Somos Novios (It's Impossible) Explained

Somos Novios
Type:single
Artist:Armando Manzanero
Album:Somos Novios
Genre:Bolero
Label:RCA Victor
Prev Title:Perdóname
Next Title:Aquel Señor
Misc:LPM 10379

"Somos Novios" (Spanish for "We're a couple") is a song first recorded by Mexican songwriter Armando Manzanero in 1968.[1] Perry Como recorded an English version of "Somos Novios" with original English lyrics titled "It's Impossible", which was a top 10 hit in the US and the UK.

The song has become one of the most popular boleros of all time and it has been covered by numerous artists. The recording by Manzanero was inducted into the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001.[2]

Background

The song was the title track of Manzanero third album Somos Novios released in July 1968.[3] Manzanero also appeared in the 1969 Mexican film of the same title Somos Novios starring Palito Ortega, and performed the song.[4] [5] The song was included in the inaugural inductions for the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame established in 2001 to honor early Latin music recordings.

Perry Como version

It's Impossible
Cover:It's_Impossible_-_Perry_Como.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Perry Como
Album:It's Impossible
B-Side:"Long Life, Lots of Happiness"
Released:September 1970[6]
Recorded:1970
Genre:
Label:RCA Victor
Producer:Don Costa
Prev Title:Seattle
Prev Year:1969
Next Title:I Think of You
Next Year:1971

"Somos Novios" was adapted in 1970 by Sid Wayne, who wrote original English lyrics set to the music.[7] Sid Wayne was a collaborator with Elvis Presley, but decided to give the song instead to Perry Como. Perry Como recorded the song under the title "It's Impossible".[8]

The Como version would be one of his most influential records, and in February 1971 it became his first song to reach the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 in more than 12 years, peaking at No. 10. The song's peak on the Hot 100 chart came just weeks after concluding a four-week run at number one on the Billboard Easy Listening chart.[9] On the UK Singles Chart, the single reached No. 4 in 1971.

Como's version was nominated for Song of the Year at the 1971 Grammy but lost to "You've Got a Friend".[10]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1970–1971)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[11] 85
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[12] 4
Canada RPM Top Singles[13] 37

Year-end charts

Andrea Bocelli versions

Somos Novios (It's Impossible)
Type:single
Artist:Andrea Bocelli featuring Christina Aguilera
Album:Amore
Released:March 2006 (US)
Recorded:2006
Length:4:22

Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli recorded the song with American singer Christina Aguilera in 2006. The duet was released as a single in from Bocelli's eleventh studio album, Amore (2006).[15] [16] Aguilera and Bocelli performed the song together at the Sanremo Music Festival on March 3, 2006.[17] This version was ranked at number ten on the list of Aguilera's best songs by AXS.[18]

Another version of the duet with Japanese singer Rimi Natsukawa was released as a bonus track in the album's Japanese edition,[19] [20] as well as a bonus track for the Japanese edition of Bocelli's first greatest hits album (2007).[21] Bocelli has also covered the song as a duet with a number of other artists, including Petra Berger and Katharine McPhee.

McPhee joined Bocelli onstage at the JCPenney Jam and their version is included on the album for the event.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Somos novios by Armando Manzanero (Album, Bolero): Reviews, Ratings, Credits, Song list . Rate Your Music . 2014-04-30 . 2014-05-23.
  2. Web site: Latin GRAMMY Hall Of Fame. Latin Grammy Award. Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. August 19, 2014. 2001. February 5, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150205122045/http://www.latingrammy.com/en/node/21337. dead.
  3. From the Music Capitals of the World . Billboard . June 8, 1968 .
  4. Book: Manetti, Ricardo . Cine argentino: modernidad y vanguardias, 1957/1983. 2005 . 437.
  5. Web site: Armando Manzanero, Palito Ortega, Angelica Maria – Música Original de La Película "Somos Novios". Discogs . 1969 .
  6. Web site: Perry Como - It's Impossible.
  7. From the Music Capital of the World. Billboard . June 19, 1971 . 51 .
  8. News: Muere Armando Manzanero: cuando el Rey del rock Elvis Presley hizo una versión de "Somos novios". BBC News . December 20, 2020 .
  9. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Joel Whitburn . 2002 . Record Research . 62.
  10. Web site: 1971 Grammy Winners: Song of the Year . Grammy .
  11. Book: Kent, David . David Kent (historian) . . Australian Chart Book . St Ives, N.S.W. . 1993 . 0-646-11917-6.
  12. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . 1970-12-05 . 2020-03-11.
  13. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . 1971-02-06 . 2019-01-18.
  14. Web site: admin . 2021-03-28 . Year-End Chart 1971 – UK . 2023-06-30 . YourMusicCharts . en.
  15. Christina Aguilera's History With Latin Music, From 'Mi Reflejo' to 'Desnudate'. Lucas. Villa . July 2, 2019 . Billboard .
  16. Web site: Our 10 Favorite Christina Aguilera Songs in Español . Isabella . Vega . November 4, 2021 . Remezcla.
  17. Web site: Sanremo, il trionfo di Povia. TGCOM. Italian. Mediaset. 27 July 2013. Domenico Catagnano. 4 March 2006.
  18. News: Afshar. Sarah. Top 10 best Christina Aguilera songs. September 6, 2023. AXS. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304210337/https://www.axs.com/top-10-best-christina-aguilera-songs-46703. March 4, 2016. March 29, 2015.
  19. Web site: 『AMORE』貴方に贈る愛の歌. Universal-music.co.jp. 2010-01-30. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090929092857/http://www.universal-music.co.jp/u-pop/artist/andrea_bocelli/uico1113.html. 2009-09-29.
  20. Web site: 夏川りみ オフィシャルサイト. Rimirimi.jp. 2010-01-30. 2009-02-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20090228175152/http://rimirimi.jp/free/disco_a.html. dead.
  21. Web site: タイム・トゥ・セイ・グッバイ〜ボチェッリ・スーパー・ベスト - アンドレア・ボチェッリ / オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 . ranking.oricon.co.jp . 17 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110722094404/http://ranking.oricon.co.jp/free_contents/search/detail.asp?itemcd=752677&samecd=1 . 22 July 2011 . dead.