Gigliola Cinquetti

Gigliola Cinquetti entered the world on December 20, 1947, in Verona and later claimed the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest crown for Italy. Attention first arrived when the sixteen-year-old captured the San Remo Song Contest early that year; weeks afterward she secured the Eurovision title as well, launching an exceptionally prosperous career. The same composition, “Non Ho L’Eta” (Not Old Enough), had served as her winning entry at both festivals. The track achieved widespread European success, even reaching the normally unreceptive United Kingdom. Further international recognition followed in 1966 with “Dio, Some Ti Amo,” while additional chart entries included “Piccola Cittá” (1967), “La Pioggia” (1969), “Amarti e Poi Morire,” “Le Bateau Mouche” (1971), and “Je Suis Timide” (1972). During those years her long-playing releases comprised Alle Porte del Sole, Auf der Straße der Sonne, Cantando con Gli Amici, Giovane Vecchio Cuore, Il Treno Dell’amore, Pensieri di Donna, and Stasera Ballo Liscio.

Following ten years of Italian chart dominance, Cinquetti reappeared at Eurovision in 1974 with “Si,” only to encounter intense political controversy at home. Italy stood on the verge of a referendum concerning the legalization of divorce, and officials worried that the title—meaning “Yes”—might be interpreted as commentary on the issue or function as a hidden prompt to voters. Broadcaster RAI therefore prohibited the song from domestic airplay and excised it from the Eurovision telecast. Nevertheless “Si” placed second, trailing ABBA’s “Waterloo,” while its English counterpart “Go” supplied Cinquetti with another British hit. She has continued to command attention both inside and outside Italy ever since, returning to the contest in 1991 as co-host alongside the prior year’s victor, Toto Cutugno.