Gigi l'amoroso

"Gigi l'amoroso" (old-fashioned Italian for 'Gigi the lover') is a song recorded by French Italian singer Dalida. It was written by Michaële [fr], Lana and Paul Sebastian. The song was released as a single in January 1974 with the song "Il venait d'avoir 18 ans" on the B-side.

"Gigi l'amoroso"
Single by Dalida
from the album Manuel
Language	French
B-side	"Il venait d'avoir 18 ans"
Released	18 January 1974 (1974-01-18)
Recorded	1973
Studio	Des Dames, Paris
Genre	Chanson
Length	7:29
Label	International Shows
Composer(s)	Lana & Paul Sebastian
Lyricist(s)	Michaële
Producer(s)	Orlando
Dalida singles chronology
"Julien" (1973) "Gigi l'amoroso" (1974) "Anima mia" (1974)

The song was first performed by Dalida in January during a concert at the Olympia Hall. The song has a duration of seven minutes and was not suitable for radio rotation, nevertheless it became a big hit, rising to the top of the charts in Europe.^[1] The song became number one in Switzerland and Flemish Belgium, where it also became the most popular song of the year. Billboard magazine named Dalida the most popular French singer of 1974 in the world thanks to the recording of this song.^[2]

Track listings

7-inch single Sonopresse IS 45 716 (1974, France)
7-inch single Omega OM 39.058 Y (1974, Belgium)
7-inch single Omega OM 39.058 (1974, Netherlands)
7-inch single Poplandia P-30573 (1974, Spain)
CD single Barclay 9240 (1999, France)

A. "Gigi l'amoroso (Gigi l'amour)" (6:59)

B. "Il venait d'avoir 18 ans" (2:50)

7-inch single Fragola Blu FB 1703 (1974, Italy)

A. "Gigi l'amoroso (Gigi l'amour)" (7:45)

B. "Col tempo" (4:29)

7-inch EP Zip Zip 10.057/E (1974, Portugal)

A. "Gigi l'amoroso (Gigi l'amour)" (6:59)

B1. "Vado via" (3:40)

B2. "Il venait d'avoir 18 ans" (2:50)

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Gigi l'amoroso" Chart (1974) Peak position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[3] 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[4] 4 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[5] 2 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[6] 2 Spanish Singles Chart[7] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[8] 1

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Gigi l'amoroso" Chart (1974) Position Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[9] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] 8 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[12] 5

Certifications and sales

Certifications for "Gigi l'amoroso"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[13]	Gold	75,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Other-language versions

• Dalida also recorded the song in Italian (under the same title "Gigi l'amoroso"),^[14] in Spanish as "Gigi el amoroso",^[15] in German as "Gigi der Geliebte",^[16] in English as "The Great Gigi l'Amoroso" (or just "The Great Gigi"),^[17] and in Japanese as "Ai suru Jiji" (愛するジジ).
• Belgian band The Strangers recorded it in Dutch as "Scheele Vanderlinden".
• Belgian singer Wendy Van Wanten also recorded a Dutch version.
• Dutch singer Mike Vincent used the melody for a song called "Friet met Mayonaise" ("Fries with Mayonnaise"), which was later covered by Johnny Hoes.
• Swiss singer Ines Torelli used the melody for a song called "Gigi von Arosa" (Swiss German: "Gigi vo Arosa")

Use in torture

Chilean general Augusto Pinochet reportedly used this song alongside physical torture on his prisoners.^[18]

References

1. Ichbiah, Daniel (2011). "Gigi l'amoroso". 50 ans de chansons françaises. Daniel Ichbiah. p. 1969. ISBN 9791091410168.
2. "Dalida". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1975-01-18. p. 31. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2019-07-26 – via GoogleBooks.
3. "Dalida – Gigi l'amoroso (Gigi l'amour)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
4. "Dalida – Gigi l'amoroso (Gigi l'amour)" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
5. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 36, 1974" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
6. "Dalida – Gigi l'amoroso (Gigi l'amour)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
7. Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
8. "Dalida – Gigi l'amoroso (Gigi l'amour)". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
9. "Jaaroverzichten 1974". Ultratop. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
10. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1974". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
11. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1974". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
12. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1974". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
13. "Canadian single certifications – Dalida – Gigi l'amoroso". Music Canada. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
14. Dalida (1974). Gigi L'Amoroso (liner notes). Italy: Fragola Blu. FB 1703.
15. Dalida (1974). Gigi El Amoroso (liner notes). Chile: Discos Banglad. ISH-35.
16. Dalida (1974). Er War Gerade 18 Jahr' (liner notes). Germany: Ariola. 13 431 AT.
17. Dalida (1982). Confidences Sur La Fréquence (liner notes). France: Orlando International Shows. 67.908.
18. "The dark side of music: When sounds are torture". 8 February 2019.

External links

• "Gigi l'amoroso" at Discogs (list of releases)