"Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina)" | |
---|---|
Eurovision Song Contest 1959 entry | |
Country | |
Artist(s) | |
Language | |
Composer(s) | |
Lyricist(s) | |
Conductor |
William Galassini
|
Finals performance | |
Final result |
6th
|
Final points |
9
|
Appearance chronology | |
◄ "Nel blu dipinto di blu" (1958) | |
"Romantica" (1960) ► |
"Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina)" (It's raining [Bye, bye baby]) is an Italian song written by Domenico Modugno and Eduardo Verde. It won first prize at the 1959 Sanremo Music Festival, where it was performed twice, once by Modugno and once by Johnny Dorelli. The song was chosen as the Italian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1959 and Domenico Modugno was chosen to perform it.
The song is a dramatic ballad, with Modugno telling his lover that he knows their relationship is about to come to a close. He asks her for one more kiss and then tells her not to turn back as she walks away from him, because he still has feelings for her.
The song was performed third on the night, following Denmark's Birthe Wilke with "Uh, jeg ville ønske jeg var dig" and preceding Monaco's Jacques Pills with "Mon ami Pierrot". At the close of voting, it had received 9 points, placing 6th in a field of 11.
It was succeeded as Italian representative at the 1960 Contest by Renato Rascel with "Romantica".
In 1959 the song entered the Hong Kong Hit Parade after being recorded by a local group - The Yee Tin Tong Mandolin Band - released by the Diamond Records Company ('B' side - Oh Marie) and must have been one of the strangest versions of the composition ever issued.
French recording artist Dalida recorded a French version.
In 1961, this song was covered by Hong Kong female singer Kong Ling (江玲), on her LP album Off-Beat Cha Cha with the local Diamond Records.
Italo-American tenor Sergio Franchi recorded this song (as "Ciao, Ciao Bambina") on his 1966 RCA Victor album La Dolce Italy.