Ancora, ancora, ancora

Did You Know?

• In 2000, Mónica Naranjo performed a cover version in Spanish called "Ahora, ahora" with lyrics by José Manuel Navarro, released by Epic Records as a single and on the album Minage.
• Irish singer Róisín Murphy recorded an Italian version for her EP Mi Senti in 2014.
• American singer Liza Minnelli wanted to record an English version or a duet with Mina, but the collaboration never took place.

Overview

Cristiano Malgioglio originally wrote a different song for Mina, but she rejected it and requested something more "hot". That evening, while struggling with a creative crisis, Malgioglio received a phone call from a former lover who asked if he still loved her. He answered yes, and she replied, "Tell me that again, again, again." He wrote the lyrics in two minutes and delivered the song to Mina the next day in the recording studio. Mina chose "Ancora, ancora, ancora" as the final theme of the television program Mille e una luce at the last moment, replacing a new version of "Città vuota (It's a Lonely Town)". She shot a music video specifically for her only appearance on the show. The song faced censorship not primarily due to the lyrics but because of the performance, deemed overly sensual, and the candid close-up video. After the first episode aired, the original video was altered in subsequent episodes by narrowing the frame and duplicating it on multiple small mini-screens to avoid eye-catching details. The single was released in 1978 alongside a remake of "Città vuota (It's a Lonely Town)" and reached number four on the Italian chart. A live version appeared on the album Mina Live '78, and the studio version was included on the compilation Del mio meglio numero sette in 1983. In September 2023, British musician Mark Ronson produced a remix for the first fashion show organized by Gucci's new creative director Sabato De Sarno; the remix was released on radio and streaming platforms in October 2023.