"Vecchio frac" | ||||
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Single by Domenico Modugno | ||||
A-side | "Vecchio frac" | |||
B-side | "E vene 'o sole" | |||
Released | September 1955 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 6 min: 11 sec | |||
Label | RCA Italiana | |||
Songwriter(s) | Domenico Modugno | |||
Adriano Celentano singles chronology | ||||
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"Vecchio frac" (literally "Old tailcoat") is a 1955 song written by Italian singer-songwriter Domenico Modugno.
The song is a dramatic ballad, with Modugno telling a story about an elegant man in tailcoat who is walking at midnight through the deserted streets and at dawn he commits suicide, and Modugno does not know who this man is and where he comes from. This song got its inspiration from the death of nobleman Raimondo Lanza di Trabia, the husband of actress Olga Villi, who committed suicide by jumping from a window of Hotel Eden in Rome, [1] [2] as well as from a short film by a close friend of Modugno, Riccardo Pazzaglia. [1]
The song was initially ignored by audiences, eventually coming to success just after the Sanremo Festival triumphs of Modugno with "Nel blu, dipinto di blu" and "Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina)" and thanks to a RCA reissue, in a slightly modified version. [1] [2] Artists who covered the song include French singers Barbara and Colette Renard (with the title "L'homme en habit", with lyrics by Pierre Delanoë), Đorđe Marjanović (in a Slavic version titled "Stari Frack"), Claudio Villa (on his album Claudio Villa canta Modugno ), Gabriella Ferri and Enrico Ruggeri. [2]
Domenico Modugno was an Italian singer, actor and, later in life, a member of the Italian Parliament. He is known for his 1958 international hit song "Nel blu dipinto di blu", for which he received the first Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. He is considered the first Italian cantautore.
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Salvatore Antonio "Rino" Gaetano was an Italian musician and singer-songwriter. He is famous for his satirical songs and oblique yet incisive political commentary. He is remembered for his raspy voice, for the heavily ironic lyrics of his songs and his social protests. He died in a car accident at age 30. He was a popular and influential figure, widely re-evaluated by the following teen generations.
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Antonio Diodato, known simply as Diodato, is an Italian singer-songwriter. He won the 70th edition of the Sanremo Music Festival with the song "Fai rumore" and was scheduled to represent Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, before the event's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Sanremo Music Festival 1962, officially the 12th Italian Song Festival, was the 12th annual Sanremo Music Festival, held at the Sanremo Casino in Sanremo between 8 and 18 February 1962. The show was presented by Renato Tagliani, assisted by actresses Laura Efrikian and Vicky Ludovisi. Gianni Ravera served as artistic director.
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