter Stefan Waggershausen and Zu nah am Feur that sold in Germany and other countries over 1,5 million copies and the adorable I treni di Tozeur with Franco Battiato that EMI, our label wanted to send us to Eurofestival with, the poppiest festival in Europe or maybe in the world.  Neither of us was very convinced but decided to play the game. We took it very lightly, as a trip or a little holiday. Zero anxiety, expect...

  La cura . A song written by Franco Battiato and Manlio Sgalambro and released in 1996. For him it sold double platinum, was awarded The Song of the Year and later was voted the Best love song of all time by the Italian public. He also recorded it in Spanish and later in 2010 recorded a charity version with many other artists. It has also been covered by artists like Massimo Ranieri , Adriano Celentano , Fiorella Mannoia , Noemi , Greg Castiglioni (in English), Loredana Errore and of course her muse and Alter Ego Alice. She first sung it live and it was included in her Lungo la strada live album, and then her homage album Eri con me. Her performance of the song in the Battiato tributo concert after his death was one of the most touching moments of the night.  The lyrics are just too beautiful to just cite a little bit so here's a longer bit of them... Ti proteggerò dalle paure delle ipocondrie Dai turbamenti che da oggi incontrerai per la tua via Dalle ingiustizie e dagli ...

Chan-son egocentrique was the first Alice and Franco Battiato duet, first appearing in her 1982 Azimut album being its third single and major hit written by Battiato with Francesco Messina and Tommaso Tramonti. Battiato himself later recorded it as a solo effort in his 1985 album Mondi lontanissimi . Alice herself re-recorded the song with Bluvertigo for her Personal Jukebox in 2000. And again for Eri con me hommage to late Battiato in 2022. There's also a 1994 remix around. One of those Alice wasn't fond of and left EMI after a court case that she won making all copies disappear from shops.  Chi sono, dove sono quando sono assente di me? Da dove vengo, dove vado? Who am I, where am I when I am absent from myself? Where do I come from, where am I going?

  After Eurovision song contest 1984 with Franco Battiato and songs co-written and produced by him Alice decided to cover an album full of his songs but this time Battiato himself wan't involved in production at all. The songs in Gioielli rubati aka Stolen jewels are from 1979-1983 from Battiato's million selling hit era and very well known in Italy but Alice managed to make most of them her own and these days some songs are better known as her versions, like Prospettiva Nevski, a song he released in his 1980 album Patriots . Her version became her biggest hit since Sanremo 1981 winner Per Elisa and further cemented her success in Northern and German speaking Europe. The album features strings throughout my Milan's world famous La Scala opera house.  In their joint tour and live album in 2016 they sung the song in duet. And again on her 2022 Eri con me hommage to late Battiato.  E il mio maestro mi insegnò com'è difficile trovare l'alba Dentro l'imbrunire E il m...

In 1988 Alice released a very special album, based on her live performances at the time in churches and other places far from the pop world. I fondly cherish the concert I attended in Rome's Basilica di Santa Maria in Ara Coeli. In Mélodie passagère she sung songs by Eric Satie, Gabriel Fauré and Maurice Ravel. She's accompanied by Michele Fedrigotti on piano. I have always loved Fauré's Pie Jesus (Messe de Requiem op.48) that Alice gives a majestic performance singing in Latin of course. The song reappears on her God is my Dj album in 1999.  Pie Jesu Domine Dona eis Dona eis sempiternam requiem Sempiternam requiem Lord Jesus Give it to them Give them eternal rest Eternal rest

Dimmi di si is the opening track of her Exit album in 1998, and it's third single. Written by Alice alone it has always been a favorite of mine. It's also included in the 2000 compilation album Personal jukebox. Dimmi di sì Amore abbracciami toglimi dall'oblio. E sei nell'aria che respiro Tell me yes Love hug me take me from oblivion. And you are in the air I breathe

To honor and remember Giuni Russo who passed away 20 years ago today's pick is Alice's cover of a song in Napoletan Giuni Russo and Maria Antonietta Sisini composed to a poem by Totò. The song first appeared recorded on Giuni's album Napoli che canta in 2004, five months before her passing. Alice later took it to her repertoire and it appears first on her 2009 live album Lungo la strada, and then in her 2012 studio album Samsara.  Tu si 'a cchiù bella cosa Ca tene stu paese Tu si comm' a na rosa Rosa rosa maggese You are the most beautiful thing that has this country You are like a rose Rose fallow rose

Well, Alice may not want to remember this, but anyways it's part of her artistic path and she has come a long long way from this, her first Sanremo participation, still as Carla Bissi. Actually it was her return to Sanremo as already in 1965 she took part there to Festival international dei ragazzi at 11. In between she had won Castrocaro's festival for new voices in 1971 thus earning ticket to Sanremo 1972. Il mio cuore se ne va, written by Remo Memigi and Spiker,  goes nowhere and is eliminated from the final 14. However the same year she has more luck in Venice winning Gondola d'argento with La festa mia. She has admitted the musical style offered for her wan't for her liking (or public's clearly) and luckily she went on to write her own songs in coming years and the rest is history. However there's a curious coincidence with the lyrics, "nata ieri"..... Ma il mio cuore se ne va Come fosse nato ieri  Cerca un posto che non c'è But my heart goes ...