Spaccacuore Explained

Spaccacuore
Type:single
Artist:Samuele Bersani
Album:Freak
Released:1995
Genre:Pop
Length:4:25
Label:Pressing
Producer:Giuseppe D'Onghia
Prev Title:Freak
Prev Year:1995
Next Title:Cosa vuoi da me
Next Year:1995

"Spaccacuore" is a song written by Italian singer-songwriters Samuele Bersani and Lucio Dalla, together with Giuseppe D'Onghia. The song was recorded by Bersani for his 1995 second studio set Freak, and it was released as the album's second single in that same year. The song later became one of his best-known songs in Italy.[1]

The song was covered by various artists, including Laura Pausini, who released it as the second single from Io canto in 2007. She also recorded a Spanish-language version of the song, under the title "Dispárame, dispara".

Samuele Bersani version

Background and release

Samuele Bersani wrote the song for his second studio album, Freak, which was released in 1995. He composed the music with Giuseppe D'Onghia, while the lyrics were written by Bersani with popular singer-songwriter Lucio Dalla.[2] "Spaccacuore" describes the feelings of a man who is experiencing the end of a love relationship.[3] The song, produced and arranged by Giuseppe D'Onghia,[4] was released as the album's second single in 1995.[5]

Its release was anticipated by Bersani's label because the album's first single, "Freak", included lyrics citing the Italian centre-right political area, as well as the Italian Communist Party, therefore its promotion was stopped by some Italian radio stations due to the Fairness Doctrine policy during the electoral campaign which preceded 1995's Italian local and regional elections.[5]

Media appearances

It was featured on the soundtrack of 2001's film Chiedimi se sono felice,[6] starring Italian comedians Aldo, Giovanni & Giacomo, who also directed it together with Massimo Venier.[7] It was also included in Bersani's compilation albums Che vita!, released in 2002,[8] and Psyco – 20 anni di canzoni, published in 2012.[9]

Bersani performed the song during 1995's itinerant music show Festivalbar, broadcast in Italy by Mediaset TV channel Italia 1.[10]

Track listing

CD single (1995)
  1. "Spaccacuore" – 4:25

Charts and certifications

Certifications

Laura Pausini version

Spaccacuore
Cover:Laura Pausini - Spaccacuore.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Laura Pausini
Album:Io canto
Released:19 January 2007
Recorded:2006Hanson Recording Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California; O.R.S. Oliveta Recording Studios, Castelbolognese, Ravenna, Italy; Sage Studio, Los Angeles, California
Genre:Pop
Length:4:09
Label:Atlantic Records
Producer:Laura Pausini, Daniel Vuletic
Prev Title:Io canto
Prev Year:2006
Next Title:Non me lo so spiegare
Next Year:2007

Laura Pausini also recorded a cover of the song for her album Io canto, released in 2006. The song was chosen as the album's second single on 19 January 2007.[12] The Spanish-language version of the song, titled "Dispárame, dispara" and featured on the Hispanic version of the album, Yo canto, was the first single from the set,[13] and it was chosen as the opening theme of the Mexican telenovela Amar sin límites.[14]

The Spanish-language version is also included on the Spanish edition of Pausini's second compilation album, 20 – Grandes Éxitos.

Live performances

Laura Pausini performed the Spanish-language version of the song during her concert at the San Siro stadium in Milan, on 2 June 2007.[15] This performance was later featured on the video album recorded during the concert, San Siro 2007.[16] The two versions of her 2009's album, Laura Live World Tour 09 and Laura Live Gira Mundial 09, also include a Spanish-language and an Italian-language live version of the song, respectively.[17] [18]

Music video

The music video for the song, with a total length of 4 minutes and 8 seconds, was directed by Gaetano Morbioli.[19] During the video, Pausini is shown while moving in a few centimeters of water, while a video wall in the background shows images creating a dark atmosphere.[19]

Controversy

Immediately after the release of the album, Bersani commented on Pausini's version of the song stating: "It's obvious that I'm happy. 'Spaccacuore', which is ten years old now, is somehow living for a second time".[20] Despite this, in an interview released in March 2007 during Rai Radio 2's programma Viva Radio 2, presented by Rosario Fiorello and Marco Baldini, Bersani criticized Pausini's version of the song:[20] "I don't like the version of 'Spaccacuore' by Laura Pausini". He also explained that he considered its arrangement as too baroque[21] and he expressed disappointment for the decision to feature the song on Mexican telenovela Amar sin límites.[20]

Pausini commented on Bersani's interview a few days later, talking to la Repubblicas journalist Gino Castaldo: "He can tell whatever he wants, of course. But it looks strange because, when the album was released, he told that he liked the song very much. [...] Yes, I did it my way, but it's natural. I heard Bersani, and we cleared things up with each other, we are talking". She also added "The song became the opening theme of a South American telenovela, but I know that Bersani, during his concert, laughs on it, blaming it on me instead of recognizing me this merit. But it's strange, because when a song is chosen as the theme for a TV programme, it is necessary to have the consensus from the author".[22] Bersani later commented that he was criticizing the choices of promotion strategies and arrangement made by Pausini's staff, and not her rendition of the song, adding that "journalists want to see blood whatever it takes, but I don't want to play that game".[23]

Track listing

Digital download – "Spaccacuore" (2007)[24]
  1. "Spaccacuore" – 4:09
Digital download – "Dispárame, dispara" (2007)[25]
  1. "Dispárame, dispara" – 4:09

Personnel

Music credits[26]
Production credits[26]

Charts

Chart (2007)Peak
position
Italy Airplay (Music Control)[27] 4
Italy Digital Downloads (FIMI)[28] 14

Other cover versions

The song was covered in 1997 by Paola Turci for the album Oltre le nuvole, entirely composed of covers.[29] Massimo Ranieri also recorded a cover of the song, including it in his album Canzoni in corso, released in 1997.[30]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Storie d'autore: Samuele Bersani . Musicalnews.com . 14 August 2012 . Antonio Ranalli . 24 September 2002 . Italian.
  2. Web site: Archivio Opere Musicali. . Italian . 15 August 2012 . Insert Spaccacuore in the first text box, then select Autori/Editori in the second menu and insert Bersani in the second text box, and finally press Cerca.
  3. Web site: Samuele Bersani. Il pescatore di asterischi . Ondarock.it . Italian . 15 August 2012 . Francesco Giordani.
  4. Web site: Che vita! Il meglio di Samuele Bersani. Discografia Nazionale della Canzone Italiana . 15 August 2012 . Italian .
  5. Web site: Par condicio: Arriva anche quella musicale, stop a Bersani . . 27 March 1995 . 14 August 2012 . Italian.
  6. Web site: Colonna sonora di Chiedimi se sono felice. Cinemaitaliano.info . 15 August 2012 .
  7. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=sO8zxEhZbrMC&pg=PA155 . 155 . Italian . Chiedimi se sono felice . Dizionario del cinema italiano . Roberto Chiti . Enrico Lancia . Roberto Poppi . Gremese Editore . 2001 . 8884403510.
  8. Web site: Samuele Bersani – Che vita! . Rockol.it . 14 August 2012 . Italian . 9 October 2002.
  9. Web site: Samuele Bersani – Psyco 20 anni di canzoni. Rockol.it . 14 August 2012 . Italian .
  10. Web site: Italia 1: Festivalbar 95. . Italian . 14 July 1995 .
  11. Web site: Top Singoli - Classifica settimanale WK 6 (dal 05.02.2007 al 11.02.2007). Federation of the Italian Music Industry. Italian. 6 August 2020. 6 August 2020. https://archive.today/20200806131439/https://www.fimi.it/top-of-the-music/classifiche.kl%23/charts/3/2007/6. live.
  12. Web site: Oggi i nuovi brani Laura Pausini sexy per Spaccacuore. A Vasco Basta poco . . 14 August 2012 . 19 January 2007 . Italian . 14 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120314004024/http://archivio.lastampa.it/LaStampaArchivio/main/History/tmpl_viewObj.jsp?objid=7456033 . dead .
  13. Web site: Io canto e voglio la normalità . . Italian . 15 August 2012 . . 8 November 2006 . Andrea Conti.
  14. Web site: Laura Pausini dice que canta. Terra Networks. 17 October 2006 . 15 August 2012 . Spanish.
  15. Web site: Luci a San Siro, il trionfo di Laura Pausini . . 15 August 2012 . 4 June 2007 . Mario Luzzatto Fegiz.
  16. Web site: Laura Pausini – San Siro 2007 . Rockol.it . 15 August 2012 . 12 January 2008 . Italian.
  17. Web site: Laura Pausini – Live Gira Mundial 09 . . 15 August 2012 . Jason Birchmeier.
  18. Web site: Laura Pausini – Laura Live World Tour 09. . 15 August 2012 .
  19. Web site: Analisi di un videoclip: "Spaccacuore" di Laura Pausini . Psicologiadellaudiovisivo.it . 8 August 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120328075734/http://www.psicologiadellaudiovisivo.it/prodotti%20tv%20-%2004.html . 28 March 2012 . dead . 1 September 2007 . Stefano Paolillo . Italian.
  20. Web site: Spaccacuore di Laura non mi piace . . . 15 August 2012 . 15 March 2007.
  21. Web site: Samuele Bersani: Non mi piace la cover di Spaccacuore fatta dalla Pausini . Rockol.it . Italian . 15 August 2012 . 15 March 2007.
  22. Web site: Pausini & Ferro sul set un video per la super-coppia. . Italian . 26 March 2007 . Gino Castaldo .
  23. Web site: C'è chi mi crede il profeta di Vallettopoli . . Italian . 15 August 2012 . Matteo Cruccu . 2 July 2007.
  24. Web site: Laura Pausini – Spaccacuore. Playme.it . Italian . 15 August 2012.
  25. Web site: Disparame dispara – Single di Laura Pausini. . Italian .
  26. Io canto. Laura Pausini. 2006. booklet. Atlantic Records.
  27. Web site: Music Control: Mika passa in testa e scalza Vasco dalla vetta . Rockol.it . 15 August 2012 . 4 March 2007 . Italian.
  28. Web site: Top Singoli - Classifica settimanale WK 9 (dal 26.02.2007 al 04.03.2007). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. 6 August 2020. 6 August 2020. https://archive.today/20200806132320/https://www.fimi.it/top-of-the-music/classifiche.kl%23/charts/3/2007/9. live.
  29. Web site: Musica: Paola Turci punta sulle cover . . Italian . 4 June 1997 . 14 August 2012.
  30. Web site: Massimo Ranieri: con Mauro Pagani ho ridato a Napoli la sua anima nobile . Lacanzoneitaliana.it . 15 August 2012 . Melisanda Massei Autunnali. 6 August 2004.