A mano a mano

The leading single of the 1978 album Riccardo Cocciante, the song was composed by Cocciante (music) and Marco Luberti (lyrics).^[1] The original version of the song has been described as a slow waltz rich in Frédéric Chopin 's influences and citations.^[1]

During a 1980 tour held by Cocciante, Rino Gaetano and New Perigeo, the two artists swapped two of their hits, with Cocciante performing Gaetano's "Aida" and Gaetano's adapting Cocciante's "A mano a mano".^[1] Gaetano's version, later released in the EP Q-Concert, significantly modified the arrangement and the timing of the song, turning it in a composition closer to a mixture between a polka and a Traffic's song.^[1] Furthermore, Gaetano's vocal performance was more energetic, rougher and less dramatic than Cocciante's, with his performance being described as a mix between Luca Carboni and Zucchero Fornaciari.^[1] During the years, the song became mainly associated to Gaetano, even thanks to Ferzan Özpetek, who chose Gaetano's version as theme of his 2014 film Fasten Your Seatbelts.^[2][3]

Artists who recorded the song include Andrea Bocelli, Emma Marrone, Spagna, Alessio Bernabei, Tosca, Piero Barone, Mannarino.^[1][2]

Riccardo Cocciante version

Rino Gaetano version

Alessio Bernabei version