Al Di Là
Encyclopedia
"Al di là" is a popular Italian song. "Al di là" was one of Betty Curtis
' biggest hits in Italy. The song was the Italian
entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1961
, performed in Italian
by Curtis at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes
, France
, on March 18, 1961, after Curtis had won the 1961 edition of the Sanremo Festival on February 2, 1961, (from 1958 to 1966, the winner of the Sanremo Festival would automatically represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest).
Internationally, the song is generally connected with Italian-American singer Connie Francis
. Francis recorded the song on October 1, 1962, (two All-Italian versions) and on November 3, 1962, (bilingual version Italian/English). Both All-Italian versions became huge hits in South America and Mexico; and the bilingual version became one of Francis' best selling Italian-flavored recordings in Asia, Europe and the U. S. It remains a favourite in Francis' live concert repertoire to this day, and the bilingual studio version is frequently featured on Greatest Hits compilations.
Other notable recording include Milva
(1961), Ace Cannon
- Sweet and Tough (1966), Jerry Adriani (1996).
English Translation
Note:
English version of the song, not a translation
"Al di là means you are far above me, very far
Betty Curtis
Betty Curtis was an Italian singer active from 1957 to 2004.The song "Al di là" performed by her with Luciano Tajoli won the Sanremo Music Festival in 1961...
' biggest hits in Italy. The song was the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1961
Eurovision Song Contest 1961
The Eurovision Song Contest 1961 was the sixth Eurovision Song Contest. A total of sixteen countries took part in the Contest, including the three debuting countries: Finland, Spain, and Yugoslavia. It was held on 18 March 1961 and was the first to take place on a Saturday night, a tradition that...
, performed in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
by Curtis at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, on March 18, 1961, after Curtis had won the 1961 edition of the Sanremo Festival on February 2, 1961, (from 1958 to 1966, the winner of the Sanremo Festival would automatically represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest).
Internationally, the song is generally connected with Italian-American singer Connie Francis
Connie Francis
Connie Francis is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw...
. Francis recorded the song on October 1, 1962, (two All-Italian versions) and on November 3, 1962, (bilingual version Italian/English). Both All-Italian versions became huge hits in South America and Mexico; and the bilingual version became one of Francis' best selling Italian-flavored recordings in Asia, Europe and the U. S. It remains a favourite in Francis' live concert repertoire to this day, and the bilingual studio version is frequently featured on Greatest Hits compilations.
Covers
- In the United States, Emilio PericoliEmilio PericoliEmilio Pericoli is an Italian singer. He was born in Cesenatico, Romagna.Pericoli's success was closely tied to the Sanremo Festival. He recorded a cover version of the song, "Al di là", by festival winner Betty Curtis. The song was an international success, hitting the charts in the U.S. and #30...
is the artist most associated with the song. He sang "Al Di Là" in the popular 1962 film Rome AdventureRome AdventureRome Adventure, also known as Lovers Must Learn, is a 1962 romantic drama film, based on Irving Fineman's novel. It was directed by Delmer Daves and stars Troy Donahue, Angie Dickenson, and Suzanne Pleshette.-Plot:...
, starring Troy DonahueTroy DonahueTroy Donahue was an American actor, who was active between the late 1950s and late 1990s.-Life and career:...
and Suzanne PleshetteSuzanne PleshetteSuzanne Pleshette was an American actress, on stage, screen and television.After beginning her career in theatre, she began appearing in films in the early 1960s, such as Rome Adventure and Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds...
, and his single that year on Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
reached number six on BillboardBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s pop chart and number three on the easy-listening chart. Pericoli's version ranked #48 on Billboards 1962 Year-End chart. The single also peaked at number-one in MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
- "Al Di Là" was featured in the American film Rome Adventure (1962), performed in a nightclub by Emilio PericoliEmilio PericoliEmilio Pericoli is an Italian singer. He was born in Cesenatico, Romagna.Pericoli's success was closely tied to the Sanremo Festival. He recorded a cover version of the song, "Al di là", by festival winner Betty Curtis. The song was an international success, hitting the charts in the U.S. and #30...
with a small combo. The segment is available on YouTube.com. Pericoli's album version of the song is not the same as in the film. It is much slower and recorded with a full orchestra.
- The Ray Charles Singers scored a 1964 hit, peaking at #29 on Billboard'sBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100 chart with their cover of the song.
- Al Di Là" was written by Carlo Donida, best known in America for writing "Uno Die Tanta," or "I (Who Have Nothing)," a Top 40hit for Ben E. King in 1963 and Tom Jones in 1970. In the film Rome Adventure, Troy Donahue's character interprets the title "Al Di Là" as meaning "Beyond the Beyond."
- Al MartinoAl MartinoAl Martino was an American singer and actor. He had his greatest success as a singer between the early 1950s and mid 1970s, being described as "one of the great Italian American pop crooners", and also became well known as an actor, particularly for his role as singer Johnny Fontane in The...
, who would later play the fictional crooner Johnny Fontaine in the 1974 film The GodfatherThe GodfatherThe Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
, recorded "Al Di Là" in Italian on his 1963 album, The Italian Voices of Al Martino album (Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
).
- Sergio FranchiSergio FranchiSergio Franchi was an Italian tenor.Franchi was born in Cremona, Italy. His father wanted him to become an electrical engineer, so he studied both music and engineering simultaneously. The family moved to South Africa in 1952, where Sergio worked part-time as a draftsman, while continuing to study...
is another Italian-American singer associated with this popular song. He recorded on his 1968 RCA Victor album, Wine and Song. Franchi also sang the song on the December 26, 1964 broadcast of The Hollywood PalaceThe Hollywood PalaceThe Hollywood Palace is an hour-long American television variety show that was broadcast weekly on ABC from January 4, 1964 to February 7, 1970. It began as a mid-season replacement for the short-lived Jerry Lewis Show, another variety show which had lasted only three months...
.
Other notable recording include Milva
Milva
Maria Ilva Biolcati , known as Milva, is an Italian singer, actress and television personality. She is also known as 'La Rossa', , due to the colour of her hair, and additionally as the 'Panther of Goro', which stems from the Italian press having nicknamed the three most popular Italian female...
(1961), Ace Cannon
Ace Cannon
John "Ace" Cannon is an American tenor and alto saxophonist. He played and toured with Hi Records stablemate Bill Black’s Combo, and started a solo career with his record "Tuff" in 1961, using the Black combo as his backing group. "Tuff" hit #17 on the U.S...
- Sweet and Tough (1966), Jerry Adriani (1996).
Lyrics
Italian lyrics- Non credevo possibile,
- Se potessero dire queste parole:
- Al di là del bene più prezioso, ci sei tu.
- Al di là del sogno più ambizioso, ci sei tu.
- Al di là delle cose più belle.
- Al di là delle stelle, ci sei tu.
- Al di là, ci sei tu per me, per me, soltanto per me.
- Al di là del mare più profondo, ci sei tu.
- Al di là dei limiti del mondo, ci sei tu.
- Al di là della volta infinita, al di là della vita.
- Ci sei tu, al di la, ci sei tu per me.
English Translation
- I did not believe
- I could ever say these words:
- Beyond the most precious, that's where you are.
- Beyond the most ambitious, that's where you are.
- Beyond the most beautiful,
- Beyond the stars, that's where you are.
- Beyond everything, that's where you are for me, for me, just for me.
- Beyond the deepest sea, that's where you are.
- Beyond the limits of the world, that's where you are.
- Beyond infinite time, beyond life.
- That's where you are, beyond everything, that's where you are for me."
Note:
- Al di là = Beyond
- Ci sei tu = you are there - in this case, "ci" means there, in that place.
- Più means more (più bello di... = more beautiful than)
English version of the song, not a translation
"Al di là means you are far above me, very far
- Al di là, as distant as the lovely evening star
- Where you walk flowers bloom
- When you smile all the gloom turns to sunshine
- And my heart opens wide
- When you're gone it fades inside and seems to have died
- Al di là, I wondered as I drifted where you were
- Al di là, the fog around me lifted, there you were
- In the kiss that I gave was the love I had saved for a lifetime
- Then I knew all of you was completely mine."