Prime minister puts out CD

last updated 8 January 2015

Rome

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has written an album of sappy love songs. Before he became a billionaire media magnate and entered politics, Berlusconi was a lounge singer on a cruise liner. Meglio ’ne Canzon (Better a Song) marks his first foray into songwriting. The album features 14 songs with lyrics by Berlusconi, performed by his favorite singer, Mariano Apicella. “Last year, he listened to some songs I wrote, but he didn’t like the lyrics,” said Apicella. “So he suggested he write some.” All the songs are typical Neapolitan ballads of unrequited love and broken hearts, with titles like “My Heart in My Throat,” “Without You,” and “This False Goodbye.” More albums are planned—the prime minister has another 30 songs already written, just waiting to be recorded.