Massara — Margherita (1979)

Today we’ve got a special double feature — one song, two ways. The first (and original) track is the Italian dancefloor hit ‘Margherita,’ aka ‘Daisy’… which repackages the “he loves me, he loves me not” children’s rhyme into an orgiastic italo-disco blow-out.

The genius behind this anthem was Pino Massara, an Italian composer and producer who wrote songs for some of the leading men and ladies of Italian music—Mina, Adriano Celentano and Nicola Arigliano among them. (This track actually samples Celentano’s 1968 hit ‘Azzurro,’ which Pino did not write.)

What I would give to be in a Milanese disco circa 1979, knowing Italians’ love for sing-alongs… pazzesco.

(Stay tuned for part two…)

Adriano Celentano — Prisencolinensinainciusol (1972)

Required viewing! Dorky schoolteacher Adriano leads an underworld of disco zombies through an incredible dance to Prisencolinensinainciusol on RAI, the Italian television network, with the famous showgirl/singer Raffaela Carra at his side. This is one of the best things I’ve ever seen.

Don’t try to decipher what he’s saying — it’s all gibberish, meant to sound like a language you can’t quite understand. Maybe how Italians hear English. For more dorky schoolteacher bits check out this great video too, in which he explains that Prisencolinensinainciusol means “universal love.”

Cappoano Brothers — ??

from dublab’s Timeless Gems Mix

I’ve finally been able to sift through the massive Timeless Gems Mix, an assortment of 80-some songs compiled by the dublab djs for donors during the last proton drive. And some gems indeed. Every track gets you digging deeper. (or in this case, trying to)

This untitled song caught me at first listen with its street-minstrel singing, walking bass and slamming drumbeat. So I set out to find out more about these Cappoano Brothers, but I came up empty on both the English & Italian google sites.

The only lead I came up with were two brothers named Mario and Giosy Capuano, who produced some popular records in the 70s, along with oddities like a disco mix of the Close Encounters of the Third Kind theme. Couldn’t find this song though.

So I sent an S.O.S. to my Italian buddies to see if any of them had heard this. They said the last bit of the song, where they sing in gibberish, is a famosissima song by Adriano Celentano, ‘Prisencolinensinainciusol.’ Indeed it is, and the horns and heartbeat drums throughout the song are lifted from Prisencolinensinainciusol as well.

The story ends here. I still don’t know who’s responsible for this excellent remix/sampling. (but clearly, if YOU know, please do share!)