"Città vuota" (English: Empty city) is a song recorded by Italian singer Mina in 1963. This song is Italian version of "It's a Lonely Town" by Gene McDaniels. The song was written by Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman, and adapted by Giuseppe Cassia.
| "Città vuota" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork for 1963 release | ||||
| Single by Mina | ||||
| from the album Studio Uno | ||||
| Language | Italian | |||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | December 1963[1] | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 2:34 | |||
| Label | Ri-Fi | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Piero Gosio | |||
| Mina singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Original version edit
It was the singer's first single on the RiFi label. After the release, the song quickly became popular and rose to number three on the Italian singles chart.[2] The songs "E inutile" (written by Ricky Gianco and Gian Pieretti) and "Valentino vale" (by Vittorio Buffoli and Vito Pallavicini) were used as a b-side. Mina also recorded Spanish version called "Ciudad solitaria".
This single marked Mina's return to television after she was banned by RAI TV because of the singer's personal life.[3]
Track listing edit
- 7" single – 1963
- A. "Città vuota" – 2:34
- B1. "È inutile" (Gian Pieretti, Ricky Gianco) – 1:56
- B2. "Valentino vale" (Vito Pallavicini, Vittorio Buffoli) – 2:11
- 7" single – 1978 (Ri-Fi)[4]
- A. "Città vuota" – 2:34
- B. "Un anno d'amore" (Mogol, Alberto Testa, Nino Ferrer) – 3:10
Charts edit
| Chart (1963–1965) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[2] | 3 |
| Peru (La Prensa)[5] | 1 |
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US World Digital Songs (Billboard)[6] | 8 |
1978 remake edit
| "Città vuota (It's a Lonely Town)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Mina | ||||
| from the album Live '78 | ||||
| Language | Italian | |||
| B-side | "Ancora, ancora, ancora" | |||
| Released | May 1978 | |||
| Recorded | 12 May 1978[7] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 5:00 | |||
| Label | PDU | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Piero Gosio | |||
| Mina singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In 1978, Mina released a disco-style remake, conceived and arranged by Pino Presti with the inclusion of a jazz part. Combined with "Ancora, ancora, ancora" (by Cristiano Malgioglio and Gian Pietro Felisatti),[7] it became one of the most successful singles of the summer of that year, reaching number five in Italian singles chart in August.[2] Mina performed this version during her concerts in Bussoladomani and later included it on her live album Live '78.
Track listing edit
- 7" single – 1978 (PDU)
- A. "Città vuota (It's a Lonely Town)" – 5:00
- B. "Ancora ancora ancora" (Cristiano Malgioglio, Gian Pietro Felisatti) – 4:19
Charts edit
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Italy (Billboard)[9] | 4 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[2] | 5 |
References edit
- ^ "Città vuota/È inutile/Valentino vale". Discografia nazionale della canzone italiana (in Italian). Istituto centrale per i beni sonori ed audiovisivi. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d Racca, Guido (2019). M&D Borsa Singoli 1960–2019 (in Italian). pp. 306–308. ISBN 9781093264906.
- ^ Ruggeri, Roberto (1990). "Mina". In Castaldo, Gino (ed.). Dizionario della Canzone Italiana L-Z (in Italian). Rome: Armando Curcio Editore. p. 1736. ISBN 88-9750-877-4.
- ^ "Mina – Città Vuota (1978, Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 77, no. 3. 16 January 1965. p. 19. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "Chart History: Mina". Billboard. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Città vuota/Ancora ancora ancora". Discografia nazionale della canzone italiana (in Italian). Istituto centrale per i beni sonori ed audiovisivi. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
- ^ "La Città vuota di Mina". RAI Cultura (in Italian). Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ Ruscitto, Germano (7 July 1978). "Hits of the World – Italy" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 90, no. 40. p. 77. ISSN 0006-2510.
External links edit
- "Città vuota / È inutile / Valentino vale" at Discogs (list of releases)
- "Città vuota / Ancora, ancora, ancora" at Discogs (list of releases)