Ricchi e Poveri
A.Sotgiu, A.Brambati, F.Gatti (foto: Cristina Cava)
Background information
Origin	Italy
Genre(s)	Pop
Years active	1968 —
Members
Franco Gatti, Angela Brambati, Angelo Sotgiu
Former members
Marina Occhiena

Ricchi e Poveri is one of the most famous Italian pop music groups in Europe and Latin America. In 1970s and 1980s it have sold over 20 Million records. The group was formed in 1968 by Franco Gatti, Angela Brambati, Angelo Sotgiu and Marina Occhiena. Their first public appearance was in Cantagiro 1968 with "L'ultimo amore". Ricchi e Poveri has participated in Sanremo Music Festival several times since 1970. Ricchi e Poveri represented Italy in Eurovision Song Contest 1978 with song "Questo Amore" finishing 12th with 53 points. In 1981 Marina Occhiena left the group. Their hits include "Che sarà" which was also performed by José Feliciano and Jimmy Fontana.

It has recorded in Italian and Spanish and boasts some of the most popular Italian songs of the 80s and 90s such as "Mamma Maria", "Se m'innamoro", "Made in Italy", "M'innamoro di te" and many others.

Sarà perche ti amo, crossover success

The single Sarà perche ti amo became such a hit in Europe that a crossover version for Latin American countries was recorded with Spanish lyrics. The song, now titled Será porque te amo, also became a huge hit in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America.

Many groups started covering the song adapting it to different genres, including tropical, dance, and various forms of Mexican folk music known as Grupera. The Latin boy band project Menudo (featuring Ricky Martin) also covered the song, but the lyrics were heavily altered: only the chorus line was kept in one verse and the rest was rearranged to make the song more appealing to teenagers.

As of 2007 the song is still being covered in all genres and it has achieved somewhat of a cult/nostalgia status in several Spanish-speaking countries as a symbol of a generation.

Discography

• Un diadema di successi (1976)
• Ricchi & Poveri (1976)
• I musicanti (1976)
• Come eravamo (1980)
• E penso a te (1982)
• Mamma Maria (1982)
• Voulez vous danser (1983)
• Sarà perche ti amo (1983)
• Ieri & oggi (1983)
• Dimmi quando (1985)
• Cocco bello Africa (1987)
• Nascerà Gesù (1988)
• Buona giornata e... (1989)
• I grandi successi (1994)
• Parla col cuore (2001/2002)

Trivia

Their Song Mamma Maria was covered in German in 1982 by Conny & Jean.

Donate to Wikimedia