"Marianne"
Single by Sergio Endrigo
B-side"Il dolce paese"
ReleasedApril 1968
GenrePop
Length3:06
LabelCetra
Songwriter(s)
Sergio Endrigo singles chronology
"Canzone per te"
(1968) 		"Marianne"
(1968) 		"La colomba"
(1968)
Eurovision Song Contest 1968 entry
Country
Artist(s)
Language
Finals performance
Final result
10th
Final points
7
Entry chronology
◄ "Non andare più lontano" (1967)
"Due grosse lacrime bianche" (1969) ►

"Marianne" was the Italian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1968, performed in Italian by Sergio Endrigo.

The song is a ballad, with Endrigo expressing his love for the title character. He sings, however, that she never stays with him, and he wonders about what she is doing. Nonetheless, his feelings for her remain unaltered.

The song was performed eleventh on the night, following France's Isabelle Aubret with "La source" and preceding the United Kingdom's Cliff Richard with "Congratulations". At the close of voting, it had received 7 points, placing it 10th in a field of 17.[1]

It was succeeded as Italian representative at the 1969 contest by Iva Zanicchi with "Due grosse lacrime bianche".

Cliff Richard version

"Marianne"
Cover of the single released in Germany
Single by Cliff Richard
from the album Established 1958
B-side"Mr. Nice"
Released20 September 1968
Recorded2 July 1968[2]
StudioChappell Studios, London
GenrePop
Length3:19
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Norrie Paramor
Cliff Richard singles chronology
"I'll Love You Forever Today"
(1968) 		"Marianne"
(1968) 		"Don't Forget to Catch Me"
(1968)

Following the Contest, it was rewritten in English by Bill Owen for Cliff Richard to record. "Marianne" features an accompaniment by the Mike Leander Orchestra and was released as a single in September with the B-side "Mr. Nice", written by Terry Britten.[2] It peaked at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.[3]

Reception

Reviewing for Record Mirror, Peter Jones described "Marianne" as "a really lovely ballad, a hymn of praise to a chick, and Cliff really shows off his vocal range, to a swelling, swirling orchestral backing laid down lovingly by Mike Leander. As ever, it's a distinctive vocal treatment and perhaps Cliff's most ambitious bit of actually singing on record".[4] For New Musical Express, Derek Johnson described the song as "a piquant and emotional ballad" that "certainly doesn't register with an immediate impact. But once you've heard it a few times, you'll find that the haunting melody is firmly implanted in your mind, and you just can't lose it".[5]

Track listing

7": Columbia / DB 8476

  1. "Marianne" – 3:19
  2. "Mr. Nice" – 2:13

7": Columbia / DSA 834 (South Africa)

  1. "Marianne" – 3:19
  2. "Close to Kathy" – 2:48

Charts

Chart (1968) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 56
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 18
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[8] 33
Ireland (IRMA)[9] 15
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10] 37
UK Singles (OCC)[3] 22

References

  1. ^ "Eurovision 1968 Italy: Sergio Endrigo - "Marianne"". Eurovisionworld. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  2. ^ a b "Cliff Richard Song Database - Song Details (Marianne)". www.cliffrichardsongs.com. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  3. ^ a b "Cliff Richard: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  4. ^ "New Singles" (PDF). Record Mirror. 28 September 1968. p. 8. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Top Singles" (PDF). New Musical Express. 21 September 1968. p. 6. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  6. ^ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
  7. ^ "Cliff Richard – Marianne" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  8. ^ "Cliff Richard – Marianne" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  9. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Marianne". Irish Singles Chart.
  10. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Cliff Richard" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
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