Un'estate italiana

Giorgio Moroder was a forerunner of the Italo disco genre - even before his career resurrection in the previous half-decade. As such, one would have guessed that his rendition of a World Cup song would inevitably be a rousing success. It commemorates both his personal music heritage and the culture of his nation, Italy, which was hosting its second World Cup.

And, yes, there are some silver linings here in Un'estate italiana. The meaty guitars going into the climax are fantastic, and the extreme alt rock vocals are appropriate for the genre's golden era. However, one cannot help feeling as if it should have had more flavor. The middle verse is a melodic dud that drags everything down, and the obligatory guitar solo is a tad dull.

Nonetheless, the 1990 World Cup anthem is maybe the most successful theme song to date, since football fans around the world continue to enjoy discussing it and singing it together. Un'estate italiana is available in a variety of renditions. The English version, titled "To Be Number One," has both a classic studio rendition and a live version with a powerful and enticing rock beat.

Artist: Gianna Nannini & Edoardo Bennato

Album: Bomboloni: The Greatest Hits Collection

Release: 1996