Ma quale idea explained

Ma quale idea
Type:	single
Artist:	Pino D'Angiò
Album:	...Balla!
B-Side:	Lezione d'amore
Released:	1980
Genre:	Italo disco
Length:	4:25 (album version) 4:20 (single version)
Label:	Ri-Fi
Prev Title:	E' libero, scusi?
Prev Year:	1979
Next Title:	Un concerto da strapazzo (Scusate sono impazzito)
Next Year:	1981

"Ma quale idea" ("But What Idea") is a song written and performed by Italian singer Pino D'Angiò from his debut studio album, ...Balla! (1981). The song was arranged by jazz musician Enrico Intra.^{[1] [2]} The single was an international success, selling over 2 million copies. Despite the common belief that the bassline of the track was taken from "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" by McFadden & Whitehead,^[3] D'Angiò claimed that he composed it independently along with the bassist Stefano Cerri.^[4] The song was later sampled in Madison Avenue's 1999 hit "Don't Call Me Baby".^[5]

Track listing and formats

• Italian 7-inch single^[6]

A. "Ma quale idea" – 4:20

B. "Lezione d'amore" – 2:58

Credits and personnel

• Pino D'Angiò – songwriter, vocals
• Enrico Intra – arranger
• Alfredo Di Muro – engineering

Credits and personnel adapted from the ...Balla! album and 7-inch single liner notes.^[7]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1981)!scope="col"

Peak position
Italy (Musica e dischi)^[8]	21

Year-end charts

Chart (1981)!scope="col"

Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[9]	87
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[10]	49
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[11]	67

Francesco Napoli version

Ma quale idea
Cover:	Francesco Napoli - Ma quale idea.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Francesco Napoli
Album:	Balla... The First Dance
B-Side:	Bambina che sará
Released:	1987
Genre:	Italo disco
Length:	4:26
Label:	BCM
Producer:	Peter Columbus
Prev Title:	Stai con me
Prev Year:	1986
Next Title:	Piano, Piano
Next Year:	1987

In 1987, Italian singer Francesco Napoli recorded a cover of "Ma quale idea".

Track listing and formats

• European 7-inch single^[12]

A. "Ma quale idea" – 4:26

B. "Bambina che sará" – 3:20

• European 12-inch single^[13]

A. "Ma quale idea" (Strange Idea Mix) – 5:31

B1. "Bambina che sará" – 3:20

B2. "Balla Bonus Beats" – 3:58

• German / Austrian / Swiss CD maxi-single^[14]

1. "Ma quale idea" (Single Version) – 4:26
2. "Bambina che sará" – 3:20
3. "Balla Bonus Beats" – 3:58
4. "Ma quale idea" (Strange Idea Mix) – 5:31

Credits and personnel

• Francesco Napoli – vocals
• Peter Columbus – producer
• Hans Lampe – engineering
• Oliver Kels – arranger

Charts

Bnkr44 version

Ma che idea
Type:	single
Artist:	Bnkr44 and Pino D'Angiò
Released:	1 March 2024
Length:	3:46
Label:	Bomba Dischi Universal
Producer:	JxN Erin
Chronology:	Bnkr44 singles
Prev Title:	Governo punk
Prev Year:	2024
Next Title:	Nero mascara
Next Year:	2024

In 2024, Italian pop punk band Bnkr44 performed the song together with Pino D'Angiò at the cover night of the 74th Sanremo Music Festival. The band released the song as a single on 1 March 2024, with the title "Ma che idea".^{[15] [16]}

Credits and personnel

• Pino D'Angiò – author and vocals
• Jacopo Adamo – lyricist, composer and vocals
• Andrea Locci – lyricist, composer and vocals
• Dario Lombardi – lyricist, composer and vocals
• Pietro Serafini – lyricist, composer and vocals
• Marco Vittiglio – lyricist, composer and vocals
• JxN – producer
• Erin – producer

Charts

Notes and References

1. Bassignano, Ernesto (1990). "D'Angiò, Pino". Castaldo, Gino (edited by). Dizionario della canzone italiana. Curcio Editore. pp. 478-9.
2. Deregibus, Enrico (2010). "Pino D'Angiò". Dizionario completo della Canzone Italiana. Giunti Editore, 2010. p. 140. .
3. News: Vacalebre. Federico. 15 November 2020. Pino D'Angiò dopo i tumori: "Jazz, donne e altre storie". Il Mattino. 7 December 2021.
4. Web site: Marzi. Mattia . Nel vuoto pneumatico del pop, Pino D’Angiò è una boccata d’aria . 2024-03-26 . . it.
5. News: Copsey. Rob. 12 November 2019. Madison Avenue's Don't Call Me Baby has been remixed for its 20th anniversary. The Official Charts. The Official UK Charts Company. 7 December 2021.
6. Ma quale idea . . 1980 . Italian 7-inch single liner notes . . RFN-NP 16806.
7. ...Balla! . . 1981 . LP, Vinyl . . RDZ-ST 14324.
8. Web site: Classifiche. Musica e Dischi. it. 29 May 2023. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Titolo" field, search "Ma quale idea".
9. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1981 . . Hung Medien . Dutch . 16 June 2023 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220407153256/https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1981&cat=s . 7 April 2022.
10. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981 . . Dutch . 16 June 2023 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307065636/https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1981 . 7 March 2023.
11. Web site: Jaaroverzichten - Single 1981 . . Dutch . 16 June 2023 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230324171948/https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1981&cat=s . 24 March 2023.
12. Ma quale idea . Francesco Napoli . 1987 . European 7-inch single liner notes . BCM Records . B.C. 7-2055-41.
13. Ma quale idea . Francesco Napoli . 1987 . European 12-inch single liner notes . BCM Records . B.C. 12-2055-40.
14. Ma quale idea . Francesco Napoli . 1987 . German CD maxi-single liner notes . BCM Records . B.C. 50-2055-44.
15. Web site: MA CHE IDEA - bnkr44, Pino D'Angiò (Radio Date: 01/03/2024). EarOne. 1 July 2024.
16. Web site: Bnkr44 e Pino D'Angiò: da Sanremo a Radio Italia con “Ma che idea”. 9 March 2024. Radio Italia. 1 July 2024.
17. Web site: Ma che idea - Bnkr44, Pino D'Angiò. 1 July 2024. EarOne.