Mama Corsica

"Mama Corsica"
Eurovision Song Contest 1993 entry
Country	France
Artist(s)	Patrick Fiori
Languages	French, Corsican
Composer(s)	François Valéry
Lyricist(s)	François Valéry
Conductor	Christian Cravero
Finals performance
Final result	4th
Final points	121
Appearance chronology
◄ Monté la riviè (1992)
Je suis un vrai garçon (1994) ►

"Mama Corsica" was the French entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1993, performed in Corsican and French (the first occasion Corsican was heard at the Contest, before "Sognu" in 2011) by Patrick Fiori.

The song was performed twelfth on the night, following Portugal's Anabela with "A cidade (até ser dia)" and preceding Sweden's Arvingarna with "Eloise". At the close of voting, it had received 121 points, placing 4th in a field of 25. This remains the highest placing of a song at least partly in a minority language in Contest history. In fact, until Belgium's 2003 entry's second place, the song had achieved the distinction of being the highest-placed song performed in a language which was not an official one in any competing country, "Sanomi" being performed in an invented language.

With lyrics and music by François Valéry, the song is in praise of Corsica itself, with Fiori likening the island to a mother taking pity on all who come to her. The majority of the song is in French, however Fiori also tells the island "tonight I am singing in Corsican for you", which he then does, singing that it is as if the whole world were doing so. Fiori also recorded a German language version of the song, "Mama Korsika".

It was succeeded as French representative at the 1994 contest by Nina Morato with "Je suis un vrai garçon".

Sources and external links

• Official Eurovision Song Contest site, history by year, 1993
• Detailed info & lyrics, The Diggiloo Thrush, "Mama Corsica".