Country France Languages French, Corsican Lyricist(s) François Valéry | Artist(s) Patrick Fiori Composer(s) François Valéry Conductor Christian Cravero | |
"Mama Corsica" is a song by French singer Patrick Fiori, written in Corsican and French and composed by François Valéry. The song represented France at the Eurovision Song Contest 1993, where it came in fourth place.
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The song is in praise of Corsica itself, with Fiori likening the island to a mother taking pity on all who come to her. The majority of the song is in French, however Fiori also tells the island "tonight I am singing in Corsican for you", which he then does, singing that it is as if the whole world were doing so. Fiori also recorded a German language version of the song, "Mama Korsika".
Eurovision Song Contest
The song delivers the first and one of rare occasions that the Corsican language was heard at the yearly Eurovision Song Contest, its next appearance being made only 18 years later with France's entry in 2011.
The song was performed twelfth on the night, following Portugal's Anabela with "A cidade (até ser dia)" and preceding Sweden's Arvingarna with "Eloise". At the close of voting, it had received 121 points, placing 4th in a field of 25. With that, it had achieved the distinction of being the highest-placed song performed in a language which was not an official one in any competing country, until Belgium's entry in 2003 which was performed in an invented language and achieved second place.
It was succeeded as French representative at the 1994 contest by Nina Morato with "Je suis un vrai garçon".