Per Elisa
{{Infobox song
| name = Per Elisa
| cover = Per Elisa cover resize.jpg
| alt = Cover art
| type = single
| artist = Alice
| album = Alice
| B-side = Non devi avere paura
| released = February 1981
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|New wave|synthpop}}{{cite web |access-date=11 March 2022 |author=Claudio Fabretti |title=Alice - Le canzoni di Carla |url=https://www.ondarock.it/italia/alice.htm|work=Ondarock}}
| length = 3:40
| label = EMI
| writer = {{hlist|Alice|Franco Battiato|Giusto Pio}}
| lyricist = Alice
| producer =
| prev_title = Il vento caldo dell'estate
| prev_year = 1980
| next_title = Una notte speciale
| next_year = 1981
| misc = {{External music video|header=Audio|{{YouTube|hhGiti0pLDE|"Per Elisa"}}|type=single}}
}}
"Per Elisa" ({{translation|"For Elisa"}}) is a 1981 single by Alice. The song was the breakthrough in the singer's career, winning the 31st edition of the Sanremo Music Festival, and being an international commercial success.{{cite news |last1=Tinti |first1=Andrea |title=Alice compie 69 anni: da Franco Battiato a "Per Elisa" la storia di Carla Bissi |url=https://corrieredibologna.corriere.it/bologna/cultura-spettacoli/cards/buon-compleanno-alice-cantante-compie-69-anni/carla-bissi-diventa-alice_principale.shtml |access-date=29 January 2023 |work=Corriere di Bologna |date=26 September 2022 |language=it}}
Background
The song marked a second collaboration between Battiato and Alice, following the 1980 moderately successful single "Il vento caldo dell'estate".{{cite book|last1=Ezio Guaitamacchi|title=1000 canzoni che ci hanno cambiato la vita|date=14 January 2011|publisher=Rizzoli, 2009|isbn=978-8858617427|chapter=Per Elisa}} The title Per Elisa is a reference to Ludwig van Beethoven's composition "Für Elise", whose musical theme is reprised in the intro of the song.{{cite news |last1=Zuffanti |first1=Fabio |title=Alice 40 anni dopo 'Per Elisa': «Non l'ho scritta pensando alla droga» { |url=https://www.rollingstone.it/musica/interviste-musica/alice-40-anni-dopo-per-elisa-non-lho-scritta-pensando-alla-droga/551804/ |access-date=29 January 2023 |work=Rolling Stone Italia |date=23 February 2021 |language=it-IT}}
The lyrics on surface tell the story of a love triangle from the point of view of a betrayed woman, but according to many critics actually refer to drug addiction, with the Elisa of the title being a code name for heroin.{{cite book|last=Dario Salvatori|title=Dizionario delle canzoni italiane|publisher=Elle U|isbn=8888169016|chapter=Per Elisa|year=2001|pages=254–5}}{{Cite news |last=Marzetti |first=Claudia |date=16 November 2020 |title=Quando Alice e Franco Battiato scrissero "Per Elisa" |language=it-IT |work=StoneMusic |url=https://stonemusic.it/47844/quando-alice-e-franco-battiato-scrissero-per-elisa/ |access-date=29 January 2023}} In this interpretation, rejected by both Alice and Battiato,{{cite news |last1=Fabretti |first1=Claudio |title=Alice: Le canzoni di Carla |url=https://www.ondarock.it/interviste/alice.htm |access-date=29 January 2023 |work=OndaRock |date=14 November 2014 |language=it}} the song was included in the soundtrack of the Claudio Caligari's 1983 drug-themed film Toxic Love.{{cite news |last1=D'Onofrio |first1=Tobia |title=Vita e cinema di Claudio Caligari, regista delle devianze |url=https://xl.repubblica.it/articoli/vita-e-cinema-di-claudio-caligari-regista-delle-devianze/98516/ |access-date=29 January 2023 |work=La Repubblica |date=19 October 2020 |language=it-IT}}
The structure of the song has been described as "unusual because it lacks a refrain, but equally catchy thanks to several melodic hooks and a smooth mainstream sound".
Track listing
- 7" single - 3C 006-18529
- "Per Elisa" (Alice, Franco Battiato, Giusto Pio)
- "Non devi avere paura" (Alice)
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart !align="left"|Peak |
| align="left"|Italy (Musica e dischi){{cite web|url=http://www.musicaedischi.it/classifiche_archivio.php|title=Classifiche|work=Musica e Dischi|language=it|access-date=29 May 2022}} Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Alice".
|align="center"|1 |
| align="left"|Germany{{cite web |title=Offizielle Deutsche Charts |url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/suche?artist_search=Alice&do_search=do |website=offiziellecharts.de |access-date=29 January 2023}}
|align="center"|17 |
| align="left"|Austria{{cite web |title=Alice in AustrianCharts |url=https://www.austriancharts.at/search.asp?search=Alice&cat=s |website=AustrianCharts.at |access-date=29 January 2023}}
|align="center"|4 |
| align="left"|Switzerland{{cite web |title=Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade |url=https://hitparade.ch/search.asp?search=Alice&cat=s |website=HitParade.ch |access-date=29 January 2023}}
|align="center"|5 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.discogs.com/it/master/201214-Alice-Per-Elisa Per Elisa] at Discogs
{{Sanremo Music Festival winners}}