Released 1984 (1984) Recorded 1983 Length 5:02 | Format Single Genre Pop Label BMG Italy | |
"Tutta la Vita" ("All Life Long") is a song written and first performed by Italian singer-songwriter Lucio Dalla. It was released in 1984 as the first single from his studio album Viaggi Organizzati, produced by Mauro Malavasi. This song is about a man searching for freedom all his life, trying not to fall in love, only to have a good time. For the Spanish-language market, two cover versions were released, and both peaked at number-one in the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart, the first by Cuban singer Franco and another by Mexican performer Emmanuel, spending three weeks each at the top position, being the first time (and only) in the Hot Latin Tracks chart history that two versions of the same song succeeded one another at the top. To date, it is uncertain who released the first cover version of the single.
Contents
Franco version
Franco's version of "Toda La Vida" was included on his first album titled Yo Canto (I Sing). According to his official website he released the first version of "Toda La Vida", peaking at number-one in United States, for three weeks, and in México for 30 weeks, selling in both countries and in the rest of Latin America one million copies. The music video for the single was directed by Rodrigo García. This version spent 22 weeks in the American charts. It replaced Juan Gabriel's "Yo No Sé Qué Me Pasó" at the top of the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart, being succeeded by another version of the same song, by Mexican singer Emmanuel. This version ranked at number 32 in the recap made by VH1 Latin America for the 100 Greatest Songs of the 80's in Spanish.
Track listing
- Toda La Vida - 3:55
- Toda La Vida (Extended remix) - 7:53
- Toda La Vida (Parts I and II) - 7:50
Emmanuel version
"Toda La Vida" was released as the first single from Emmanuel's studio album Desnudo (released in United States as Solo). Luis Gómez Escolar did the Spanish adaptation of the original track written by Lucio Dalla. According to the Mexican TV host Gloria Calzada, the first VJ of that country, as the host of Video Éxitos, the first television show about music videos, which aired between 1984 and 1986 on Televisa), this version was the first Spanish adaptation of the single. Emmanuel told her that he was the first one to discover Lucio Dalla's music in the 80's. This version, along with Franco's, ranked at number 32 in the recap made by VH1 Latin America for the 100 Greatest Songs of the 80's in Spanish. "Toda La Vida" is a staple in every live performance by Emmanuel, and he is often recognized as his signature song.