"Senza fine" (which translates in English to "Endless") is a song written by Italian singer-songwriter Gino Paoli, inspired by collaboration partner

Ornella Vanoni Ornella Vanoni (; born 22 September 1934) is an Italian singer. She is one of the longest-standing Italian artists, having started performing in 1956. She has released about 112 works between LP, EPs and greatest hits albums, and is considered ...

. Vanoni was the first person to record the song which was released as a single in September 1961. The song version sung by Paoli went on to chart at No. 7 on the Italian Top 50.

Background

Memory Records, to whom Vanoni was linked contractually, wanted to rebrand the singer with a new sexy image, detaching her from her previous one. "Senza fine" is based on an initial round of E flat, introduced by an accordion and a string section. The song is based on a French- style waltz base. The song has the peculiarity of ending by fading, unlike most of the songs of that period. The version of the song recorded by Gino Paoli on the album was originally only for voice and piano. However, after the success of the single recorded by Ornella Vanoni, which was built on a more elaborate arrangement, Memory Records decided that Gino Paoli's version would also have the same arrangement. In order to adapt the arrangement created for Vanoni to the voice of Paoli it was decided to speed up the magnetic tapes, and this is the version on the B side of the 45 rpm.

Critical reception

The original version of "Senza fine" by Ornella Vanoni, managed to climb the ranking of the best-selling singles in Italy, reaching the tenth position. Following the success of Vanoni's single, the single by Gino Paoli entered the charts on 23 September 1961 at the seventh position, rising to the fifth position the following week, and in total the single remained among the top ten for four weeks. At the end of the year, Gino Paoli's version turned out to be the eighty-fifth best-selling record, while Vanoni's was the fifty-sixth.

Covers and appearances

"Senza fine" has been the subject of numerous covers over the years, among which are those of Miranda Martino,

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor, and comedian. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Cool", he is regarded as one of the most popular entertainers of ...

Peggy Lee Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, and actress whose career spanned seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local r ...

, and

Mike Patton Michael Allan Patton (born January 27, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and voice actor, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock bands Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. He has also fronted and/or played with Tomahawk, The ...

. The song was incorporated into the 1965 motion picture '' The Flight of the Phoenix.'' Covers of that version were released in 1966 by

Connie Francis Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero ( ; born December 12, 1937), known as Connie Francis, is a retired American Pop music, pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. She is estimated to have sold more th ...

, as "The Phoenix Love Theme," and by The Brass Ring, as "Love Theme From The Flight Of The Phoenix". "Senza fine" is performed in the 1972

Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an American filmmaker and screenwriter. His career in Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and ver ...

film '' Avanti!'', the 2003 Isabel Coixet film '' My Life Without Me'' and the 2004

François Ozon François Ozon (; born 15 November 1967) is a French film director and screenwriter. Ozon is considered one of the most important modern French filmmakers. His films are characterized by aesthetic beauty, sharp satirical humor and a free-wheeli ...

film '' 5x2'', and also appears in the 2002 horror film ''

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'', sung by singer Monica Mancini, although in the film the song is sung by the character played by Francesca Rettondini. Parts of the song are also used in the pilot for the TV Series "Rod Serling’s Night Gallery", Episode 1, Segment 3 "The Escape Route", when the main character, Josef Strobe looks at a painting of a fisherman and imagines himself in the painting.

References

External links

* {{authority control Gino Paoli songs Ornella Vanoni songs Songs in Italian 1961 songs 1961 singles