January 1969.

Just what a dull Wednesday morning needs, a faux European waltz tune…at least that’s how some have described this song over the years.

Written by Peter Sarstedt, there have been claims over the years that the song was about Sophia Loren, who grew up in poverty in Naples just like the heroine of the song, or that it may even be about Danish actress Nina van Pallandt. Sarstedt has denied both these theories, saying that the song really wasn’t written with anybody specific in mind.

On its release the song gave Sarstedt a global number one, reaching the top of the charts in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa and here in the UK, where it spent sixteen weeks on the charts including four weeks at number one. It would be his only number one in the UK, although his follow up single Frozen Orange Juice did reach number ten later in 1969.