ITALY: 'Thank goodness for Silvio!' says Berlusconi's new electoral song

Record ID: 470794

  • Title: ITALY: 'Thank goodness for Silvio!' says Berlusconi's new electoral song
  • Date: 28th March 2008
  • Summary: (EU) VITERBO, ITALY (MARCH 26, 2008) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) COMPOSER ANDREA VANTINI SAYING: "The song just came as a sudden inspiration. It came to light like a love song does, even if the subject is political. The song comes from the great affection for the president (Berlusconi)".
  • Embargoed: 12th April 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3CINE5IL90574VFFDL2YC39Z3
  • Story Text: "Thank goodness for Silvio!" says the new catchy anthem that will welcome opposition candidate Silvio Berlusconi on the campaign trail every day up to Italy's April elections.
    Italy's election campaign ahead of the mid-April vote may be quieter and less aggressive than usual, but the catchy theme song to the campaign of Silvio Berlusconi sums up the personality politics that will decide who wins.
    The centre-right candidate who is leading opinion polls is greeted on the campaign trail by the refrain "Thank goodness for Silvio!". Its author, Andrea Vantini, goes as far as to compare it to a "love song" for the 71-year-old tycoon who wants a third term as prime minister.
    "The song just came as a sudden inspiration. It came to light like a love song does, even if the subject is political." Vantini said, just before going out on stage and perform the song during a Berlusconi rally, and in front of the man himself.
    "The song comes from the great affection for the president (Berlusconi)". he added.
    Vantini, an unknown songwriter from northern Italy, said that he wrote the song as a spontaneous "defence" of Berlusconi's image against media attacks. He self-financed the production of the songs' first recording and sent it to Berlusconi's staff. Berlusconi liked the song and invited him to sing it at an election rally.
    Outside the rally venue, in the central Italian town of Viterbo, Berlusconi supporters were welcome by a host of stands where they could buy CDs of the new song and gadgets - T-shirts, hats - all saying: "Thank goodness for Silvio!".
    Before Berlusconi's arrival, maxi-screens inside the rally hall showed the songs' video with the lyrics being highlighted Karaoke-style for people to learn them.
    By the time the opposition candidate arrived, a crowd of thousands welcomed him singing: "Thank goodness for Silvio!".
    "It's a refrain that really sticks in the mind of people." Songwriter Vantini said.
    "Even if it came to light by chance, and the refrain "President, we are with you, Thank goodness for Silvio" came to me just like this, in a flash, I see it really entered the soul of people. Mostly of Berlusconi's supporters but I see that also many people who have different ideas can't help singing it." he added. "Maybe with something else in mind. But they sing it."
    But the love-struck songwriter's prediction that even people who oppose Berlusconi will sing the song may be going too far. The polls put centre-left candidate Walter Veltroni, former mayor of Rome, about 7 points behind Berlusconi with just a few weeks' campaigning to go.
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