Grande_grande_grande

Grande, grande, grande

Grande, grande, grande

1972 Italian song


"Grande, grande, grande" is a 1972 Italian song, written by David William Moncrief, and composed by Alberto Testa and Tony Renis. It was a No. 1 hit for Mina in Italy and for Shirley Bassey released as "Never Never Never" in the U.K., U.S. and Australia. The 1973 Shirley Bassey single achieved sales of over 50,000 copies in Australia, being eligible for the award of a Gold Disc.[1]

Quick Facts Single by Mina, from the album Mina ...

Mina version

"Grande, grande, grande" was a No. 1 hit on the Italian Singles Chart for Mina in 1972, from her No. 1 self-titled album. The single was released in early 1972 and entered the Top 10 the week of 26 February.[2]

... it was thanks to the work of a young bass guitar player, Pino Presti, who offered a more modern musical arrangement, that finally made Mina agree to performing it.[3][4]

After a steady climb to No. 2 (behind "Imagine" by John Lennon) the week of 11 March, the song seemed to have run out of steam after falling 2 places to No. 4 to new hits by Delirium, Nicola Di Bari and Nada ("Imagine" had dropped to No. 5). By 1 April the song had once again climbed to its peak No. 2 position where it remained the whole month of April before finally reaching No. 1 on 29 April. "Grande, grande, grande", arranged by Pino Presti,[5] ruled the charts the first three weeks of May until "I giardini di marzo" by her collaborator Lucio Battisti, and her own hit "Parole parole" knocked it out of the top spot down to No. 3 the week of 27 May. "Grande, grande, grande" remained in the top 10 until the week of 8 July, often trading places with "Parole parole". By the year's end, only "Il Padrino" by Santo and Johnny had enjoyed a longer life on the charts and Mina had to settle for the runner up position for 1972's biggest hit on the Italian singles chart.

Mina also recorded the song in English and Spanish.

Personnel

Original label (1972)
  • Mina – vocals
  • Pino Presti – arrangement, orchestra conductor, bass
  • Dario Baldan Bembo – organ
  • Andrea Sacchi – electric and acoustic guitar
  • Massimo Verardi – electric guitar
  • Bruno De Filippi – harmonica
  • Gianni Cazzola – drums
  • Mario Lamberti – congas
  • Gianni Bedoriflute
  • Al Korvin, Oscar Valdambrini, Fermo Lini, Giuliano Bernicchi – trumpets
  • Sergio Almangano, Arturo Prestipino Giarritta – first violins

Charts

Weekly charts

More information Chart (1972), Peak position ...

Year-end charts

More information Chart (1972), Position ...

Certifications and sales

More information Region, Certification ...

Shirley Bassey version

Quick Facts "Never Never Never", Single by Shirley Bassey ...

Shirley Bassey had a No. 8 hit in the UK with "Never Never Never", an English version with lyrics by Norman Newell. It was also No. 1 in Australia, No. 1 in South Africa, No. 3 in Singapore, and her only single to make three US charts: No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 8 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, and No. 67 on the R&B Chart.

Charts

More information Chart (1973), Peak position ...

Other cover versions


References

  1. The Go Set Chart Book, Australia's First National Charts page 12, ISBN 978-1-387-71246-5.
  2. Mina Mazzini, sito ufficiale Mina Grande grande grande
  3. Racca, Guido (2019). M&D Borsa Singoli 1960–2019 (in Italian). ISBN 9781093264906.
  4. "Italy's Top 50 Singles 1972" (PDF). Cashbox. Vol. 34, no. 28. 30 December 1972. p. 9 (141). ISSN 0008-7289. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 March 2022.
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 28. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. "Shirley Bassey – Never, Never, Never" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  7. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Shirley Bassey" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  8. "Shirley Bassey – Never, Never, Never" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  9. "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 24. 16 March 1973. p. 83. ISSN 0006-2510.
  10. "Explore Releases on Discogs". Archived from the original on 2012-04-21. Retrieved 2012-08-05. Sergio Franchi

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