Al di là

"Al di là" (English translation: "Beyond") is a popular Italian song. "Al di là" was one of Betty Curtis' biggest hits in Italy. The song was the Italian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1961, performed in Italian by Curtis at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France, on March 18, 1961, after Curtis had won the 1961 edition of the Sanremo Festival on February 2, 1961, (from 1958 to 1966, the winner of the Sanremo Festival would automatically represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest).

Internationally, the song is generally connected with Italian-American singer Connie Francis. Francis recorded the song on October 1, 1962, (two All-Italian versions) and on November 3, 1962, (bilingual version Italian/English). Both All-Italian versions became huge hits in South America and Mexico; and the bilingual version became one of Francis' best selling Italian-flavored recordings in Asia, Europe and the U. S.^[1] It remains a favourite in Francis' live concert repertoire to this day, and the bilingual studio version is frequently featured on Greatest Hits compilations.

Covers

• In the United States, Emilio Pericoli is the artist most associated with the song. He sang "Al Di Là" in the popular 1962 film Rome Adventure, starring Troy Donahue and Suzanne Pleshette, and his single that year on Warner Bros. Records reached number six on Billboard's pop chart and number three on the easy-listening chart.^[2] Pericoli's version ranked #48 on Billboard's 1962 Year-End chart.^[3] The single also peaked at number-one in Mexico.^[4]

• "Al Di Là" was featured in the American film Rome Adventure (1962), performed in a nightclub by Emilio Pericoli with a small combo. The segment is available on YouTube.com. Pericoli's album version of the song is not the same as in the film. It is much slower and recorded with a full orchestra.

• The Ray Charles Singers scored a 1964 hit, peaking at #29 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart with their cover of the song.

• Al Di Là" was written by Carlo Donida, best known in America for writing "Uno Die Tanta," or "I (Who Have Nothing)," a Top 40hit for Ben E. King in 1963 and Tom Jones in 1970. In the film Rome Adventure, Troy Donahue's character interprets the title "Al Di Là" as meaning "Beyond the Beyond."

• Al Martino, who would later play the fictional crooner Johnny Fontaine in the 1974 film The Godfather, recorded "Al Di Là" in Italian on his 1963 album, The Italian Voices of Al Martino album (Capitol Records).

• Sergio Franchi is another Italian-American singer associated with this popular song. He recorded on his 1968 RCA Victor album, Wine and Song.^[5] Franchi also sang the song on the December 26, 1964 broadcast of The Hollywood Palace.^[6]

Other notable recording include Milva (1961),^[7] Ace Cannon - Sweet and Tough (1966),^[8] Jerry Adriani (1996).^[7]

Lyrics

Italian lyrics

Non credevo possibile,

Se potessero dire queste parole:

Al di là del bene più prezioso, ci sei tu.

Al di là del sogno più ambizioso, ci sei tu.

Al di là delle cose più belle.

Al di là delle stelle, ci sei tu.

Al di là, ci sei tu per me, per me, soltanto per me.

Al di là del mare più profondo, ci sei tu.

Al di là dei limiti del mondo, ci sei tu.

Al di là della volta infinita, al di là della vita.

Ci sei tu, al di la, ci sei tu per me.

English Translation

I did not believe

I could ever say these words:

Beyond the most precious, that's where you are.

Beyond the most ambitious, that's where you are.

Beyond the most beautiful,

Beyond the stars, that's where you are.

Beyond everything, that's where you are for me, for me, just for me.

Beyond the deepest sea, that's where you are.

Beyond the limits of the world, that's where you are.

Beyond infinite time, beyond life.

That's where you are, beyond everything, that's where you are for me."

Note:

• Al di là = Beyond
• Ci sei tu = you are there - in this case, "ci" means there, in that place.
• Più means more (più bello di... = more beautiful than)

English version of the song, not a translation "Al di là means you are far above me, very far

Al di là, as distant as the lovely evening star

Where you walk flowers bloom

When you smile all the gloom turns to sunshine

And my heart opens wide

When you're gone it fades inside and seems to have died

Al di là, I wondered as I drifted where you were

Al di là, the fog around me lifted, there you were

In the kiss that I gave was the love I had saved for a lifetime

Then I knew all of you was completely mine."

References