Libera (song)

"Libera" (English translation: "Free") was the Italian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1977, performed in Italian by Mia Martini, at the time arguably Italy's most successful and celebrated female artist, having had a number of hits like "Padre davvero...", "Gesù è mio fratello", "Credo", "Piccolo uomo", "Donna sola", "Minuetto", "Il guerriero", "Inno", "Al mondo", "Donna con te", "L'amore è il mio orizzonte", "Che vuoi che sia...se t'ho aspettato tanto" on the Italian Hit Parades between the years 1971 and 1976, as well as taking part in the Sanremo Music Festival and the Festivalbar on several occasions.

"Libera"
Eurovision Song Contest 1977 entry
Country	Italy
Artist(s)	Mia Martini
Language	Italian
Composer(s)	Salvatore Fabrizi
Lyricist(s)	Luigi Albertelli
Conductor	Maurizio Fabrizio
Finals performance
Final result	13th
Final points	33
Entry chronology
◄ "We'll Live It All Again" (1976)
"Questo amore" (1978) ►

Martini recorded five versions of the song; the original ballad version, the disco version, the Spanish "Libre", the French "Libre Comme Une Femme" and the English "Freedom Is Today", the latter three all with the up-tempo arrangement. While released on the RCA Records label in Italy and other parts of Europe.

The song was performed fifteenth on the night, following Spain's Micky with "Enséñame a Cantar" and preceding Finland's Monica Aspelund with "Lapponia)". At the close of voting, it had received 33 points, placing it 13th in a field of 18.

The "Libera" single was also only a moderate commercial success for Martini in Italy itself; while the song was featured on certain international editions of her studio album Che vuoi che sia... se t'ho aspettato tanto, such as in Canada where the album was retitled Mia Martini and included both the Italian and English language versions, it was left as a non-album track in her homeland and not included on either Che vuoi che sia... or the following Per amarti, released later in 1977.[1]

Since Martini's death in 1995 the main part of her substantial back-catalogue has been re-issued to CD in continental Europe and Japan, including four versions of "Libera", the original ballad version has however yet to be commercially released.

Mia Martini would return to the contest fifteen years later, singing "Rapsodia" at the Eurovision Song Contest 1992.

"Libera" was succeeded as Italian representative at the 1978 Contest by Ricchi e Poveri with "Questo amore".

References

1. Discogs.com entry, album Mia Martini, Canada