Singing in italian with toto cotugno

[Gala Placidia]

Toto Cutugno was born in Fosdinovo (Tuscany) of a Sicilian father and a Tuscan mother and he has created some wonderful songs, very easy to learn and to practice your Italian. Here you have one of his greatest hits with the lyrics. It was a big success at the San Remo Festival back in 1983, but it is still a great song:

YouTube - L'italiano ( l asciatemi cantare ) Toto...

[juliancoll]

Cutugno won the San Remo festival in 1980 with "Solo noi". Everyone laughs whenever I pronounce his surname. Anyway, he's a great musician (especially drums) and a nice guy. Here's the vidclip from 1980 - how young he looks here. You will recognise the song when you hear it.

YouTube - Toto Cutugno Solo Noi

[Gala Placidia]

Yes, I love his songs. I always have his CD playing when we are driving to Italy. I think I made a mistake with the spelling of his name by following what appeared on youtube. It is Cutugno, isn't it?
Anyway, the one I also like a lot is the 1990 Eurovision winner, "Insieme".

YouTube - Eurovision 1990 Italy Toto Cutugno -...

For those interested in the lyrics, here you are:

Insieme, unite, unite, Europe

Con te, così lontano e diverso
Con te, amico che credevo perso
Io e te, sotto lo stesso sogno
Insieme, unite, unite, Europe

E per te, donna senza frontiere
Per te, sotto le stesse bandiere
Io e te, sotto lo stesso cielo
Insieme, unite, unite, Europe

Sempre più liberi noi
Non è più un sogno e non sei più da solo
Sempre più in alto noi
Dammi una mano che prendiamo il volo
L’Europa non è lontana
C’è una canzone italiana per voi
Insieme, unite, unite, Europe

Per noi, nel cielo mille violini
Per noi, amori senza confini
Io e te, sotto gli stessi ideali, mmm…
Insieme, unite, unite, Europe

Sempre più liberi noi
Non è più un sogno e noi non siamo più soli
Sempre più uniti noi
Dammi una mano e vedrai che voli
L’Europa non è lontana
C’è una canzone italiana per voi
Insieme, unite, unite, Europe

Sempre più liberi noi
(Sempre più liberi)
Le nostre stelle, una bandiera sola
Sempre più forti noi
(Sempre più forti)
Dammi una mano e vedrai si vola
L’Europa non è lontana
C’è una canzone italiana per voi
Insieme, unite, unite, Europe

L’Europa non è lontana
C’è una canzone italiana per voi
Insieme, unite, unite, Europe

[juliancoll]

I've always spelt it as Cutugno - but that doesn't mean I'm right. I'll ask Sally - she'll know.

[Persephone]

Gala, thank you for waking up the Tuscany section from its heated swimming pool slumber and, by a Eurovision Song Contest Winner, no less!

But seriously, I have often wondered what on earth has happened to Italy’s participation in the Eurovision Song contest?? Is it because the San Remo festival is more important?

[juliancoll]

No Persephone. Italy has decided not to take part in the Eurovision since 1997 (?) as they said it cost too much to host it and didn't think it worthwhile. I know people take the mick out of the San Remo festival but it is quite spectacular and very much loved by most Italians - even if they will never admit to it.

[Gala Placidia]

As you like his songs, here is another one not as well known as "L'Italiano" and "Insieme". He is singing it during a festival in Russia in the 80's.
This is why you will be a bit surprised by the introduction.

Toto Cutugno - Francesca non sa - Bands.tv

[Carole B]

Originally Posted by juliancoll

No Persephone. Italy has decided not to take part in the Eurovision since 1997 (?) as they said it cost too much to host it and didn't think it worthwhile. I know people take the mick out of the San Remo festival but it is quite spectacular and very much loved by most Italians - even if they will never admit to it.

I knew about the 'cost' agument being a reason for their absences. There were several short periods when they didn't attend before their final withdrawal in the late 90's (was it 1997?). But friends in Italy were totally convinced that the final straw was the one that many have complained about - the partisanship of the voting...

Even more so once the number of countries increased to include ex Soviet bloc and now even 'ex- european' countries too. Some countries could have entered a singing goldfish and it would (and often did ) attract more votes than some others - noticeably the UK and Italy who, I'm convinced were loathed because of their numerous early successes.

Oh - and BTW - I'm one of those who never watches the San Remo contest!
As if I ever would....

[Gala Placidia]

Some countries are very upset about the voting of the East European countries. Spain is always saying that they are considering withdrawing from the contest.... but they keep on going to it. And it is true that the UK and I would add France get very few votes, no matter how good their artists are.

[sdoj]

"Nel blu dipinto di blu" was Italy's 1958 Euorovision entry, written and sung by Domenico Modugno.
Domenico Modugno's recording of this song was the first Grammy winner for Record of the Year (1958). It is also the only foreign-language recording (sung entirely in Italian) to take this top honour.

Penso che un sogno così non ritorni mai più
mi dipingevo le mani e la faccia di blu
poi d'improvviso venivo dal vento rapito
e incominciavo a volare nel cielo infinito

Volare oh, oh
cantare oh, oh
nel blu dipinto di blu
felice di stare lassù
e volavo, volavo felice più in alto del sole
ed ancora più su
mentre il mondo pian piano spariva lontano laggiù
una musica dolce suonava soltanto per me

Volare oh, oh
cantare oh, oh
nel blu dipinto di blu
felice di stare lassù
ma tutti i sogni nell'alba svaniscon perché
quando tramonta la luna li porta con sé
ma io continuo a sognare negli occhi tuoi belli
che sono blu come un cielo trapunto di stelle

Volare oh, oh
cantare oh, oh
nel blu degli occhi tuoi blu
felice di stare quaggiù
e continuo a volare felice più in alto del sole
ed ancora più su
mentre il mondo pian piano scompare negli occhi tuoi blu
la tua voce è una musica dolce che suona per me

Volare oh, oh
cantare oh, oh
nel blu degli occhi tuoi blu
felice di stare quaggiù
nel blu degli occhi tuoi blu
felice di stare quaggiù
con te