He’s the firm favourite to win Eurovision 2017 and his official music video for “Occidentali’s Karma” has been watched 62 million times since February.
And today Italy’s Francesco Gabbani finally revealed the Eurovision version of his competing entry, recording more than 15,000 views within 40 minutes of going live.
The original version of the song clocked in at 3:37, forcing the Sanremo winner to nip and tuck. And he does so early, launching into the verses two seconds after the music starts rather than four. He’s cut some of the first verse, meaning he no longer uses the delightful phrase “Internetology”, and he arrives at the first chorus about 12 seconds sooner than in the original version — a move to hook the listener almost immediately. We call that instant gratification.
Fans of the original version will also notice that the verses leading into the second chorus have also been removed.
In axing them he’s dropped the word “Chanel” — probably a smart move given that Eurovision songs are not allowed to endorse companies. (Remember the whole “Facebook” drama with Valentina Monetta in 2012?).
Francophiles can rest assured that there is still a little français in the song thanks to the line, “intelligence is démodé” — aka, “out of fashion”.
Buy the Namaste Gorilla t-shirt
Fans of the original, Italian-language version will also be thrilled to hear that Francesco has made good on his word to keep the song in Italian — bar a few phrases like namaste and allez.
In February Francesco appeared on Radio Nostalgia, where he expressed a strong preference to sing in Italian at Eurovision.
“The main question is: ‘Will Gabbani sing an English version of the lyrics or will he keep it in Italian?’” he said at the time. “At this time we are more likely to stay in Italian for one reason: if I must represent our fantastic Italian music, singing in English could show me as an apple-polisher, trying to wink to the European audience.”
“I would be proud to bring on stage these lyrics that were born and have taken root in Italy, and so I would like to sing it in Italian. Anyway, we are still under evaluation”.
He made it clear that he wanted to respect the wishes of his fans — the people who voted for him at Sanremo, giving him the opportunity to perform at Eurovision.
“I’m honest, I’m careful about the opinion of my fans, the people who follow me. I must say that, actually, their observations go in this direction: sing it in Italian.”
He doesnt say allez. He says Ale’
I hope it all comes together in the live show he is sooooooo good. Better than all those manufactured Voice contestants! He has so much character and conviction. It’s a song contest not a singing contest! I’m not a fan of the cuts but fingers crossed for Italy!
@Purple Mask: That 3-minute rule was imposed at a time when most songs of the era (mid-to-late-1950s) were less than 3 minutes long. Maurice Williams’ 1960 song “Stay” clocks in at 1:36. He wrote the song in 1953. As far as I know, it is the shortest song to hit #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. They imposed the rule because someone sent a song that was 5 minutes long. Jump to the 1970s, and you’ll find that most songs were 3:30 to 4:00, and later that decade, it was anything goes. Only in the last 15 years have… Read more »
The cuts are seemless on a technical level; as usual, Italy does a good job with the editing. What continually frustrates me is how rigid the ESC’s 3-minute rule is. Why can’t we allow 30-45 seconds of lea-way? For art’s sake!!
I understand that a whole lot of the song needed to go, but I’d’ve prefered to lose a chorus and kept the best lyric in the whole song. Still right up the pointy end of my personal list, just not quite what it once was.
My final TOP 43:
#ITALY2018
https://youtu.be/U-imI7AWGFw
I do not see how this could win. It is perhaps witty, but mistly silly and superficial. How is it going to get the jury vote? His voice is nothing special. And let’s don’t forget Italy did not have the money to host JESC, so Bulgaria had to step it. I mean, general public may have forgotten, but the jury… Also I do not see this getting support outside of the “Western European” counties, perhaps Albania and ex Yugoslavia. But the former Russian Republics–no way. Also I can’t see Poland, Bulgaria, Chech Rep. or Hungary supporting it.
Sweden are gonna come third and then win 2018…
As much as I love Italy, it won’t win. I can’t see juries getting behind this anymore than they got behind Il Volvo or Sergey. They’ll still probably win the televote, but that probably won’t be enough to save it.
I think Belgium (with the right staging and running order) could challenge as it is televote and jury friendly (it will probably win jury)
The judges base their judging on the ESC-version, nothing else. Whether or not there is a previous version isn’t important since it’s not the version that’s being judged. The same goes for the viewers, they get what they see.
They judge the same version though with different criteria.
The song is excellent but I don’t see it as a winner! I predict an unexpected winner this year, like almost every year. Favourites rarely do well in ESC, the pressure gets to much!
I would love love love for a big 5 country to win, and always love Italian language. This song though is so overrated. Catchy? maybe, but the lyrics are bland and the whole video and the dancing gorrilla is just gimmicky.
Not to mention one thing that is overlooked by people is the extreme cultural appropriation in the video and the song is quite disturbing.
Can’t wait to see that gorilla in green room, lol!!! 😀
I don’t get the hype. A dancing gorilla and a song that makes me think about the children singing in Zecchino d’Oro. Top 10 , but not winning.
Totally unrelated and I apologise for this, but on average how many delegates to each television company send to ESC?
@Milla: Once more, I don’t remember anything in the rule book saying that no jury member can be aware of the original studio version beforehand. After all, the stage presentation is only one component (almost always the final component) they’ll be judging; and in many cases, even if the song is good, a crappy stage presentation can ruin a contender’s standing. Look what happened this winter to Emma at UMK; odds-on favorite, got lost in the tempo on stage, ended up 3rd.
@Milla: You do realize how ridiculous it would be to try and discourage viewers, spectators and jury members from listening or viewing the original (uncut) versions, do you? Once more, Francesco’s song is NOT the only song (not by a long shot) in this contest whose original studio recording is longer than 3 minutes.
I don’t love the cut. I still think Italy have a good chance of winning but essentially they’ve got the televote sewn up and Portugal has the juries IMO. Blanche isn’t going to have the same impact live but I’m pretty sure Isiah will surprise everyone and get another top 5 for Australia
Considering the fact that ESC is not only about the songs but also the whole act with the character of the singer/band and of course the show, I can assure you that Francesco will steal hearts of many. I expect Robin and Salvador to make that, too. This shortened version sounds different to many of us who keep listening the full longer version but I think it will be enough to give the message, so it’s not a big issue. Good luck to Francesco, namaste!
I hate his voice
The instrumentals in this song sound a lot like they took them from Shine by Years & Years.
Agree. The riff in question is virtually identical. When I first heard it that was my immediate reaction: they’ve lifted the riff from ‘Shine’.
They even included some English translations at the bottom of the vid lol! Let’s see if another Big 5 country can win Eurovision though. Not just Germany but also Italy.
Is Italy going to get some kind of special treatment or what? The juries judge what they see and hear on stage. 3 min. and no more. If there is a longer version then they should not pay attention to it. Rules are rules! Something that Italy should have thought about in the first place. Some fans treat Italy like something holy. Jeez.
One other thing: This song could be sped up just a little, to make certain that the edited version is 3 minutes or less. Elaiza (Germany 2014) did the same thing to “Is It Right?” to get their edited version down to under 3 minutes.
@Justin K.: The song is 3:35 long; so, obviously 35 second have to be edited out of the song before he submits the stage version. As I watch the video at YouTube, I see quite a few points where they could edit the song and lot lose too much of its flavor: (1) Kill the first 4 seconds before he starts singing. (2) Kill 1:34-1:48. The lead-in to the 2nd chorus is unnecessary. (3) Kill 2:12-2:22. The last 2 lines of the chorus don’t have to be repeated. (4) Kill 2:40-2:47, BEFORE he says “Namaste!” There are your 35 seconds… Read more »
I would give up the four second intro and make it a Capella like he did in Sanremo, and use that to make a smoother transition into the second chorus. I don’t think the overall edit is bad, but the song did work best with the second verse just so the pacing is a little more even–the slower middle 8 doesn’t last as long, so it goes at the song’s full force for approximately 2/3s of it. It’s no use making suggestions, but it would have been interesting if they edited some of the second verse into the first, making… Read more »
france and italy… why do you guys ruin your songs like that?? 😕
probably gonna sound less awkward live tho. finger crossed.
#baku2018 #moscow2018
What a pity, I’m so sorry. It was my favorite song; it was fantastic! Now it’s too repetitive!
they ruined the song OMG…
I think it’s terrible, the bridge in the end is still far too long and the second verse is crucial to make this song an evolving entity. By cutting it off, this becomes to repetitive. After France, this is the second brutal “devamp” this year. Even Albania did it better 😀
Still think, this might win but now we have a much closer race.
It’s a bit jarring, and it sounds like someone literally just edited out the parts of the song from the original video. When it won, I realized that something would have to get cut to make it meet the three-minute rule. Like someone mentioned before me on this post, it was such a well structured song that any cut was going to hurt. It’ll take me some getting used to, same with the updated French track. Give me a few listens, and I might just get used to it and keep it in my top 10.
This year, Portugal and Italy play in another League.
10 points from Armenia (I think the song of my country will not be able to compete against these two countries).
This is going to flop as hard as Amaury did. Typical San Remo song. Every non-ESC fan I’ve shown this song too has laughed at this being the favourite. These are your televoters.
They took out what they needed to take out. If they can work on making that transition a little bit smoother, no harm done.
I don’t get why the juries would kill Italy. A lot of people are saying this and I think that if you kill a song that has so much quotes and “intellectual observation” towards nowadays Westerrn culture you could seem a bit of a ignorant to not aknowledge it, and I think it’s one of the last things a jury wants (a part from the political tactics accusations and yada yada yada). I don’t know, I get that last moment listeners wont get it, but juries? Not sure… But maybe I’m wrong, because maybe they would be afraid people will… Read more »
Apart from the very noticeable edit, I still love it Surely they have it fixed for the live performance I really want Italy to win Eurovision but the juries could ruin his chances
Still good. As an italian speaker I’m sad they cut off the cocain/opium part, and the cut at 1.10 is a bit abrupt, but after a couple of listening I think it will be still good for the ESC listeners who has never listen to the origianl version. I hope that the people get the “naked ape” = “man” thing.
@Zebb: They’ll have another month to work on it and even it out before they have to submit the final version for rehearsals.
Great work on intro. And then something is a bit messed in middle part. Shortened second verse and a small hiatus before it takes me out of flow. It would be nice to fill gap with something, maybe another bridge – tiny copy of bigger, I suppose (I’m vulnerable to mellow guitar sound ^).
@Marc: The concept of “contemporary” has become too convenient a cover excuse to justify approval or disapproval of a song or an artist. I’ve heard it many times in quite a few contests or talent shows, and quite often the purveyors of this opinion have trouble explaining themselves.
This song would be contemporary… If it had been 1985….
If this song wins it will do that and the. Be forgotten about and a low selling single…..
@PP
I write on you in other post. You say everywhere your prediction buy you are not giving arguments. I’d like to hear them 😀
It’s very unlikely that 5 Western song will be Top 5 in jury voting.
If Belgium wins the jury, it should be Top 5 in the televote. Same goes for Italy, if it wins the televote, it should be top 5 among juries as well.
I’m so laughing on people who say Occidentali’s karma is not contemporany, current or radiofriendly.
That’s why it has beem several weeks number 1 in Italy, it’s the most played song on the radios there. It’s multi-platinum, it has chart in almost 20 countries on Itunes and so on.
Any song is and won’t be even close to these numbers. It’s a this year’s HIT 😀
@YoungsterJoey: Aye. And by now EVERYONE should know the FIRST place to find the original version.
@Davve: “Contemporary” is completely irrelevant. Conchita’s song didn’t fit the concept of “contemporary” (to me, it sounded like a 1970s 007 theme song), and yet it still won. I’d bet Robin’s song reminds some people of a few songs from the late-1990s boy-band era. Should that be a reason to penalize him?
This is such a great song, but it won’t win.
This will be that song in second or third place, just missing-out on the victory.
The winning song is probably one nobody is thinking about. Maybe Australia? Maybe Bulgaria?
Also, NO WAY is Sweden winning. It will be lucky to make top 10.
They cut the best verse but it’s not like people will understand his lyrics so that’s irrelevant to his Eurovision outcome
Sweden will win this.
If Italys song won it would be a step further back for the modern ESC…..
I think the second verse would’ve been better than the bridge to be honest. It feels too repetitive now.
France had a similar issue with cutting the song down last year while trying to avoid repetition, and they dealt with it by editing the song’s instrumental and melodies significantly.
Still a fantastic song, though.
2017 rules:
Iraly are not gonna win. Its a stupid song. Its gonna be like Rusdia last year. Its not a good son
Of course, I like the original better, but the the ESC version is still great. It remains my favourite.
Anybody saying Sweden will win is crazy, we all know now that it’s a fight between Belgium AND Italy for the win, Sweden will come lower than 2016 probably but it will be shocking if they come in the top 3.
MY TOP 21:
1. Belgium
1. Azerbaijan
2. Italia
3.Macedonia
4. Denmark
5. Norway
6. Uk
7. Finland
8.Iceland
9. Serbia
10.France
11.Switzerland
12.Australia
13.Greece
14.Romania
15. Sweden
16.Albania
17.Czech Republic
18.Belarus
19.Germany
This song will not win……. The song is not contemporary….
Sweden will win.. Best song.