Italian pop people: Raffaella Carrà, the first belly button in the tv!
When I think to a woman who was a complete show woman in Italy I think about Raffaella Carrà, an italian singer, dancer, actress and also a television presenter.
She's really popular here in Italy since the 1960s, when she started her carreer in the cinema working also in the United States in the movie "Von Ryan's express" with Frank Sinatra (rumors say that she have a love story with him).
When she came back in Italy she started to dance and sing in many variety shows for the television. Great and glamorous costumes, complex choreography and (drum roll!!!!) she was the first woman to show her belly button on our television!!!
It was the 1971 and the belly button of Raffaella was really a scandal!
Today we can think that it's strange that just 40 years ago a belly button on tv was a great scandal, but this thing caused many harsh criticism from the Catholic Churches (you know, we have the Vatican inside our country and, even if our Costitution is based on the principle of pluralism, in the facts the Catholic Church always was an heavy influence on the political decision of our country).
Raffaella Carrà changed the rules on italian tv! Less hypocrisy and more belly buttons, we were in the 1970s! ^_^
In those years, Raffaella sang her hit "Tuca tuca", a very sensual song and a very sensual dance (you have to think that we were in the 1971, sure!):
In the song, she say to a guy that she like him so much and she would... no, she don't say exactly what she want to do with him, but we can understand it ;)
Those years was really ears of open minded and revolutions (more than now, sure!) and she sang "how beautiful is to make love, I'm ready and you?" in a song called "Tanti auguri" (Many wishes):
In the 1980s she 's work also in Latin America, especially in Argentina and many of her song have also a spanish version!
In the last 20 years she worked as presenter in many different shows, she was one of the judge of Italian talent show "Voice of Italy" til the 2016 and she's really an icon on the italian popular culture!
(image source, Raffaella Carrà and Jerry Lewis, 1988)
See ya soon
Silvia
Thanks for this super article! I like Raffaella Carra. I grew up listening to her songs! :)
You're welcome ^_^
Plus, she's one of the greatest italian gay icon ever!
A D O R O .
She's really a great performer and a great woman! ^_^ Adoro!
Nice to meet you Silvia, Thank you for sharing!! (:
.TheCatInThe[Juke]Box.
Oh man! I love this.I love this texture and era of music. So funky and fun. Thanks for bringing this artist to my attention!
I love this era too and Raffaella Carrà was a perfect example of that era in Italy ^_^
:) great trip to past! and how strange now it looks all those taboos from 70's and 80's.
Yes, it looks so strange! So different from the actual time ^_^