"Miserere" - Zucchero

Album

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Full Track Listing:

  • Miserere (Overture) (0:37)
  • L’Urlo (3:12)
  • The Promise (5:36)
  • Brick (4:49)
  • Miss Mary (4:26)
  • Anna Solatia (3:43)
  • Un Orgia Di Anime Perse (3:45)
  • Pene (5:26)
  • Come Back the Sun (4:37)
  • Povero Cristo (3:49)
  • Gone Fishing (3:36)
  • Miserere (4:49)

Background Information

Zucchero, born Adelmo Fornaciari, is an Italian rock singer who is very popular in his native Italy. In 1992 Bono worked with Zucchero on a song titled “Miserere”. The song was written in both Italian and English, with the Italian lyrics contributed by Zucchero, and the english lyrics contributed by Bono. Zucchero’s plan was to have Luciano Pavarotti sing the final song with him on the album, but had to work to convince Pavarotti to sing the operatic vocals. In looking to record a demo Zucchero ran across a piano bar singer by the name of Andrea Bocelli, who he convinced to record the demo with him. When hearing the demo Pavarotti is said to have been blown away by Bocelli’s voice, and suggested that Zucchero did not need Pavarotti, but instead should leave the song to Bocelli.

However, Pavarotti did eventually record the song. Zucchero sings the English lyrics of the song while Pavarotti sings the Italian. The song was released as the first single from Zucchero’s album “Miserere” which had been named for the song, and became a big hit, reaching #15 in the UK Chart. The single was released with stickers in many regions promoting the fact that the song was co-written by Bono. A second song entitled “Miserere (Overture)” opens the album. This is a brief instrumental piece of the music that formed the background of the song “Miserere”. There are no lyrics and as such Bono is not associated with the song.

Bono would work with Zucchero again on many occasions. He would contribute English lyrics to Zucchero’s albums “Blue” (1998) and “Chocabeck” (2010). Bono would also perform with Zucchero at the NetAid concert in 1999 on “New Day” and “One”. They would also perform together at at the Pavarotti and Friends concert in 2003. During that performance Pavarotti, Zucchero, and Bono took the stage together to perform. U2 would work with Pavarotti on the Passengers project, recording “Miss Sarajevo” with him for the album “Original Soundtracks 1” and releasing it as a single.

The song “Miserere” would also be performed at the 1992 Pavarotti and Friends concert, sung by Pavarotti and Zucchero. That performance was released on an album in 1993.

Liner Notes

Miserere:
Written by Zucchero, Bono. Recorded by: Stephen McLaughlin. Music preparation by: Vic Fraser. Orchestra arranged and conducted by Michael Kamen. Luciano Pavarotti appears courtesy of Decca Records.

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