La mamma (song)

"La mamma", also known as "For Mama" in English, is a song written in 1962 by French lyricist Robert Gall and Armenian-French artist Charles Aznavour.

"La mamma"
Single by Charles Aznavour
from the album La mamma
Released1963
GenreChanson
Length3.43
LabelBarclay
Songwriter(s)Charles Aznavour, Robert Gall

History

Charles Aznavour first recorded "La mamma" for a 1962 EP with his version serving as title cut for his 1963 album release. The first single release was by Les Compagnons de la chanson which reached #80 on the French charts in late 1963: the Aznavour version was then issued as a single to reach #1 in France in February 1964. "La mamma" also afforded Aznavour a hit on the Dutch charts of Belgium and, rendered in Italian, was a hit in Italy for both Aznavour (#13) and also Domenico Modugno (#36). "La mamma" became Aznavour's first million seller.[1]

An English-language rendering of "La mamma" by lyricist Don Black entitled "For Mama" was recorded by Matt Monro and released in December 1964 in the UK where it had a chart peak of #36.[2] "For Mama" became a minor US hit in 1965 for Jerry Vale whose version debuted on the Hot 100 in Billboard magazine dated March 6, 1965 at #88 (Vale): in the previous issue of Billboard, that dated February 27, 1965, the Matt Monro version of "For Mama" had appeared in the "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles" chart at #135 along with the Jerry Vale version at #121, but Monro's version did not subsequently advance into the Hot 100. Jerry Vale's version of "For Mama" rose to a peak of #54 (Vale) on the Hot 100 dated April 3, 1965. Vic Damone also recorded a cover version of "For Mama" which failed to chart.

Connie Francis' version
"For Mama"
Single by Connie Francis
from the album Connie Francis Sings "For Mama"
B-side"She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain"
ReleasedFebruary 1965
Length3:25
LabelMGM Records
Songwriter(s)Black-Aznavour-Gall
Producer(s)Danny Davis
Connie Francis singles chronology
"Whose Heart Are You Breaking Tonight"
(1965)		 "For Mama"
(1965)		 "Wishing It Was You"
(1965)

Connie Francis' recording of "For Mama" was released as a single in 1965 and became a minor hit in the United States, peaking at No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100.[3] In the Philippines, the single reached No. 2 on the national chart.[4]

Adaptations
  • La mamma, written by Nelly Byl (Dutch)
  • La mamma, written by Gerrit den Braber (Dutch)
  • Mamãe, written by Nazareno de Brito (Portuguese)
  • For Mama, written by Don Black (English)
  • Mama, written by Dragutin Britvić (Croatian)
  • La mamma, written by Mogol (Italian)
  • La mamma, written by Charly Niessen (German)
  • Den bompa, written by Leo Rozenstraten (Brabantian dialect of Antwerp)
  • Ya yemma, written by Lili Boniche (Algerian Arabic)

Cover versions

See also

References
  1. Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s: an illustrated directory, by Joseph Murrells. Batsford, 1984, p. 170
  2. The Penguin encyclopedia of popular music, by Donald Clarke, Penguin Books, 1990, p. 56
  3. "Hot 100". Billboard. The Billboard Publishing Company. April 3, 1965. p. 28. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  4. "Philippines". Billboard. The Billboard Publishing Company. August 14, 1965. p. 34. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  5. "Yoyoy Villame - Mamay Maliya (HD)". Retrieved 25 March 2014.
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