Giamaica

"Jamaica / Pappagallo"
Single by Robertino
A-side	"Jamaica" "Pappagallo"
Written	T. A. Valli
Released	1961 (1961)
Label	Triola

"Giamaica" (also known as "Jamaica") is a song written by T. A. Valli. In late 1950s and 1960s it was recorded by a number of Italian artists: Luciano Virgili,[1] Giorgio Consolini,[2] 13-year-old Robertino Loretti.[3][4][5][6]

Composition

Robertino Loretti characterizes the song as "bright and fresh".[7]

The lyrics go like this:

Jamaica! Jamaica! When it seemed like I was burning under your magnificent scorching sun, I could quench my thirst from a spring. But how can I rinse the heat of my heart that burns of passion?[8]

Popularity in the Soviet Union

In the USSR Robertino Loretti's version of the song became immensely popular when around 1962 his record containing it was released in the country.[9] Together with his rendition of "Santa Lucia", "Giamaica" could be heard from every window.[10][11][12] The song was since translated into Russian.

Other covers

In 1961 the song was covered by Danish singer Birthe Wilke. Her version was released as a single, with "Pepito" on the other side.[13][14]

Track listings

Luciano Virgili "Giamaica" (single)

7-inch (45 RPM) single La Voce Del Padrone 7MQ 1498 (1958, Italy)

A. "Giamaica"

(T. A. Valli)

B. "Ti desidero"

(Guarino, Pluto)[1]

Giorgio Consolini "Giamaica" (single)

7-inch (45 RPM) single Parlophon QMSP 16269 (1959, Italy)

A. "Giamaica"

(Valli)

AA. "Rimpiangimi"

(Testoni, Piubeni)[2]

Robertino "Jamaica / Pappagallo" (single)

7-inch (45 RPM) single (1959, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, etc.)

A. "Jamaica"

Robertino with the Otto Franckers Orchestra

AA. "Pappagallo"

Robertino with the Otto Franckers Orchestra[3]

Robertino "Jamaica" (EP)

7-inch EP (45 RPM) Triola TEP 31 (1961, Sweden, Switzerland, etc.)

A1. "Jamaica"

A2. "Pappagallo"

B1. "'Anema e core"

B2. "Papaveri e papere"[5]

Birthe Wilke "Pepito / Jamaica" (single)

7-inch (45 RPM) single Philips 355 247 PF (1961, Denmark)

A. "Pepito"

B. "Jamaica"[14]

References

1. "Luciano Virgili - Giamaica (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
2. "Giorgio Consolini - Giamaica (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
3. "Robertino* - Jamaica / Pappagallo at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
4. "spanishcharts.com - Robertino - Jamaica". Retrieved 2017-11-07.
5. "Robertino* - Jamaica at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 2017-11-06.
6. "Как сложилась судьба Робертино Лоретти - мальчика с голосом ангела". Rossiyskaya gazeta. 2014-07-27. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
7. "Робертино Лоретти исполнил O Sole Mio и Jamaika во Владивостоке (ФОТО; ВИДЕО)". Новости Владивостока на VL.ru. 2016-06-01. Archived from the original on 2021-12-28. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
8. "Робертино Лоретти: Я был машиной для зарабатывания денег". Komsomolskaya pravda. 2003-04-23. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
9. Сергей Сычёв (5 September 2017). Радиола. ЛитРес. pp. 48–. ISBN 978-5-04-051034-4.
10. Муслим Магомаев (11 October 2017). Живут во мне воспоминания. ПРОЗАиК. pp. 106–. ISBN 978-5-04-074750-4.
11. "Главная тайна Робертино Лоретти: куда на самом деле пропал музыкальный вундеркинд". 2016-10-16. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
12. "Робертино Лоретти". Radio Freedom. 2003-04-29. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
13. "45cat - Birthe Wilke - Pepito / Jamaica - Philips - Denmark - 355 247 PF". Retrieved 2017-11-07.
14. "Birthe Wilke - Pepito / Jamaica (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 2017-11-07.