Un'estate al mare (song)

"Un'estate al mare"
Single by Giuni Russo
from the album Energie (re-release)
B-side"Bing Bang Being"
Released1982
GenrePop, New wave
Length3:16
LabelCGD / Ariola
Songwriter(s)Franco Battiato, Giusto Pio
Giuni Russo singles chronology
"Una vipera sarò"
(1981) 		"Un'estate al mare"
(1982) 		"Good Goodbye"
(1982)
Music video
"Un'estate al mare" on YouTube

"Un'estate al mare" (lit. 'A summer at the beach') is a 1982 song written by Franco Battiato and Giusto Pio and performed by Giuni Russo.

Background

Following the tepid reception of the Battiato-produced Russo's previous album Energie, Battiato, who was fresh from the massive success of the album La voce del padrone, decided to pen a more commercial song for Russo to push her career.[1]

Lyrics

The song tells the story of a prostitute dreaming to take a break from her job to go on a vacation.[2][3] Originally the lyrics were more sexually explicit, as they included the word "erezioni" ('erections'), later modified in "illusioni" ('illusions').[4]

Reception

The song entered the 1982 Festivalbar, winning the Disco Verde competition.[5] It proved to be a major hit and became Russo's signature song, even if it tied Russo to the unwanted stereotype of an easy pop songs performer;[1][6] Russo, who was interested to a more mature and sophisticated repertoire, ended up to refuse to perform the song for years.[1]

Cover versions

Paloma San Basilio covered the song in Spanish with the title "Unas vacaciones".[5] Artists who covered the song also include Cecilia Gayle [it], Marvin, and Federica Abbate with Selton [it].[7][8]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Un'estate al mare"Franco Battiato, Giusto Pio3:16
2."Bing Bang Being"Giuni Russo, Maria Antonietta Sisini, Tommaso Tramonti3:04

Charts

Chart (1981) Peak position
Italy (Musica e dischi)[9] 2

References

  1. ^ a b c Guaitamacchi, Ezio (14 January 2011). "Un'estate al mare". 1000 canzoni che ci hanno cambiato la vita. Rizzoli. ISBN 978-8858617427.
  2. ^ Savà, Giuseppe (5 August 2020). "Un'estate al mare. Battiato: solitudine di una prostituta". RagusaNews (in Italian). Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Giuni Russo: ecco come nacque Un'estate al mare". Radio Monte Carlo. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Giuni Russo "Un'estate al mare" compie 40 anni". Newsic.it (in Italian). 1 June 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b Spessato, Carla (20 October 2021). "Da Un'estate al mare a Chanson Ego-centrique". Franco Battiato: Come un incantesimo (in Italian). Giunti. ISBN 978-88-09-95527-1.
  6. ^ Deregibus, Enrico (2006). Dizionario completo della canzone italiana. Giunti. p. 411. ISBN 978-88-09-04602-3.
  7. ^ Donvito, Nico (15 August 2019). "Cecilia Gayle: "Mi piace l'idea di regalare un sorriso a chi mi ascolta"". Recensiamo Musica (in Italian). Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  8. ^ "Covers of Un'estate Al Mare". WhoSampled. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 29 May 2023. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Titolo" field, search "Un'estate al mare".