"Un'estate italiana" or "An Italian Summer" (in English), is a 1990 song composed by Giorgio Moroder

Giorgio Moroder

Hansjörg "Giorgio" Moroder is an Italian record producer, songwriter and performer based in Los Angeles. When in Munich in the 1970s, he started his own record label called Oasis Records, which several years later became a subdivision of Casablanca Records...

 with lyrics by Tom Whitlock

Tom Whitlock

Thomas "Tom" Ross Whitlock is a songwriter and lyricist best known for his Academy Award and Golden Globe winning song "Take My Breath Away" from the film Top Gun, which he co-wrote with Giorgio Moroder.-Early life:...

 for the 1990 FIFA World Cup

1990 FIFA World Cup

The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...

 held in Italy. The Italian version, also known as "Notti Magiche", was recorded by Italian artists Edoardo Bennato

Edoardo Bennato

Edoardo Bennato is an Italian singer-songwriter. He is the brother of the singer-songwriter Eugenio Bennato.-Biography:...

 and Gianna Nannini

Gianna Nannini

Gianna Nannini is an Italian female singer-songwriter and pop musician. She may be best known for her 1986 song "Bello e Impossibile".-Personal life:...

, who also wrote the Italian lyrics.

The song achieved success on the charts of several European countries.

Background and release

The English version, released under the name Giorgio Moroder Project, was used the opening theme to RAI

RAI

RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...

TV programs related to the World Cup.

For the Italian release, Moroder addressed Gianna Nannini and Edoardo Bennato, who rewrote the lyrics and took the song to the top of the charts in Italy and Switzerland. From January to September 1990, the song was the best-selling single in Italy. The song was presented for the first time by the two singers-songwriters in Milan in December 1989, and performed live during the opening ceremony, held on June 8, 1990, in Milan, before the Argentina-Cameroon football match.

The song was among the first to contain a single instrumental version (indicated as a karaoke version) and to be published as a maxi single.

Track listings

7" single

1. "Un'estate italiana" – 4:07
2. "Un'estate italiana" (karaoke version) – 4:07

12" maxi

1. "Un'estate italiana" (stadium version) – 4:50
2. "Un'estate italiana" (7" version) – 4:07
3. "Un'estate italiana" (karaoke version) – 4:07

CD maxi

1. "Un'estate italiana" (stadium version) – 4:50
2. "Un'estate italiana" (single version) – 4:07
3. "Un'estate italiana" (karaoke version) – 4:07

Peak positions

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Austrian Singles Chart	11
French SNEP Singles Chart	23
German Singles Chart	2
Italian Singles Chart	1
Norwegian Singles Chart	4
Swedish Singles Chart	7
Swiss Singles Chart	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1990)	Position
Austrian Singles Chart	28
Swiss Singles Chart	1

Certifications