engstudy-006a A study of the music "Chi Mai"

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A study of the music "Chi Mai"-a

Mr.Didier's article in his reply on August 18,2007

"Chi mai" means "Who ever" or "Who never", depending on the sentence in which you use it. As in Dalida's song: "Dove andranno i nostri fiori chi mai può dire": "Who can ever say where our flowers will go". Used on its own, "Chi mai" is like an expression of spite, or restrained disappointment.

"Chi Mai" first appeared as early as in 1970 on a German Vinyl 45", under the title "Terra Magica". So it is difficult to know whether Morricone wrote this piece as a stand-alone piece, or for the movie "Maddalena" which was to appear the year after, with "Chi mai" as a secondary theme. On the B-side of the 45" was the piece soon to be called "Come Maddalena", but here with the title "Goldrausch" (German for "Gold Rush", but it has nothing in common with the piece also called "Gold Rush", actually written for "L'ultimo uomo di Sara" with "Stanlio e Ollio" as original title).

In 1971, General Music published 2 LP's: the soundtrack of "Maddalena", including of course "Chi mai" and "Come Maddalena", and a compilation called "Colori", which included "Come Maddalena" again, but also a version of "Chi mai" with Italian lyrics called "Idiota", performed by Lisa Gastoni, the main actress of the movie "Maddalena". Both LP's were released as CD's in the Nineties.

The song also received French lyrics and English lyrics, each time performed by Lisa Gastoni. The French and Italian versions are available on the "Canto Morricone vol.3" compilation CD; the English version is only available on a Japanese release of the Maddalena score (by Avanz in 1997). The Italian version was also recorded by Milva in 1972, to appear on the "Dedicato a Milva da Ennio Morricone" LP.

In 1977, Morricone decided to contribute to the disco fever by writing a disco version of "Come Maddalena", both a short and long versions, to be published on Vinyl 45" and EP's. For the B-side, he re-arranged "Chi mai" with a more linear melody, and with rock-sounding drums. Even though this track doesn't have a disco style, it will be know later as the "disco" version of "Chi mai". A longer version was made, seemingly artifically expanded from the 3:30 version in order to last 5:05, to be put on the EP's. Released in the UK, this piece was to become a huge success in 1978, also because it was used for a BBC-documentary about David Lloyd George.

It seems that, visiting the UK in that period, Jean-Paul Belmondo noticed the piece and liked it so much that he asked Georges Lautner, the director of his upcoming movie "Le professionnel" to use it for its soundtrack. Lautner and Morricone came together as Morricone agreed to write the score in the style of the "disco version" of "Chi mai". It is not clear whether Morricone knew that Lautner and Belmondo actually wanted to use "Chi mai", or if he thought that they wanted something similar. Nevertheless, in the resulting movie, there is hardly anything else than "Chi mai" (except for the main titles), in spite of the huge amount of original music which Morricone wrote for that movie (recommended is the CD from GDM in 2002, with not less than 50 minutes of music). The movie and the music were a huge success in France and french-speaking countries. The poster of the movie was even re-worked to put Morricone's name in even bigger characters than Lautner's. In many places, "Chi mai" is known as the music from "Le professionnel", or from an advertisement for dog-food which used it in the Eighties. But definitely not as the music from "Maddalena", the movie being unknown outside of Italy.

Morricone rearranged"Chi mai" again several times later: for pan-flutes in 1993, for live-renditions in 1987 and in 2006, for new English lyrics for the Amii Stewart album in 1990 (under the title "Desire"), and again for different English lyrics for the Dulce Pontes album in 2003 (under the title "House of no regrets"). It was covered many times by artists such as Nini Rosso (1981), The Shadows (1981), James Last (1982), Willem Breuker (1989), Triology (1998), Richard Clayderman (1999), John Zorn (2000), Nightmares on Wax (2001), and many more. Even Edda Dell'Orso made her own version of it for her "Classical Machine" project in 1998. New French lyrics were written for Danièle Licari (famous for being the voice of Saint-Preux's "Concerto pour une voix"), under the title "Mal de toi" in 1981. And, of course, the City of Prague Philharmonic, the London Starlight Orchestra and others have their own version of it.

A revise come from Mr. Didier on Sep.23, 2007

We received Mr. Didier's E-mail on Sep.23,2007, he talks a revise about "Chi Mai" article (See above). Below is its extract:

......Something else: there was an error in my article about Chi Mai: On the album "Colori", the piece called "Idiota (Chi mai)" is actually NOT the song in Italian by Lisa Gastoni. It is the main version of the theme, instrumental (which appears, for example, on the Terra Magica 45rpm). I wonder why they have called it "Idiota". Sorry for the mistake......

Thanks for Mr.Didier's revise and his kindness

001-Vinyl 45"and LP

A gramophone record (also phonograph record, or simply record) is an analogue sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed modulated spiral groove starting near the periphery and ending near the center of the disc. Gramophone records were the primary medium used for commercial music reproduction for most of the 20th century. They replaced the phonograph cylinder as the most popular recording medium in the 1900s, and although they were supplanted in popularity in the late 1980s by digital media, they continue to be manufactured and sold as of 2007. Gramophone records remain the medium of choice for some audiophiles, and specialist areas such as electronica. The terms LP record (LP, 33, or 33-1/3 rpm record), EP, 16-2/3 rpm record (16), 45 rpm record (45), and 78 rpm record (78) each refer to specific types of gramophone records. Except for the LP and EP (which are acronyms for Long Play and Extended Play respectively), these type designations refer to their rotational speeds in revolutions per minute (RPM). LPs, 45s, and 16s are usually made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and hence may be referred to as vinyl records or simply vinyl.(more see here)

(See 01, 02, 03)

002-"Maddalena"and "Come Maddalena"

"Maddalena"is a movie composed by Ennio Morricone made by Italy in 1970/1971. The "Chi Mai" and "come Maddalena" was contained in it. The music is in this page (023 item) of the web site. Below are selected music for your convenience

001	COME MADDALENA
002	CHI MAI
003	UNA DONNA DA RICORDARE
004	PAZZIA IN CIELO
005	CHI MAI

See here 01, 02, 03

003-"L'ultimo uomo DI Sara" 和 "Stanlio e Ollio"

The movie made by Italy and Yugoslavia. Its other name is "Sarah's Last Man",composed by Ennio morricone. The music in this page of the web site 023 item
Listen "Stanlio e Ollio"
See here 01, 02, 03

004-Goldrausch (Gold Rush) (Note: They maybe not correctly . The correctly one see next page)



See 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06

005-Terra Magica (Note: They maybe not correctly . The correctly one see next page)

01, 02, 03,

006-B-side

“B-Sides” redirects here. For the 2002 Marvel Comics limited series, see Craptacular B-sides
In recorded music, the terms A-side and B-side refer to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the Aside being the featured song (the one that the record producer hopes will receive radio airplay and become a "hit"), while the B-side, or "flipside," is secondary (often a song that does not appear on a band's LP)

B-side songs are released on the same record as a single to provide extra "value for money". There are several types of material commonly released in this way:

a different version (e.g., instrumental, a cappella, live, acoustic, remixed version or in another language/text) of the Aside
another song from the same album, which the record company does not want to release on its own
a song not considered good enough for the album
a song that was stylistically unsuitable for the album
a song that had not yet been completed at the time of the album's release
a cover of a (famous) song
a different version of a song from the album (More see here)

007-lisa gastoni and Milva

lisa gastoni(See here)

Canto Morricone vol.3(See here)

Milva(See here)

"Canto Morricone vol.3" (See here)

005	Lisa gastoni: chi mai (Idiota)
014	Lisa gastoni: chi mai
"Milva - dedicato a Milva DA Ennio Morricone"(See here)
003	Chi Mai

008-"The Life And Times Of David Lloyd George"

"The Life and Times of David Lloyd George" was a 1981 BBC Wales drama starring Philip Madoc, Kika Markham and David Markham. It featured music by Ennio Morricone

Played list in BBC TV

No.	Title	Date	Images
001	Don't Try, Do It...	1981.3.4
002	A Wicked	1981.3.11
003	He Is Wise, and Merciful	1981.3.18
004	All Flesh Is Grass	1981.3.25
005	Well, We're In	1981.4.1.
006	No. 10	1981.4.8.
007	An Honourable Peace	1981.4.12.
008	Win or Lose	1981.4.25.
009	Footnotes of History	1981.4.29.

David Lloyd George was the sole male heir of Betsy and William George. By the time Davy was two his father was dead and the family had moved to Llanystudmdwy in Wales where Davy spent his formative years immersed in studying religion, law and public debate - studies that in later years were to stand him in good stead. An ambitious and determined young man, he wooed and won the hand of Maggie Owen - an advantageous match which her parents desperately tried to stop. Having won a Liberal seat in the Commons, Lloyd George went on to become President of the Board of Trade and then Chancellor of the Exchequer, where he presented the highly controversial 'People's Budget' which later became the backbone of the Welfare State. Finally, in 1916, he was elected Prime Minister of the coalition government which ruled for the remainder of the First World War. A legend as a politician, womaniser and innovator, this was surely his greatest hour. And yet to his parliamentary colleagues and friends he remained an enigma. In this sensational biography David Benedictus gives a candid and compelling portrayal of the twentieth century's most fascinating and controversial political leader.(See here)

See 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06

The "Chi Mai" in "The Life And Times Of David Lloyd George"
No.	Format	Usage
001	28Kbps WMA 775K	Listen
002	192Kbps Mp3 7.25M	Right click Download

Actual British Premier David Lloyd George (1863-1945)

David Lloyd George	Premier David Lloyd George in his office	Portrait of David Lloyd George as chancellor of the exchequer by christopher Williams(1911)

(See 01, 02, 03, 04)

009-"Le Professionel"(1981) and Jean-Paul Belmondo

The movie "Le Professionel" (See here)

Famous French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo

The "Chi Mai" melody in the movie "Le Professionel"

No.	Name	Listen
001	The wind, the scream-First theme
003	The wind, the scream-First variation
005	The wind, the scream-Second variation
006	Bach-Second variation
010	The wind, the scream-Third variation
013	Chi mai
014	The wind, the scream-Main titles movie version
015	The wind, the scream-Alternate version
(See this page 069 item)

011-The "Chi Mai" performented by the famous musicians

No.	Musicians	Name	Album	Listen	Note
001	Dulce Pontes	Maddalena	House Of No Regrets		>>>>
002	Richard Clayderman	Medley - Chi Mai, Intermezzo, Here's To You	The Fantastic Movie Story Of Ennio Morricone		>>>>
003	Amii Stewart	Chi Mai	Desire		>>>>
004	George Evelyn	Chi Mai	Nightmares On Wax		>>>>

Thanks a lot for Mr. Didier and wish "Chi Mai" site will be more prosperous

Unfinished, see next page please

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