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Buon Compleanno Elvis was the album that made Ligabue a superstar in Italy, a position he has not relinquished ever since. Key to the album's success was Ligabue's reshuffling of ideas and personnel after the disappointment of 1993's Soppravvisuti e Sopravviventi. Indeed, Ligabue's new supporting core of Mel Previte, Antonio Righetti, Federico Poggipollini, and Fabrizio Barbacci (who also co-produced the album with the singer) finally manages to convey and capture the right "rock & roll all'emiliana" sound, a feat that former productions had found rather elusive. Above all, a thoroughly reenergized Ligabue was able to create his longest and best set of originals to date. Contrary to the pessimism in some of his previous material, most of the new songs sound positively defiant, often discussing the right to individual choice and lifestyle against oppressive conventions. Almost every track of this album became a staple of Ligabue's live repertoire, from the rockers "Vivo Morto o X" or "I Ragazzi Sono in Giro," to more reflective numbers such as "Hai un Momento Dio" or "Certi Notti" -- the latter voted Best Italian Song of the '90s, and generally considered Ligabue's most famous song. ~ Mariano Prunes
