Pure Love

Ciao! The theme of this episode is “Pure Love”. Let’s start off with The Bellamy Brothers and “Let Your Love Flow” from 1976.

Now let’s listen to “Certe Donne Brillano” by Italian singer songwriter Ligabue, from his album “Start”, released in 2019. The title of the song means “some women shine”.

Next up is “At Last” by Etta James from her 1960 debut studio album of the same name. This song is so beautiful, and really timeless, and Etta’s voice is just fantastic. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

“Hai Bucato La Mia Vita” is by Italian singer songwriter Adriano Celentano, and was released in 2007. The title means “you made a hole in my life”, and he is referring to the moment when she left him.

Here is “Save the Best for Last” by Vanessa Williams from 1992. The song was a commercial and critical success, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart for five weeks. It was also ranked fourth on the list of Billboard's Top 100 hits of 1992, and became the biggest success of Williams' music career. ASCAP named it Song of the Year in 1992 and it was nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year and Record of the Year in 1993.

Now let’s listen to “Scintille” by Annalisa from 2013. The title of the song means “sparks”.

Why are so many of my favorite songs from 1976? I guess it’s because that was a very special and memorable year in my life, and anyway, there were a lot of great songs released that year. Here is “Livin' Thing” by the Electric Light Orchestra, or ELO as we used to call it. Yes, it’s from 1976!

Here is the Italian band 883 with “Una Canzone d’Amore” from 1995. The title means “a love song”.

A lot of people consider Gary Wright to be a one hit wonder (think of “The Dream Weaver”) but this next song actually spent 7 weeks longer on the charts than “The Dream Weaver”. “Love is Alive” is from The Dream Weaver album. The album's title cut and "Love Is Alive" both peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "Love Is Alive" spent 27 weeks on the chart, seven weeks longer than "Dream Weaver", and Billboard ranked "Love Is Alive" as the No. 9 song of 1976.

Next up is “Amore Puro” by Alessandra Amoroso from 2013. The title of the song means “pure love”.

Now let’s listen to “Wild World” by Cat Stevens. It first appeared on his fourth album, Tea for the Tillerman, recorded and released in 1970.

Here is “Falling in Love” by the Scorpions from their 1980 album “Animal Magnetism”

“Un Dolce Incantesimo” by Dolcenera from 2009 is about an impossible love that cannot last. She says “and so I take you away with me...a sweet enchantment, a far off dream, here, at the bottom of my soul”.

And now here is "Love Machine" by The Miracles, from 1975.

Be sure to tune in every week for a new episode of Love Songs, featuring host Marcy Coate. See the sidebar for current broadcast days and times.