Teorema (song)
| "Teorema" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Marco Ferradini | |
| from the album Schiavo senza catene | |
| Released | 1981 |
| Genre | Pop |
| Length | 4:53 |
| Label | Spaghetti Records |
| Songwriters | Marco Ferradini, Herbert Pagani |
| Producer | Alessandro Colombini |
| Audio | |
| "Teorema" on YouTube | |
"Teorema" (transl. "Theorem") is a 1981 Italian song composed by Marco Ferradini and Herbert Pagani and performed by Marco Ferradini. It is part of his 1981 EP Schiavo senza catene.
Overview
The song was composed by Ferradini and Pagani in September 1980, in the mountain village of Macugnaga, at the base of Monte Rosa.[1] The song's opening include a citation of Christopher Cross' "Sailing", which Ferradini intended as an hommage to the trip in the United States he made the same year.[2] It is part of the concept EP Schiavo senza catene, which recounts a painful breakup, loosely based on the one Ferradini had recently experienced.[1][3] Producer Alessandro Colombini was initially skeptic about the song, to the point that he tried to not include it in the tracklist.[1]
Initially Ferradini promoted the EP with the title song "Schiavo senza catene", with whom he took part in Un disco per l'estate and Festivalbar, gathering lukewarm results.[1] In October 1981, Ferradini was a guest in the Rai 1 show Domenica in, in which he performed a fragment of "Teorema"; since then, gradually, radio stations began playing up the track, driving EP sales and turning it into both a classic and Ferradini's signature song.[1] In a 2025 interview, reflecting on the song's success, Ferradini said that "it solved my life".[4]
The song was featured prominently in the Aldo, Giovanni e Giacomo's comedy film Ask Me If I'm Happy.[2] In 1993, Mina recorded the song for the album Lochness.[2][5] Artists who recorded the song also include Spagna, Wilma De Angelis, Fiorello and Giorgia.[1][6]
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Italy (FIMI)[7] Sales from 2009 |
Gold | 50,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ a b c d e f Rettani, Marco; Donvito, Nico (22 November 2022). "Teorema". Canzoni nel cassetto: Come ne sono uscite per diventare grandi successi. Vololibero. ISBN 978-88-32085-41-9.
- ^ a b c Pezzi, Davide (9 July 2022). "Marco Ferradini, la storia di "Teorema"". Rockol (in Italian). Retrieved 15 September 2025.
- ^ Fumarola, Silvia (20 June 2025). "Marco Ferradini: "Facevo l'antennista, poi il successo di Teorema. L'ho scritta quando mia moglie mi ha lasciato: lei mi insultò"". la Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 15 September 2025.
- ^ Martinotti, Ferruccio (5 September 2025). "Marco Ferradini: "Teorema mi ha risolto la vita, Goldrake è stato lo stipendio"". La Stampa (in Italian). Retrieved 15 September 2025.
- ^ Impalà, Enrico (24 February 2023). Dalla. Come è profondo il mare: Viaggio nell'anima di un grande poeta (in Italian). Terra Santa. ISBN 979-12-5471-138-5.
- ^ "Fiorello canta "Teorema" con Giorgia". Spyit (in Italian). 5 July 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
- ^ "Italian single certifications" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 22 April 2024.