Italy makes a grand re-entrance to the Eurovision Top 100 list with their 1961 entry, “Al di là” by Betty Curtis.
In the early days, The Euro Yard liked Italy. Really liked Italy. We gave them a number of douze points scores and had to talk ourselves out of others at times. Whether or not they got the recognition they deserved back in the day, this website was not going to let it go without saying something. Curtis, who finished in the top five but nowhere near the win, deserved quite a bit better of an outcome than the one she got. (Of course, no Italian singer can top Domenico Modugno in that department, but we will get to that another time.)
Regardless of the final result, Curtis turned in a big performance in Cannes.
Vital Information: “Al di là”
| Song | Al di là |
| English Translation | Beyond |
| Performed By | Betty Curtis |
| Written By | Carlo Donida & Giulio Rapetti |
| Country | Italy |
| Year | 1961 |
| Language(s) Performed In | Italian |
| How It Fared | 5th Place (12 Points) |
| Was It Fair? | Deserved much better |
What I Liked
Watching, and then re-watching, Eurovision history has been about discovering hidden gems and experiencing cultural novelties from other places. This was for sure a gem, and it left me with a great, great feeling.
The orchestra hit you with a big tune right out of the gate, and then Curtis started singing. What a voice she had. Beautiful, comforting, melodic, and powerful.
This composition gave you a few switch-ups as well. There are moments when it is slow and light, and others where she is belting it at the top of her lungs. She got to show off all of her range and talent.
Other Facts
- Betty Curtis’s real name was Roberta Corti. She passed away in 2006.
- Curtis appeared in a handful of films in the 1960s, but her song “I Will Follow Him” was part of the soundtrack for the classic movie “Goodfellas” in 1990. (IMDb, n.d.)
- This song tied for fifth place with “Angelique,” another song on this Top 100 list. They both made it onto the countdown in different ways: “Angelique” was well-sung but with excellent lyrics, while this song was based on power and emotion.
- Italy went last in the running order in 1961 out of 16 songs.
Go Beyond with “Al di là”
The video is ready and waiting for you on YouTube.
References
IMDb. (n.d.). Betty Curtis. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0193256/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_8_in_0_q_betty%2520curtis
