Con te partirò

"Con te partirò" (Italian: [kon ˈte ppartiˈrɔ]; "With You I Shall Depart") is an Italian song written by Francesco Sartori (music) and Lucio Quarantotto (lyrics). It was first performed by Andrea Bocelli at the 1995 Sanremo Music Festival and recorded on his album of the same year, Bocelli. The single was first released as an A-side single with "Vivere" in 1995, topping the charts, first in France, where it became one of the best-selling singles of all-time, and then in Belgium, breaking the all-time record sales there.

"Con te partirò"
One of artworks for European release, also used for Japanese mini CD release under different pressing
Single by Andrea Bocelli
from the album Bocelli
B-side"Vivere"
Released21 February 1995
GenreOperatic pop
Length4:09
LabelPolydor
Composer(s)Francesco Sartori
Lyricist(s)Lucio Quarantotto
Andrea Bocelli singles chronology
"Il mare calmo della sera"
(1995)		 "Con te partirò"
(1995)		 "Macchine da guerra"
(1995)

A second version of the song, sung partly in English, released in 1996 as "Time to Say Goodbye", paired Bocelli with British soprano Sarah Brightman, and achieved even greater success, topping charts all across Europe, including Germany, where it became the biggest-selling single in history. Brightman and Bocelli produced a version with Brightman singing in German and Bocelli in Italian, with this version being available on the CD Time to Say Goodbye.[1][2] That version alone has now sold more than 12 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.[3]

Background

The song's original single release by Polydor Records was not commercially successful in Italy, and received little radio airplay there. Elsewhere it was a massive hit. In France and Switzerland, the single topped the charts for six weeks, earning a triple Gold sales award. In Belgium, it became the biggest hit of all-time, spending 12 weeks at No. 1.[4]

Critical reception

Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote about the song, "The Benelux triumph of poppy tenor Andrea Bocelli continues with this excellent seasonal anthem, which wisely leaves the singers classically trained voice in the spotlight. The orchestral arrangements take a back seat, as they should in Bocelli's case."[5] After Sarah Brightman released her version, Larry Flick from Billboard stated that she "has one of the truly glorious voices in musical theater". He described the song as a "lushly orchestral piece".[6] British magazine Music Week rated the duet version five out of five, picking it as Single of the Week. They added, "Mostly sung in Italian, it has a beautiful, soaring melody that gives it true Nessun Dorma potential."[7]

Charts

Certifications
Certifications and sales for "Con te partirò"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[20] Platinum 50,000*
France — 900,000[21]
Italy (FIMI)[22] Gold 25,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] Silver 200,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Duet version
"Time to Say Goodbye"
Artwork for European release
Single by Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli
from the album Romanza, The Best of Andrea Bocelli: Vivere,
Fly and Time to Say Goodbye / Timeless
Released15 November 1996 (1996-11-15)
GenreOperatic pop
LabelEast West
Composer(s)Francesco Sartori
Lyricist(s)Lucio Quarantotto
Producer(s)Frank Peterson
Andrea Bocelli singles chronology
"Vivo por ella"
(1996)		 "Time to Say Goodbye"
(1996)		 "Ich lebe für sie"
(1997)
Sarah Brightman singles chronology
"Heaven Is Here"
(1995)		 "Time to Say Goodbye"
(1996)		 "Just Show Me How to Love You"
(1997)

In Germany, East West Records, in conjunction with Polydor, marketed a lyrically-changed version of "Con te partirò", retitled "Time to Say Goodbye", as the theme song for the final match of boxer Henry Maske (then the light-heavyweight champion of the International Boxing Federation), having seen previous success when Vangelis's "Conquest of Paradise" was also promoted via Maske's fights. "Time to Say Goodbye" was also turned into a duet with Sarah Brightman, who had performed "A Question of Honour" for one of Maske's previous fights. German producer Frank Peterson, who has worked with Brightman since 1991, opted to give the song an English title rather than the German title "Mit dir werde ich fortgehen".[24] Recording of the song took place at Peterson's Nemo Studio, in Hamburg.[25]

The match took place on 23 November 1996, pitting Maske against American Virgil Hill, and drew a television broadcast audience of over 21 million. Bocelli and Brightman performed the song to open the match, and it was used again during Maske's exit.[24]

By December, the "Time to Say Goodbye" single, released on 15 November 1996 through East West, had reached number one on the German singles chart, with sales estimated at 40,000–60,000 per day and projected for at least one million by the end of the year. Both singers' albums also received a boost in sales. Airplay on German radio stations such as Norddeutscher Rundfunk was well received by listeners.[24] By February of the following year, the single had broken the all-time sales record in Germany with 1.65 million sales,[26] and would eventually get certified 11x Gold for selling over 2,750,000 copies.[27]

"Time to Say Goodbye" reached number two on the UK Singles Chart upon its release there in May 1997, and was certified Gold.[28] It remained in the top 30 for another two months, helped by steady radio airplay on BBC Radio 2, which was overtaking Radio 1 in popularity with an MOR-orientated playlist.[29]

The duet was included on Brightman's 1997 album Timeless, re-titled as Time to Say Goodbye in the U.S. with the song itself moved to the start of the album.[25] Brightman has also recorded a solo version, which was released on the duet single as well as later albums including Classics and Diva: The Singles Collection. A live version was released on The Harem World Tour: Live from Las Vegas CD as well as her various tour DVDs. Bocelli and Brightman have performed the duet together publicly several times including Bocelli's "Statue of Liberty concert" held in New York City, and "Live in Tuscany" concerts.[30][31]

Charts

Certifications and sales
Certifications and sales for Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli's version
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[54] Platinum 50,000*
Brazil — 50,000[55]
Germany (BVMI)[27] 11× Gold 3,000,000[56]
Japan (RIAJ)[57]
Sarah Brightman solo version 		Gold 100,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[58] 2× Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[59] Platinum 600,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Release dates for "Con te partirò"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Germany 15 November 1996 (1996-11-15) CD East West [38]
United Kingdom 12 May 1997 (1997-05-12)
  • CD
  • cassette
  • Coalition
  • East West
 [60]

Donna Summer version
"I Will Go with You (Con te partirò)"
Single by Donna Summer
Released1999
GenreHouse
Length3:58
LabelEpic
Composer(s)Francesco Sartori
Lyricist(s)Lucio Quarantotto
Producer(s)Hex Hector
Donna Summer singles chronology
"Whenever There Is Love"
(1996)		 "I Will Go with You (Con te partirò)"
(1999)		 "Love Is the Healer"
(1999)
Music video
"I Will Go with You (Con te partirò)" on YouTube

"I Will Go with You (Con te partirò)", is a dance version performed by American singer Donna Summer, which went to number one on the US dance chart.[61] Her version also peaked at number two on the Spanish singles charts and number three on the Spanish Radio chart.[62] As of 1999, it has sold over 221,000 units in the United States.[63]

Critical reception

Chuck Taylor from Billboard wrote that the song is a "deliciously grand interpretation of the smash Andrea Bocelli/Sarah Brightman ballad "Time To Say Goodbye"-replete with romantic new lyrics. Summer is in peak vocal form, alternating between technically sharp note-scaling and warmly soulful vamping." He also added that she is "complemented by clubland hero Hex Hector's well-measured production, which couples melodramatic faux-classical string flourishes with time-sensitive dance beats."[64]

Charts
Chart performance for "I Will Go with You (Con te partirò)" by Donna Summer
Chart (1999) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[65] 97
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[66] 6
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[67] 59
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[68] 2
UK Singles (OCC)[69] 44
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[70] 1

Other cover versions

Since its release, the song has spawned numerous other versions and been performed by numerous other singers. Notable alternative versions include "Por ti volaré", a Spanish version with significantly modified lyrics.

Sampling

The song has been sampled or interpolated in the following:

  • In 2008, Danish pop duo The Loft released their single "Kiss You Goodbye" based on "Con te partirò" / "Time to Say Goodbye" and containing samples from the original.
  • The song is also sampled and featured throughout the 2009 song "Time to Say Goodbye" by Twenty One Pilots.[77][78]
  • Jason Derulo and David Guetta sampled "Time to Say Goodbye" on their 2018 single "Goodbye" featuring Nicki Minaj and Willy William. The song is included on David Guetta's seventh studio album, 7.
  • In May 2019, an unreleased song titled "Livin' So Italian" by Kanye West and Jay-Z surfaced on the Internet, and featured a sample of Andrea Bocelli's "Con te partirò". The track was originally meant to appear on their 2011 collaborative album Watch the Throne, but never made the final tracklist due to them being unable to clear the sample.

Parodies and usage in media

Although the song is most associated with sporting events, it has featured frequently in film and television and is a favourite concert item. It is also a very popular piece for funerals.

In films

In music

In sports

In radio
  • This song was used on the good night song and closedown music of CNR MusicRadio in China from 17 February 2009 until 15 April 2018.

In television
  • This song was used in the climax of the final shutdown montage of SPH MediaWorks Channel i in Singapore on the early hours of 1 January 2005.[79]
  • The song was used in a few episodes of the TV show Providence and is featured on the CD soundtrack.
  • Ricardo Marinello, the winner of the Germany's Got Talent (Das Supertalent) (2007), took the song as the opening song on his first record The Beginning.
  • In 2008, the song was used as the theme song to Welsh television show Con Passionate, and was featured in the TV advertising of Lake Silver in the same year.
  • The song was sung on multiple episodes of America's Got Talent, including twice by Jackie Evancho in 2010 (once together with Sarah Brightman).[80]
  • When Andrea Bocelli appeared on Sesame Street in 2005, he sang the song to Elmo as "Time to Say Goodnight".
  • It has been used a number of times in the television series The Sopranos as one of Carmela's themes, starting with the first episode of the second season. It is especially prominent in season two, episode four: "Commendatori".
  • Kenny McCormick sings a muffled version of the song with a Singing Like Bocelli for Dummies guide tape in the South Park episode "Quintuplets 2000".
  • During the 24 July 2011 analog television shut down in Japan, one Hokkaido Television Broadcasting station in Sapporo chose to play the song on its analog termination warning. This is a violation of analog shutdown rules, since most stations were always blocked to play vocal music on their analog termination warnings.
  • The song was featured in season eight of the UK TV series Shameless.
  • The song was used in The Simpsons episode "The Real Housewives of Fat Tony" (season 22, episode 19), which originally aired on 1 May 2011.
  • The song was used in the fifth episode of the fifth series of British sitcom Benidorm.
  • The song was used in the tribute to Portuguese-Mozambican soccer player Eusébio after his death, on 6 January 2014, when his body was transported in the last lap around the Stadium of Light, as his last wish.[81]
  • Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith used the song for their Inside No. 9 episode "The 12 Days of Christine". Ellen E. Jones, writing in The Independent, said the song "was deployed on the soundtrack to devastating effect".[82]
  • The song was used to end ESPN SportsCentury's episode on Wayne Gretzky.
  • The song was prominently featured in the Korean comedy-drama series Prison Playbook as an in-universe theme song of the main character, baseball player Kim Je-hyeok.
  • It was used in the Japanese drama Diplomat Kuroda Kotaru and the Korean drama Hotelier.

See also

References
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