Raffaella Carrá’s ‘Rumore’: A Timeless Hit Resonating Across the Globe
An electrifying rendition of “Rumore” was brilliantly delivered by the incomparable Raffaella Carrá in 1974, showcasing her prowess as a dynamic and captivating performer.
Raffaella Carrá, born Raffaella Maria Roberta Pelloni in 1943, is an Italian icon revered for her talent, charisma, and long-lasting impact on the entertainment industry. Her immense popularity spans across Italy, Spain, Russia, Turkey, and numerous Latin American countries, where she has captured the hearts and admiration of countless fans.
Carrá’s multifaceted career encompasses a wide range of talents, including singing, dancing, acting, and television hosting. As a singer, she has released numerous hits that have left an indelible mark on the music scene, while her dancing skills have solidified her reputation as a mesmerizing performer. Raffaella Carrá’s acting career is equally impressive, boasting roles in both Italian and international films that have earned her critical acclaim.
As a television anchorwoman, Carrá has hosted a number of successful shows, including her most famous program, “Carràmba! Che sorpresa!” which has delighted audiences with its mix of humor, celebrity interviews, and live performances. Raffaella Carrá’s enduring legacy is a testament to her versatility and passion, making her a true legend in the world of entertainment.
The song, written by Andrea Lo Vecchio with music by Guido Maria Ferilli and arrangements by Shel Shapiro, is one of the artist’s greatest successes, selling over ten million copies worldwide in its English, Spanish, and French versions. It was also one of the first examples of Italian-style Disco music. The 25-year-old Guido Maria Ferilli from Lecce declared that he invented the piece by chance, strumming the guitar: “Every time I strummed this song, all the kids playing in the courtyard seemed to like the music and danced… Not so much with my other songs.”
Ferilli brought the piece to Andrea Lo Vecchio, who in 1971 had already written the lyrics, with Roberto Vecchioni, for Donna Felicità for Nuovi Angeli and Luci a San Siro for Vecchioni himself; in 1973, he also wrote the hit E poi… for Mina, with music by Shel Shapiro, former leader of The Rokes.
Lo Vecchio struggled to write the lyrics for Ferilli’s piece: “It was difficult with that short meter: I was looking for something that would fit.” Thus, Rumore was born by chance, the story of a woman who left her partner/husband because “I decided to do it on my own,” but one evening, alone at home, hearing a noise, she would like to “go back in time,” realizing that “alone, I never feel safe.” A seemingly counter-trend text, in years of strong feminism. In reality, it fit perfectly for all those women in the middle of the ford: eager to emancipate themselves, but not entirely at ease outside the roles traditionally assigned to them. A bit like the female counterpart of the men described by Mogol in his lyrics from the same years.
The interpreter was missing: Ferilli and Lo Vecchio thought of Donatella Moretti, who recorded a promo that reached Alfredo Cerruti’s desk at CBS. Convinced that the piece was perfect for Raffaella Carrà, he called Gianni Boncompagni, at the time Carrà’s partner, who sensed the potential of the song and went with her to the recording studios in Via Salomone in Milan, home to CGD, distributed by CBS and Raffaella’s record label, to record the disc.
Ellade Bandini was called in for drums, Andrea Sacchi and Shel Shapiro for guitars, with Shapiro also taking care of the arrangement, as well as backup singers and wind instruments. Ferilli, who also sang among the backup singers, recalls: “We worked in the studio for several days, even with Gianni Boncompagni present. The tiredness was great, and that melody was an obsession to the point that Raffaella said: “And now it won’t let me sleep! I still hear that na na na in my ears…”. Raffaella had little difficulty except for the high note, which after some practice, she managed to hit well.”
By the end of September, the song was in stores. Carrà introduced it in the second episode of the new edition of the TV show Canzonissima 1974, which she hosted. Between 1974 and 1975, it became the third best-selling single in Italy. The success was already huge by December, recalls Ferilli, “we recorded the Spanish, English, and French versions. Raffaella proved to have assimilated it very well, having greater ease.
Lyrics
Rumore, rumore
non mi sento sicura, sicura,
sicura mai
io stasera vorrei
tornare indietro con il tempo.
e ritornare al tempo
che c’eri tu
però perciò
che non pensarci più sù
ma ritornare, ritornare perché
quando ho deciso che facevo da me.
cuore, batti il cuore
na,na,na,na
mi è sembrato di sentire un rumore, rumore
serà la paura
io da sola non mi sento sicura, sicura
sicura mai, mai,mai, mai
e ti giuro che
stasera vorrei tornare
indietro con il tempo
e ritornare al tempo
che c’eri tu
però perciò
che non pensarci più sù
ma ritornare, ritornare perché
quando ho deciso che facevo da me.
cuore, batti il cuore
na,na,na,na
rumore, rumore.
rumore, rumore
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