Piccolo uomo

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"Piccolo uomo"
Single by Mia Martini
from the album Nel mondo, una cosa
B-side"Madre"
Released1972
GenrePop, Ballad
Length4:20
LabelRicordi
Songwriter(s)Dario Baldan Bembo, Bruno Lauzi, Michelangelo La Bionda
Producer(s)Giovanni Sanjust
Mia Martini singles chronology
"Credo"
(1972)
"Piccolo uomo"
(1972)
"Donna sola"
(1972)

"Piccolo uomo" (transl. Little man) is a 1972 Italian song composed by Dario Baldan Bembo (music), Bruno Lauzi and Michelangelo La Bionda (lyrics) and performed by Mia Martini. It was the singer's first significant commercial success.[1]

Background[edit]

When Dario Baldan Bembo presented this ballad to Ricordi, he expected it to be recorded by the successful band I Camaleonti, but producer Giovanni Sanjust felt it was the right song to definitely launch the career of upcoming singer Mia Martini;[1][2] this led to a great disagreement between the two, with Baldan Bembo even refusing to play Hammond organ in the Martini's audition.[2] Following the success of the song, Baldan Bembo eventually became one of the closer collaborators and more trusted songwriters of Martini.[2]

The title of the song came from an epithet the wife of the short-in-stature Bruno Lauzi used to call him.[2]

The song was initially ignored by audience, being even eliminated by Un disco per l'estate selections. It was later presented at Festivalbar, turning into a big hit and winning the competition.[1] It got Martini her first magazine cover, for the music magazine Ciao 2001 [it].[2]

The song was recorded by Mia Martini in French (with the title "Tout petit homme"), German (as "Auf der welt") and Spanish (as "Pequeno hombre").[1][3] In 1973 Pop-Tops recorded an English-language cover of the song entitled "My Little Woman".[4]

The B-side of the single is a cover of John Lennon's "Mother", with Italian lyrics by Martini.

Track listing[edit]

  • 7" single – SRL 10669
  1. "Piccolo uomo" (Bruno Lauzi, Michelangelo La Bionda, Dario Baldan Bembo)
  2. "Madre" (John Lennon, Mia Martini)

Charts[edit]

Chart (1972) Peak
position
Italy (Musica e dischi)[5] 2

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Dario Salvatori (2001). "Piccolo uomo". Dizionario delle canzoni italiane. Elle U. ISBN 8888169016.
  2. ^ a b c d e Menico Caroli (1999). Mia Martini. Il mio canto universale. Tarab, pp. 66-67. ISBN 9788886675994.
  3. ^ "Mia Martini, "Straniera": doppio Cd di rarità e inediti, tracklist". Rockol (in Italian). 8 October 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Music Capitals of The World". Billboard. 1973. p. 59. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  5. ^ Dario Salvatori (1989). Storia dell'Hit Parade. Gramese, 1989. p. 177. ISBN 8876054391.

External links[edit]