POP/ROCK - Feb. 29, 1988

Italian singer Massimo Ranieri won the annual San Remo song festival Sunday with his tune “Perdere L’Amore” (Losing My Love), but much of the cantores ‘ thunder was stolen by foreign performers such as Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Jon Bon Jovi. It was a contentious festival all around: The critics complained that most of this year’s songs sounded alike, while the audiences griped about the non-Italians’ practice of lip-synching their songs. Twenty-six singers competed for the first prize in the four-day festival, which was broadcast live on state-run RAI television and ended early Sunday morning.