The eight songs Sophia Loren couldn’t live without
Sophia Loren is undoubtedly among the most iconic actors of her generation and one of the last living Golden Age stars. Known for her unforgettable collaborations with pioneering filmmakers such as Vittorio De Sica, Loren’s filmography is indispensable for all film fans.
Born in Rome in 1934, Loren started out as a beauty pageant contestant before graduating to film roles. It quickly became apparent that she was born for the silver screen, and she was able to establish herself as a bonafide international star, eventually moving to other countries to work in foreign productions.
During an episode of the Desert Island Discs segment by the BBC, Loren was asked to name some of the songs that have remained with her throughout her life. She started out by citing Ella Fitzgerald’s classic ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’, claiming that it was the first song which introduced her to the wider world.
She recalled: “It was a song that I heard for the first time in Pozzuoli, after the war, of course. Ella’s voice represented America to me and to me, America was so far away still at that time because I didn’t even know that there was America somewhere in the world… it was incredible. Ella Fitzgerald really gave me a sense of life.”
Loren also treasures Claude Debussy’s seminal masterpiece ‘Claire de lune’ because of the memories associated with it. The actor revealed: “My mother was a concert pianist and would play this piece whenever she could find a piano to play on. When I think of my mother, I get this feeling inside that is bittersweet.”
She paid tribute to her former husband Carlo Ponti Sr. by selecting a song from the iconic film Doctor Zhivago. Loren explained: “This is the film that my husband Carlo was the most proud of. He fought for this music to be in the film. He had great instinct and was a great artist. I miss him every day of my life.”
Check out the full list below, ranging from American classics to the 1960s Italian pop explosion.
Sophia Loren’s favourite songs:
- ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ – Ella Fitzgerald
- ‘Clair de lune’ – Claude Debussy
- ‘Lara Says Goodbye to Yuri’ – Maurice Jarre
- ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ – Frank Sinatra
- ‘Oggi Sono Io’ – Mina
- ‘The Marketplace at Limoges’ – Modest Mussorgsky
- ‘Io Sì (Seen)’ – Laura Pausini
- ‘Caruso’ – Lucio Dalla
