When IVA ZANICCHI was FILLED UP WITH BEATLES

Iva Zanicchi and Ringo Starr are both the same age. 79. 

The difference is that Iva is not on the road with so-called "All Stars" wearily waving a few fingers while the audience sings "Yellow Submarine." Another difference is that Ringo never successfully ran for public office.  Of course the biggest difference was that Iva could look pretty hot and could definitely belt out a tune, not belt out of tune. 

I don't think she ever met Ringo. For this Photoshop job, I stuck his head on the body of some colpito al cervello testa dei pesci posing with Iva circa 1965. (Don't bother to look it up; loosely translated, I called him a brain-damaged fish head).

Here's Iva's BEATLES MEDLEY from many years ago. You can fast-forward the first three minutes, which is an original song and not a Lennon-McCartney or Harrison.

 
Geddya tootsie-frootsie Beatles, here!

"Yesterday" is way too emotional to be sung in anything but Italian, so after the opening word, Iva does just that. From there, her olive-oiled voice slides into a fervent "Let It Be" sung in English with perhaps some vocal coaching from the ghost of Chico Marx. The violins sag and segue into "Michelle,"and she sings to Michelle which to adds a little lipstick lesbian zest to the mix. For Harrison's "My Sweet Lord," the steel-belting lady pours out molten-hot high notes.

At the risk of seeming snarky about today's twats, THIS is a singer. Iva performs WITHOUT monitors in her ears, doesn't have tattoos or indulge in wardrobe malfunctions, and leaves the squatting for the ladies room.  She does no aerobic dancing and has no fruity bunch of male back-up dancers either.

She moves effortlessly around a pretty awkward set where the musicians are against one wall, and the audience far removed on the other side. It would be intimidating for some to perform with a sterile gulf between them and the audience, or to try and remember the lyrics and stay with the melody with a small orchestra flurrying nearby. She knows exactly where the cameras are no matter which direction she goes, and she gets it done without being either garishly ravishing or pop-tart cute.

Born January 18, 1940,  Iva began recording at 25, and won the San Remo song contest in 1969. She averaged an album a year from 1970 to 1988. The pace slowed with stand-outs "Come Mi Vorrei" in 1991 and "Fossi un Tango" in 2003. In May of 2008 she joined the European Parliament, representing Forza, Italy. She took over from a departing politician named Mantovani. Quoth Iva at the time:

 "I believe that the EP and the EU should continue to promote sports. Sport has a key-role today when it comes to fighting social problems such as racism. Sport also teaches respect for rules, respect for teammates and especially respect for opponents… Sport is often a vehicle for peace!”  

If you'd like a download of the original vinyl....

Iva's Beatles Medley - no passwords, no dodgy slow Putin-scum websites, no porn ads or spyware

IVA ZANICCHI meddles with BURT BACHARACH

It's been a long time since the great Iva Zanicchi graced the illfolks blog. 2007, in fact. Her "comeback" here reflects her renewed activity…as a politician! Just a few weeks ago, she appeared at the European Parliament to discuss the importance of funding sports even during these desperate financial times.

Exactly two years ago, May of 2008, Iva became a member of the European Parliament, representing Forza, Italy. She had lost an election bid in 2004, but finally made it when she took over for a departing musically-named MP by the name of Mantovani.

Quoth Iva a few weeks ago: "I believe that the EP and the EU should continue to promote sports. Sport has a key-role today when it comes to fighting social problems such as racism. Sport also teaches respect for rules, respect for teammates and especially respect for opponents… Sport is often a vehicle for peace!” Not sure if she said this while wearing eye-catching lingerie or her "I've got my eye on you" shirt.

The election marked the third distinct career for Iva. She was first known as a singer, winning the San Remo festival in 1967, 1969 and 1974. Somewhere in there, she recorded the download medley of Burt Bacharach tunes. In 1987 she turned quiz show host for "The Price is Right," known in Italy as "Ok, il prezzo e Giusto!" There are versions of the show all over the world, but none hosted by a woman except for Iva's 13 year run. A few years later she ran for election and lost, but now her political dream's been realized.

Here's some Iva for your iPod…a vintage recording of Zanicchi (from the same album that yielded the previous item on this blog). She's meddling with maestro Bacharach this time, via a medley of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," "Don't Make Me Over," "What The World Needs Now" and "Anyone Who Had a Heart." All are sung in Italian except for "Don't Make Me Over," the lyrics she apparently refused to make over.

Politician, Price is Right Host and Prima Diva IVA ZANICCHI sings BACHARACH No pop-ups, porn-ads or wait-time.

HEY PAULA - ABDUL LEAVES A DULL SHOW

Usually the world of Popular Moronics is not a topic for Illfolks, but let's praise the decision of Paula Abdul, to walk away from a program that has done a lot to bring mediocrity, sameness and dullness to the music world. With lame contestants brought in for a laugh and quickly discarded, "American Idol" rewards unoriginality. Contestants given a serious shot at winning, must be just like past winners, and like any number of sound-alikes in the R&B or C&W genre. There isn't a cliche that the judges don't really love, and they expect perfection in the puppets who are supposed to be the next Britney or Whitney, etc. etc.

The show's a farce. Do we care if Ryan is gay, and aren't we bored with Simon's smirks, Randy's "dawg" and "pitchy" and Paula's warm-hearted dribbling and fumbling? Nobody cares who wins, and few even buy a second album from any contestant. While Cowell couldn't walk away from his $30 million a year, or Seacrest the $10 million, Paula Abdul rejected the $5 million offered her...either because she's greedy, bored, or stupid. Whatever..."Hey Paula," glad you've helped give the show a kick in the ass and some negative publicity. Even the suicide of Paula's stalker, a tooth-challenged lunatic who overdosed near Paula's home, had failed to dissuade people from ignoring the pop-culture poop machine that is "American Idol." Maybe not having addled Abdul for kicks will finally push the show toward the cancellation it deserves.

Since the show is so stupid, so's this "tribute" to Paula Abdul. It's the moronic puppy-love duet "Hey Paula" in French and German cover versions.

Your download is the hideous combination of "Hey Vivi, Hey Gerhard" from Vivi Bach and Gerhard Wendland followed by "Hey Paula" by Donald Lautrec and Ginette Sage. And no, Gerhard doesn't call Vivi a "frickin' cunt," on second listen, it sounds more like "fraggin' kont." Too bad, a curse or two would elevate this song from merely creepy to decadently perverted. The Frenchies are just irritatingly sweet.

HEY PAULA in German and French Instant download or listen on line. No waiting, pop-ups or pop-unders or porn ads.

SNOOPY & THE RED BARON - IN ITALIAN

Two reasons to be amused by "Snoopy vs the Red Baron" sung in Italian. First, that it's sung in Italian. Second, that Giorgio Gaber tosses in a fragment of "Hang On Sloopy," (which so many thought was "Hang On Snoopy" when it first crackled through bad transistor radios years ago).

Gaber (January 25, 1939-January 1, 2003) was a frolicsome fellow who gained some fame back in 1958 with a novelty tune that translates as "Don't Hog the Telephone."

He went on to appear at the San Remo Festival several times with straight songs, before returning to the novelty genre with what is technically titled, "Snoopy Contro Il Barone Rosso." A few years later he had his biggest success in Italy in 1969 with another serious tune, "How Beautiful the City Is."

The "Bloody Red Baron" Manfred Richtofen earned his nickname by downing at least three dozen planes. In 1916 he shot down his British rival Major Lanoe Hawker, and the following year was awarded "The Blue Max" for his deadly accuracy. In April of 1917, he went on a rampage, and in less than 30 days was credited with knocking 22 airmen out of the skies.

One Brit, Captain Donald Cunnell, nearly killed The Red Baron, but Richthofen managed to land his plane despite a severe head wound that grounded him for a while, leaving him battling severe headaches and nausea. During his recuperation he published his autobiography, which naturally made himself out to be even greater than he was.

He piloted an awesome Fokker (no cheap jokes, please) but, true to Snoopy's fantasies, was downed by an ace flying the unlikely-named Sopwith Camel. Almost exactly a year after his bloody success in April of 1917, The Red Baron met his end. On the morning of April 21, 1918, he was chasing down a Canadian pilot, Lieutenant "Wop" May when another plane, piloted by another Canadian, Captain Arthur Brown, came to the rescue. Richthofen was shot in the chest, but managed to safely land his plane...in enemy territory. Most reports said he died only minutes after landing. One soldier at the scene claimed The Red Baron gasped out one last word: "Kaput!"

In 1966, "Snoopy vs The Red Baron" became a Top Ten novelty single, focusing on the heroic beagle's imagined Sopwith Camel victory over that German Fokker. The single was such a hit, an entire album was quickly thrown together, and it too reached the Top Ten in January of 1967. Giorgio Gaber's Italian version arrived soon after, adding a bit of "Hang On Sloopy" (if you're keeping score, that tune by The McCoys was a Top 10 in 1965).
SNOOPY VS THE RED BARON, IN ITALIAN. Instant listen on line, or via download. No waiting time. No pop-ups.

LESLEY GORE SINGS IN THREE LANGUAGES

Not a canary in a coal mine, but a parakeet in an echo chamber, Lesley Gore hasn't been given enough credit for one fact: she's distinctive. When you hear Lesley's slightly husky voice, you know it's not a solo Shangri-La, or another Daughter of Sappho, Dusty Springfield. Gore's particular brand of toughness and vulnerability was all her own, made famous on the ominous, bitchy "You Don't Own Me" and the masochistic then sadistic two-part story, "It's My Party" and "Judy's Turn to Cry."

"Back in the day," nobody knew that Gore and Springfield were lesbians, but today it seems pretty obvious, since both were rather aloof to doing sweet (Petula Clark) or sour (Nancy Sinatra) poses intended for boys to pin up and stare at. Nope, if you stared at Dusty's hooker-esque make-up on an album cover, or Lesley's slightly distant mug shots, any erotic interest was from the beholder, not the babe.
The illfolks download offers Lesley doing what many stars of the day did...phonetically singing songs in foreign languages to increase sales. While the always snotty French will probably complain about her accent, the Germans might just sob into their saurkraut, and the Italians will gesticulate with their sausages, this stuff will sound pretty authentic to English-speakers. Whatever the language, you instantly know it's Lesley Gore, and that's the sign of a very, very distinctive vocalist.
Lesley still takes to the road, singing a varied selection of numbers (as opposed to being strictly an oldies tour item) and she's sometimes sought out for interviews by alternative newspapers and magazines that want to focus on her sexuality. And here, we zero in on Lesley's ability to satisfy our ears even when we don't know what the hell she's singing...and that's the mark of a fine singer, not just a pop star.
"You Don't Own Me" in German and French, "Maybe I Know" in French, and lots more. You get 8 German numbers, 8 French numbers, and 2 songs in Italian...Gore's brand of global warming.
the French, German and Italian LESLEY GORE

IVA ZANICCHI - FILLED UP WITH BEATLES

Who doesn't like the music of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison...
chicks who look like hookers...
outrageous Italian accents.....

In other words, geddya tootsie-frootsie Beatles, here, thanks to Iva Zanichhi's great medley of their hits!

"Yesterday" is way too emotional to be sung in anything but Italian, so after the opening word, Iva does just that. From there, her olive-oiled voice slides into a fervent "Let It Be" sung in English with perhaps some vocal coaching from the ghost of Chico Marx. The violins sag and segue into "Michelle," just to add a little lesbian interest to the mix. If you're thinking "Omigod" by now, then enjoy "My Sweet Lord," which is steel-belted from a lady who can really pour out molten-hot high notes.

Born January 18, 1940, Iva began recording at 25, and won the San Remo song contest in 1969. She averaged an album a year from 1970 to 1988. She's slowed in the past two decades ("Come Mi Vorrei" in 1991 and "Fossi un Tango" in 2003).

Illfolks has lovingly pulled the Beatles medley from the original vinyl (there was also one for Burt Bacharach) and stuck Ringo Starr's head on the body of some colpito al cervello testa dei pesci posing with Iva circa 1965. (Don't bother to look it up; loosely translated, I called him a brain-damaged fish head).
Viva Iva! Beatles Italian style, download or listen right now. No pop-ups, porn or code-words to type.