| Con te partirò | |
| Cover: | Con te partirò.png |
| Caption: | One of artworks for European release, also used for Japanese mini CD release under different pressing |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Andrea Bocelli |
| Album: | Bocelli |
| B-Side: | Vivere |
| Released: | 21 February 1995 |
| Genre: | Operatic pop |
| Length: | 4:09 |
| Label: | Polydor |
| Composer: | Francesco Sartori |
| Lyricist: | Lucio Quarantotto |
| Chronology: | Andrea Bocelli |
| Prev Title: | Il mare calmo della sera |
| Prev Year: | 1995 |
| Next Title: | Macchine da guerra |
| Next Year: | 1995 |
"Con te partirò" (pronounced as /it/; "With You I Shall Depart") is an Italian song written by Francesco Sartori (music) and Lucio Quarantotto (lyrics). It was first performed by Andrea Bocelli at the 1995 Sanremo Music Festival and recorded on his album of the same year, Bocelli. The single was first released as an A-side single with "Vivere" in 1995, topping the charts, first in France, where it became one of the best-selling singles of all-time, and then in Belgium, breaking the all-time record sales there.
A second version of the song, sung partly in English, released in 1996 as "Time to Say Goodbye", paired Bocelli with British soprano Sarah Brightman, and achieved even greater success, topping charts all across Europe, including Germany, where it became the biggest-selling single in history. Brightman and Bocelli produced a version with Brightman singing in German and Bocelli in Italian, with this version being available on the CD Time to Say Goodbye.[1] [2] That version alone has now sold more than 12 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.[3]
The song's original single release by Polydor Records was not commercially successful in Italy, and received little radio airplay there. Elsewhere it was a massive hit. In France and Switzerland, the single topped the charts for six weeks, earning a triple Gold sales award. In Belgium, it became the biggest hit of all-time, spending 12 weeks at No. 1.[4]
Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote about the song, "The Benelux triumph of poppy tenor Andrea Bocelli continues with this excellent seasonal anthem, which wisely leaves the singers classically trained voice in the spotlight. The orchestral arrangements take a back seat, as they should in Bocelli's case."[5] After Sarah Brightman released her version, Larry Flick from Billboard stated that she "has one of the truly glorious voices in musical theater". He described the song as a "lushly orchestral piece".[6] British magazine Music Week rated the duet version five out of five, picking it as Single of the Week. They added, "Mostly sung in Italian, it has a beautiful, soaring melody that gives it true Nessun Dorma potential."[7]
| Peak position | |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[8] | 10 |
|---|---|
| Position | ||
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] | 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[10] | 2 |
| Position | ||
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] | 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| France (SNEP)[12] | 4 |
| Position | ||
| Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[13] | 16 |
|---|
| Time to Say Goodbye | |
| Cover: | Time To Say Goodbye.jpg |
| Caption: | Artwork for European release |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli |
| Album: | Romanza,, Fly Time to Say Goodbye / Timeless |
| Genre: | Operatic pop |
| Label: | East West |
| Composer: | Francesco Sartori |
| Lyricist: | Lucio Quarantotto |
| Producer: | Frank Peterson |
| Chronology: | Andrea Bocelli |
| Prev Title: | Vivo por ella |
| Prev Year: | 1996 |
| Next Title: | Ich lebe für sie |
| Next Year: | 1997 |
In Germany, East West Records, in conjunction with Polydor, marketed a lyrically changed version of "Con te partirò", retitled "Time to Say Goodbye", as the theme song for the final match of boxer Henry Maske (then the light-heavyweight champion of the International Boxing Federation), having seen previous success when Vangelis's "Conquest of Paradise" was also promoted via Maske's fights. "Time to Say Goodbye" was also turned into a duet with Sarah Brightman, who had performed "A Question of Honour" for one of Maske's previous fights. German producer Frank Peterson, who has worked with Brightman since 1991, opted to give the song an English title rather than the German title "Mit dir werde ich fortgehen".[14] Recording of the song took place at Peterson's Nemo Studio, in Hamburg.[15]
The match took place on 23 November 1996, pitting Maske against American Virgil Hill, and drew a television broadcast audience of over 21 million. Bocelli and Brightman performed the song to open the match, and it was used again during Maske's exit, poignantly, as Hill had won the match by split decision. It was the only loss of Maske's career.
By December, the "Time to Say Goodbye" single, released on 15 November 1996 through East West, had reached number one on the German singles chart, with sales estimated at 40,000–60,000 per day and projected for at least one million by the end of the year. Both singers' albums also received a boost in sales. Airplay on German radio stations such as Norddeutscher Rundfunk was well received by listeners. By February of the following year, the single had broken the all-time sales record in Germany with 1.65 million sales,[16] and would eventually get certified 11x Gold for selling over 2,750,000 copies.
"Time to Say Goodbye" reached number two on the UK Singles Chart upon its release there in May 1997, and was certified gold.[17] It remained in the top 30 for another two months, helped by steady radio airplay on BBC Radio 2, which was overtaking Radio 1 in popularity with an MOR-orientated playlist.[18]
The duet was included on Brightman's 1997 album Timeless, re-titled as Time to Say Goodbye in the U.S. with the song itself moved to the start of the album. Brightman has also recorded a solo version, which was released on the duet single as well as later albums including Classics and Diva: The Singles Collection. A live version was released on CD as well as her various tour DVDs. Bocelli and Brightman have performed the duet together publicly several times including Bocelli's "Statue of Liberty concert" held in New York City, and "Live in Tuscany" concerts.[19] [20]
| Peak position | |
| Czech Republic (IFPI CR)[21] | 9 |
|---|---|
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[22] | 1 |
| Quebec (ADISQ)[23] | 4 |
| Position | ||
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[24] | 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | 7 | |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[25] | 1 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[26] | 7 | |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[27] | 40 | |
| Romania (Romanian Top 100)[28] | 100 | |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] | 1 | |
| UK Singles (OCC)[30] | 23 |
| Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | CD | East West | |||
| United Kingdom | [31] |
| I Will Go with You (Con te partirò) | |
| Cover: | I_Will_Go_With_You_(Con_Te_Partiró).jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Donna Summer |
| Released: | 1999 |
| Genre: | House |
| Length: | 3:58 |
| Label: | Epic |
| Composer: | Francesco Sartori |
| Lyricist: | Lucio Quarantotto |
| Producer: | Hex Hector |
| Prev Title: | Whenever There Is Love |
| Prev Year: | 1996 |
| Next Title: | Love Is the Healer |
| Next Year: | 1999 |
"I Will Go with You (Con te partirò)", is a dance version performed by American singer Donna Summer, which went to number one on the US dance chart.[32] Her version also peaked at number two on the Spanish singles charts and number three on the Spanish Radio chart.[33] As of 1999, it has sold over 221,000 units in the United States.[34]
Chuck Taylor from Billboard wrote that the song is a "deliciously grand interpretation of the smash Andrea Bocelli/Sarah Brightman ballad "Time To Say Goodbye"-replete with romantic new lyrics. Summer is in peak vocal form, alternating between technically sharp note-scaling and warmly soulful vamping." He also added that she is "complemented by clubland hero Hex Hector's well-measured production, which couples melodramatic faux-classical string flourishes with time-sensitive dance beats."[35]
| Peak position | |
| Australia (ARIA)[36] | 97 |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 79 |
Since its release, the song has spawned numerous other versions and been performed by numerous other singers. Notable alternative versions include "Por ti volaré", a Spanish version with significantly modified lyrics.
The song has been sampled or interpolated in the following: