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From album
To Be Number One
Gianna Nannini · 1990
Details
Duración4:12
ÁlbumTo Be Number One
Año1990
ISRCITZ040000602
The story behind
The music of *Un'estate italiana*, popularly known as *Notti magiche*, has an origin linked to a major sporting event: it was the official song of the 1990 FIFA World Cup, held in Italy. The original idea for the composition came from Giorgio Moroder, who then called upon Edoardo Bennato and Gianna Nannini to shape the Italian version. While an international version, titled *To Be Number One* and with lyrics by Tom Whitlock, was recorded by Moroder's circle under the name Giorgio Moroder Project and used as a television jingle, the version sung by Nannini and Bennato climbed to the top of the popularity charts in Italy.
This track became the best-selling single in Italy between January and September 1990, marking a milestone as the last 45 rpm single to achieve massive commercial success before the transition to more modern formats. Its impact extended beyond Italy, reaching the number one position in Switzerland, second in Germany, fourth in Norway, and seventh in Sweden. The official presentation of the song by Nannini and Bennato took place in December 1989, during the championship's group stage draw at the Palazzo dello Sport in Rome, and was later performed lip-synced at the opening ceremony in Milan, just before the match between Argentina and Cameroon. The recording took place at Oasis Studios in Hollywood and Excalibur Studio in Milan, produced by Giorgio Moroder. Curiously, Nannini and Bennato recorded their vocal parts in separate sessions, as recalled by record producer Caterina Caselli.
The song, originally conceived as a sporting anthem for a specific event, experienced an unexpected resurgence in the summer of 2021. Italian fans adopted it with fervor during the 2020 European Football Championship (rescheduled and played in 2021), singing it as a chorus after each national team victory. This phenomenon led to the song being heard again in the media, sharing the collective imagination with the tournament's official anthem, *We Are the People* by Martin Garrix.