Gigi in Paradisco is a bilingual French and English-language album released in 1980 by Italian and French singer Dalida. Two singles were released, both of which received gold certifications.
This album was launched after a highly successful American-style series of shows that Dalida performed at the Palais des Sports theatre in France. She was the first female singer to perform this kind of show at the venue[1] with twelve costume changes and eleven dancers.[2] All the show's 18 nights were sell-outs.[3]
The album, like the show, was highly successful and it was a critical and commercial success. It also helped Dalida to create more of a sexy and Diva like image. Learning dance routines for over three months with John Travolta's Saturday Night Fever choreographer Lester Wilson, Dalida (aged 47 at the time) reinvented herself through this show and once more attracted a new generation of fans.[4]
"Il faut danser reggae" / "Comme disait Mistinguett"
This single was released in 1979, before the album was out. "Il faut danser Reggae" was a reggae song which broke out of the disco trend of the time. TV performances of this track saw Dalida dancing in leopard-print dresses in tropical style while surrounded by topless male dancers. "Comme disait Mistinguett" talks about Dalida's music career with a bit of humour. For TV promotion of the song, Dalida wore a long pink cape with a sexy outfit underneath. It won her a gold disc.[1]
It was during this disco period that Dalida started to gain following in the gay community, which is still maintained today.[5]
"Gigi in Paradisco" / "Je suis toutes les femmes"
"Gigi in Paradisco", the title track of the album, was released as a single in 1980. The song is the continuation of Dalida's biggest worldwide hit "Gigi l'amoroso". The 13-minute song follows the tragic events of Gigi that dies and goes up to disco heaven. Dalida created this song essentially to use during her shows but eventually it was released as a single, with the track being edited to four minutes. It was Dalida's last disco hit, and it also earned gold certification.[1]
^"Dalida Biography". Radio France Internationale. 1980 – Dalida Brings a Touch of Broadway to Paris. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
^Dalida Official website. "Dalida Official Biography". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2011. ... All eighteen shows were sold out ...'
^Dalida Official website. "Dalida Official Biography" (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2011. ... Dalida ovedet im hachoreograph shel John Travolta – Lester Wilson vemofia be Heihal ha Sport bemesheh 3 shavuot. ...'
^Musictory the Music Directory. "Dalida Biography". Retrieved 4 October 2011. ... During this disco period, Dalida would earn a gay audience, a following which is still maintained today. ...'{{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
L’argus Dalida: Discographie mondiale et cotations, by Daniel Lesueur, Éditions Alternatives, 2004. ISBN2-86227-428-3 and ISBN978-2-86227-428-7. (in French)
