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There are many singer-songwriters in Italy, but Claudio Baglioni, born in Rome in 1951, is one of the very best. With over 34 hits spanning more than forty years between 1970 and 2013, he is Italy’s answer to British pop singer Cliff Richard –only , only far more popular. It’s considered “cool” to like and sing along to Baglioni, and since he’s still writing and singing, his list of successes will probably get longer.

In 1972, he wrote a song that has become legendary in Italy and which would turn out to be his best-selling hit, shipping 1.5 million copies. It was beaten in 1985 by his own “La vita è adesso,” which is now virtually unknown. At any rate, the former song is called “Questo Piccolo Grande Amore,” and nowadays, it is sung at just about every party by everyone present. The lyrics are lengthy and the song is “word heavy,” meaning it is filled with words throughout the melody.

"At any rate, the former song is called 'Questo Piccolo Grande Amore,' and nowadays, it is sung at just about every party by everyone present. The lyrics are lengthy and the song is 'word heavy,' meaning it is filled with words throughout the melody"

The title sets the mood, translating as “This Little Huge Love.” Baglioni suggests that he was too immature to appreciate what he had or even what he wanted: “Non sono sicuro se ti amo davvero, non sono... non sono sicuro...” (I am not sure I really love you, I don’t know, I’m not sure.” This is followed by, “Ma le si leggeva chiaro in faccia che soffriva” (But you could read in her face that she was hurting). Taken alone, these lines makes sense. Yet, putting them alongside the rest of the lyrics, they take on a different meaning.

Next to the aforementioned declarations, there are others: “Ti amo davvero ti amo lo giuro... ti amo ti amo davvero!” (I really love you, I swear I love you… I love you, I do really love you). Apart from the repetition, which is quite normal in spoken Italian, this line might lead listeners to believe that the singer has changed his mind about “not (being) sure” that he loves her. Yet, looking at the lines before this “heartfelt statement,” there are observations that are hardly like those of a man in love: “Quella sua maglietta fina, tanto stretta al punto che mi immaginavo tutto” (Her tight t-shirt, so tight I could imagine everything), followed by “La voglia di essere nudi” (The desire to be naked) and “E far l'amore giù al faro...” (And make love down at the lighthouse). His so-called “love” is maybe just an excuse for her to “put out,” as they said back in the days when Baglioni wrote this song.

"The title sets the mood, translating as 'This Little Huge Love.'mBaglioni suggests that he was too immature to appreciate what he had or even what he wanted."

There are other suggestive lines, such as, “E chiare sere d'estate, il mare i giochi e le fate” (Clear summer nights with the sea, games, and fairies) and “E lunghe corse affannate, incontro a stelle cadute” (Long desperate race to meet falling stars). Baglioni lets listeners know that there was more to his relationship than just “fare amore.” Yet there is nothing romantic or loving in this song, even though it talks about love. The song ends with the singer realizing, too late, that he really did love this woman, but only after he hurt her and himself, losing her forever: “Solamente adesso me ne sto rendendo conto, che lei lei era, un piccolo grande amore” (Only now am I coming to realize that she, she was a little huge love).