«Che sarà» by Ricchi e Poveri: Meaning & Lyrics

A young man stands on the outskirts of town, his guitar slung over his shoulder, and looks back one last time at his village on the hill. «Che sarà» by Ricchi e Poveri is the anthem for all those who must set out and don’t know what lies ahead. In 1971, Ricchi e Poveri and the blind American star José Feliciano turned this farewell into a global hit at the Sanremo Festival. We take a look at the meaning, background, and most memorable images of «Che sarà.».

The Story Behind «Che sarà»

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, «Che sarà» was created by several people: Franco Migliacci wrote the lyrics, and Jimmy Fontana composed the music together with Carlo Pes and Italo Greco. Migliacci was no stranger to the music world—he also penned the lyrics to «Nel blu dipinto di blu,» better known as «Volare.».

For the 1971 Sanremo Festival, the song was initially looking for a performer. According to the story, it was offered to Gianni Morandi, who turned it down. That’s how the opportunity came to Ricchi e Poveri—at the time, a quartet just starting out in their career. They were joined at the festival by the blind Puerto Rican global superstar José Feliciano. Together, they performed the song on stage, and what started as a gamble turned into one of the group’s biggest hits.

What is «Che sarà» about?

«Che sarà» is a farewell song. A young man leaves his village because he no longer sees a future there—just as, in those years, countless people left their small towns in the south and in the provinces to seek work elsewhere. What remains is a place that is slowly emptying out.

The title captures the entire mood: «Che sarà» roughly translates to «What will be»—an open, anxious question about one’s own fate. The narrator doesn’t know where the path will lead him, and it is precisely this uncertainty that makes the song so moving to this day: it is both melancholy and a sense of new beginnings, a sorrow for what has been left behind and a hope for what is to come.

Lyrics & Meaning: The Key Images

The lyrics to «Che sarà» are protected by copyright, so we won’t reproduce them line by line here; instead, we’ll explain the key images and their meanings.

The village on the hill. At the beginning, the narrator addresses his hometown directly. He describes it as an old man lying on a hill and sleeping—an image of a place where time seems to stand still and nothing new ever happens. This affectionate, wistful address sets the tone right from the start.

The friends who have already left. The singer notes that almost all of his friends have long since left, and the rest will soon follow. In just a few lines, the entire experience of rural exodus is captured: a village loses its young people, one by one they move away.

The big question. In the chorus, the question that gives the song its title keeps coming back—what will become of his life, who knows? It’s not whining, but a defiant embrace of the unknown. It is precisely through this repetition that it becomes the emotional core of the song.

Setting out with a guitar and love. In the end, the narrator takes only the bare essentials with him: his guitar and the person he loves. He leaves without knowing what lies ahead—but he doesn’t leave empty-handed. Thus, the song ends not in despair, but in a quiet, resolute sense of hope.

«Che sarà» live: Ricchi e Poveri at the 1971 Sanremo Festival

To conclude, a historic moment: «Che sarà,» performed live by Ricchi e Poveri at the 1971 Sanremo Festival—here in a restored video and audio version. You can hear how the group’s four voices transform the song into that blend of melancholy and strength that has made it immortal.

Listen: Spotify · Apple Music

What Makes «Che sarà» Special

• Second Place with a Global Career – At the 1971 Sanremo Festival, it «only» managed to finish in second place behind «Il cuore è uno zingaro.» But the song became a hit far beyond Italy’s borders: It reached No. 1 in the Netherlands and No. 2 in Belgium and Italy.
• An Anthem of the Emigrants – In its Spanish version, «Qué será,» the song reached No. 1 in Spain and became an anthem for migrants in Latin America. This was no coincidence: José Feliciano, who helped shape the song, had himself emigrated from Puerto Rico to New York as a child.
• The Song Morandi Turned Down – According to legend, «Che sarà» was first offered to Gianni Morandi. His refusal turned out to be a stroke of luck for Ricchi e Poveri.
• A song on par with «Volare» – Author Franco Migliacci also wrote the lyrics to «Nel blu dipinto di blu» (Volare). He died in 2025, leaving behind one of the most prolific bodies of work in the history of Italian song.
• Countless versions – «Che sarà» has been covered in many countries and languages. In 2021, Ricchi e Poveri re-recorded the classic for their album «ReuniON» together with José Feliciano.

This makes «Che sarà» much more than just a festival entry from 1971: it’s the song that captures the experience of saying goodbye in a single, unforgettable question. If you want to delve deeper into the country’s great classics, be sure to also listen to «Nel blu dipinto di blu» (Volare) and browse through our posts about Italian music.