Ricchi e Poveri
Encyclopedia
Ricchi e Poveri is one of the most famous Italian
pop music
groups in Europe and Latin America. Active since the late 1960s, they have sold over 20 million records.
), Angela Brambati (born October 20, 1947 in Genova
), Angelo Sotgiu (born February 22, 1946 in Trinità d'Agultu e Vignola
) and Marina Occhiena (born March 10, 1950 in Genova
). Their first public appearance was in Cantagiro
1968 with "L'ultimo amore
". Ricchi e Poveri has participated in Sanremo Music Festival
several times since 1970. Ricchi e Poveri represented Italy in Eurovision Song Contest 1978
with song "Questo Amore
" finishing 12th with 53 points. In 1981 Marina Occhiena left the group.
Ricchi e Poveri has recorded in Italian and Spanish and boasts some of the most popular Italian songs of the 80s and 90s such as "Mamma Maria", "Se m'innamoro", "Made in Italy", "M'innamoro di te" and many others. Their hit "Che sarà" has also been performed by José Feliciano
and Jimmy Fontana
.
, also became a huge hit in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America.
Many groups started covering the song adapting it to different genres, including tropical, dance, and various forms of Mexican folk music known as Grupera
. The Latin boy band project Menudo
(featuring Ricky Martin) and the Italo-Dance band Eu4ya
also covered the song, but the lyrics were heavily altered: only the chorus line was kept in one verse and the rest was rearranged to make the song more appealing to teenagers.
The song is featured in some film soundtracks: l'Éffrontée (1985) and Unmade Beds (2009).
As of 2007 the song is still being covered in all genres and it has achieved somewhat of a cult/nostalgia status in several Spanish-speaking countries as a symbol of a generation. The song was remade in 2008 in German, by Diana Sorbello
as Das ist, weil ich dich liebe and in 2011 in Dutch, by Monique Smit and Tim Douwsma as Eén zomeravond met jou.
Ricchi e Poveri held two massive concerts in Malta on the 12 and 13 June 2009. The band is still very popular in the Mediterranean island of Malta
. They were due back in Malta for a concert on the 6th November 2010.
. In 2003 Italian dance project Eu4ya
covered the song Sara Perche Ti Amo and in 2008 was German schlager from Diana Sorbello
released as Das ist, weil ich dich liebe. Their song Sarà perche ti amo was covered by the Danish pop duo Laban
in 1983, with the title Hvor skal vi sove i nat?, and by Swedish band Perikles with the title Var ska vi sova inatt?.
More recently, it was as well covered by the Dutch duo Monique Smit and Tim Douwsma in 2011, with the title Eén zomeravond met jou.
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
groups in Europe and Latin America. Active since the late 1960s, they have sold over 20 million records.
Formation and early success
The group was formed in 1967 by Franco Gatti (born October 4, 1942 in GenovaGénova
Génova may refer to:* Spanish spelling of the city of Genoa, Italy* Génova, Quindío, a municipality in the department of Quindío, Colombia* Génova, Quetzaltenango, a municipality in the department of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala...
), Angela Brambati (born October 20, 1947 in Genova
Génova
Génova may refer to:* Spanish spelling of the city of Genoa, Italy* Génova, Quindío, a municipality in the department of Quindío, Colombia* Génova, Quetzaltenango, a municipality in the department of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala...
), Angelo Sotgiu (born February 22, 1946 in Trinità d'Agultu e Vignola
Trinità d'Agultu e Vignola
Trinità d'Agultu e Vignola is a comune in the Province of Olbia-Tempio in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 200 km north of Cagliari and about 50 km west of Olbia....
) and Marina Occhiena (born March 10, 1950 in Genova
Génova
Génova may refer to:* Spanish spelling of the city of Genoa, Italy* Génova, Quindío, a municipality in the department of Quindío, Colombia* Génova, Quetzaltenango, a municipality in the department of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala...
). Their first public appearance was in Cantagiro
Cantagiro
Cantagiro was an Italian summer festival held from 1962 to 1972 and 1990 to 1993. It had three categories, A for famous artists, B for newcomers and C for groups. The "Father" of the competition was Ezio Radaelli.- Cantagiro :-Nuovo Cantagiro:...
1968 with "L'ultimo amore
Everlasting Love
"Everlasting Love" is a song written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden that has been a hit for various artists, including Robert Knight, Carl Carlton, Love Affair, and Gloria Estefan.- Overview :...
". Ricchi e Poveri has participated in Sanremo Music Festival
Festival della canzone italiana
The Festival della canzone italiana di Sanremo is a popular Italian song contest, held annually in the city of Sanremo, in Italy, and consisting of a competition amongst previously unreleased songs...
several times since 1970. Ricchi e Poveri represented Italy in Eurovision Song Contest 1978
Eurovision Song Contest 1978
The Eurovision Song Contest 1978 was the 23rd of its kind, and was held on 22 April 1978 in Paris. With Denise Fabre and Léon Zitrone as the presenters - the first time more than one presenter hosted the contest - the contest was won by Izhar Cohen & the Alphabeta who represented Israel, with their...
with song "Questo Amore
Questo Amore
"Questo amore" was the Italian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1978, performed in Italian by Ricchi e Poveri, at the time a quartet consisting of Franco Gatti, Angela Brambati, Angelo Sotgiu and Marina Occhiena...
" finishing 12th with 53 points. In 1981 Marina Occhiena left the group.
Ricchi e Poveri has recorded in Italian and Spanish and boasts some of the most popular Italian songs of the 80s and 90s such as "Mamma Maria", "Se m'innamoro", "Made in Italy", "M'innamoro di te" and many others. Their hit "Che sarà" has also been performed by José Feliciano
José Feliciano
José Feliciano is a Puerto Rican singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer known for many international hits including the 1970 holiday single "Feliz Navidad".-Childhood:...
and Jimmy Fontana
Jimmy Fontana
Jimmy Fontana is famous Italian actor, composer and singer. One of his most famous songs is Che Sarà, performed also by José Feliciano and Ricchi e Poveri. His other hits include Non te ne andare and Il mondo . La mia serenata won Disco per l'estate in 1967...
.
Sarà perché ti amo, crossover success
The single Sarà perché ti amo became such a hit in Europe that a crossover version for Latin American countries was recorded with Spanish lyrics. The song, now titled Será porque te amoSerá porque te amo
"Será Porque Te Amo" is the second single from Thalía's studio album Lunada . The song was written by Dario Farina, Daniele Pace, Luis Gómez Escolar and Enzo Ghinazzi and produced by Emilio Estefan...
, also became a huge hit in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America.
Many groups started covering the song adapting it to different genres, including tropical, dance, and various forms of Mexican folk music known as Grupera
Grupera
Grupera is a genre of Mexican folk music. It is influenced by the styles of cumbia, norteño, and ranchera, and reached the height of its popularity in the 1980s, especially in rural areas. The music actually has roots in the rock groups of the 1960s, but today generally consists of five or fewer...
. The Latin boy band project Menudo
Menudo (band)
Menudo was a Puerto Rican boy band that was formed in the 1970s by producer Edgardo Díaz, releasing their first album in 1977. The band achieved much success, especially during the 1980s, becoming the most popular Latin American teen musical group of the era....
(featuring Ricky Martin) and the Italo-Dance band Eu4ya
Eu4ya
-History:The band played old songs in dance version, the frontwomen Barbara Tausia is the Wife of Nicolas Anelka. The band covered the hits Disco Blu, Disco Rouge, Anti-Funk, Let's go dancing, Everybody Jump, Blue Monday, Sarà perchè ti amo and Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye, the band played mostly...
also covered the song, but the lyrics were heavily altered: only the chorus line was kept in one verse and the rest was rearranged to make the song more appealing to teenagers.
The song is featured in some film soundtracks: l'Éffrontée (1985) and Unmade Beds (2009).
As of 2007 the song is still being covered in all genres and it has achieved somewhat of a cult/nostalgia status in several Spanish-speaking countries as a symbol of a generation. The song was remade in 2008 in German, by Diana Sorbello
Diana Sorbello
Diana Sorbello is a German schlager singer.-Biography:Diana Sorbello studied sociology, pedagogy and civil rights at the University of Münster from 1998 till 2003.-Music career:...
as Das ist, weil ich dich liebe and in 2011 in Dutch, by Monique Smit and Tim Douwsma as Eén zomeravond met jou.
Ricchi e Poveri held two massive concerts in Malta on the 12 and 13 June 2009. The band is still very popular in the Mediterranean island of Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. They were due back in Malta for a concert on the 6th November 2010.
Albums
- 1970 — Ricchi e Poveri
- 1971 — Amici miei
- 1974 — Penso sorrido e canto
- 1975 — RP2
- 1976 — Un diadema di successi
- 1976 — I musicanti
- 1977 — Penso sorrido e canto
- 1978 — ReP „Questo amore“
- 1980 — La stagione dell’amore
- 1981 — ...E penso a te
- 1982 — Mamma Maria
- 1983 — Voulez-vous danser
- 1985 — Dimmi Quando
- 1987 — Pubblicita
- 1988 — Ricchi e Poveri
- 1990 — Una domenica con te
- 1992 — Allegro italiano
- 1998 — Parla col cuore
Compilations
- 1982 — Profili musicali
- 1983 — Made in Italy
- 1983 — Ieri e Oggi
- 1990 — Canzoni d’amore
- 1990 — Buona giornata e
- 1993 — Anche tu...
- 1996 — I nostri successi
- 1997 — Un diadema di canzoni
- 1997 — Piccolo Amore (CD, Album, Comp) BMG
- 1998 — BMG Collection
- 2000 — Successi
- 2001 — Made in Italy
Background
Their Song Mamma Maria was covered in German in 1982 by Conny & JeanConny & Jean
Conny & Jean were a singing duo in Germany, which was successful in the 1970s and 1980s. Their penultimate Single Hilf mir, ich lieb' dich / Wege durch die Nacht was produced by Dieter Bohlen.- Singles :...
. In 2003 Italian dance project Eu4ya
Eu4ya
-History:The band played old songs in dance version, the frontwomen Barbara Tausia is the Wife of Nicolas Anelka. The band covered the hits Disco Blu, Disco Rouge, Anti-Funk, Let's go dancing, Everybody Jump, Blue Monday, Sarà perchè ti amo and Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye, the band played mostly...
covered the song Sara Perche Ti Amo and in 2008 was German schlager from Diana Sorbello
Diana Sorbello
Diana Sorbello is a German schlager singer.-Biography:Diana Sorbello studied sociology, pedagogy and civil rights at the University of Münster from 1998 till 2003.-Music career:...
released as Das ist, weil ich dich liebe. Their song Sarà perche ti amo was covered by the Danish pop duo Laban
Laban (artist)
Laban was a 1980s Synthpop duo consisting of Lecia Jønsson and Ivan Pedersen. Both members were born in Denmark and originally sang in Danish, before moving onto English language releases...
in 1983, with the title Hvor skal vi sove i nat?, and by Swedish band Perikles with the title Var ska vi sova inatt?.
More recently, it was as well covered by the Dutch duo Monique Smit and Tim Douwsma in 2011, with the title Eén zomeravond met jou.