Bella senz'anima
| "Bella senz'anima" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Riccardo Cocciante | ||||
| from the album Anima | ||||
| B-side | "Qui" | |||
| Released | 1974 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Label | RCA Italiana | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Marco Luberti, Paolo Casella, Riccardo Cocciante | |||
| Riccardo Cocciante singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio | ||||
| "Bella senz'anima" on YouTube | ||||
"Bella senz'anima" is an Italian ballad song written by Marco Luberti, Paolo Casella and Riccardo Cocciante, arranged by Franco Pisano and performed by Riccardo Cocciante. It was the first single from the Cocciante's 1974 album Anima.[1][2]
Overview
The song was launched by Cocciante during a tour ("Racconto") he made in 1973 together with Antonello Venditti and Francesco De Gregori.[3][2] Once she heard the song,Ornella Vanoni repeatedly asked Cocciante to be the one to launch the single, in a slightly adapted version to suit a female performer, eventually being turned down.[2] The single peaked at the first place on the Italian singles chart, and it was the seventh most sold single of the year in Italy.[1]
The lyrics, and particularly the verse "E adesso spogliati come sai fare tu" (i.e. "And now strip as you know") led to harsh criticism from several feminist organizations and to television censorship.[3]
In 2006, Cocciante performed the song out of competition at the Sanremo Music Festival.[4]
Track listing
- 7-inch single – AN 4155
- A. "Bella senz'anima" (Marco Luberti, Paolo Casella, Riccardo Cocciante)
- B. "Qui" (Marco Luberti, Paolo Casella, Riccardo Cocciante)
Other versions
Artists who covered the song include Johnny Hallyday (with the title "Cet homme que voilà"), Thelma Houston (as "Cruel Beauty"), Mina, Joe Arroyo, Víctor Manuelle, Oliver Dragojević, Linda Valori, Mino Reitano, Schola Cantorum.[2][5]
Charts
| Chart (1974–75) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[6] | 1 |
| Spain (AFYVE)[7] | 1 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Italy (FIMI)[8] Sales since 2009 |
Platinum | 100,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ a b Ezio Guaitamacchi (2009). 1000 canzoni che ci hanno cambiato la vita. Rizzoli. ISBN 978-8858617427.
- ^ a b c d Asinari, Pierguido (2007). Riccardo Cocciante: 1971-2007, dalla forma canzone al melodramma. Editori riuniti. pp. 35–9. ISBN 978-88-359-5944-1.
- ^ a b Enrico Deregibus (8 October 2010). Dizionario completo della Canzone Italiana. Giunti Editore, 2010. ISBN 978-8809756250.
- ^ "Sanremo, fuori Oxa e Grignani". TGCOM (in Italian). Mediaset. 28 February 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
- ^ Salvatori, Dario (2009). "Bella senz'anima". Dizionario delle canzoni italiane. Elle U. pp. 64–5. ISBN 978-8888169019.
- ^ Dario Salvatori (1989). Storia dell'Hit Parade. Gramese, 1989. ISBN 8876054391.
- ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ^ "Italian single certifications" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 13 May 2025.