History - Discography - Video & Audio
Even if the promotion of the album Over of pop was finished in autumn 1991, Sabrina didn't disappear from media attention in Italy. In October, she was a guest on the TV Program Ciao Weekend and she announced her projects till the end of year: the release of a live album, her participation to the show Bellezze sulla neve and a brand new 7".
But from those three announcements, only one – one and half– emerged. If no live album was finally released, Sabrina co-hosted Bellezze sulla neve from late December '91 till late February '92 , a show which allowed her to perform some songs from her 2 last albums as well as a new track which should have become her new single: Cover model.
Sung on December 27th, this song produced by D.J. Mori marked a reorientation towards Italo House after a pop-rock failed attempt with Over the pop. This style then en vogue in Europe wasn't completely new to Sabrina as reflected by the remixes of Yeah Yeah, Siamo donne et Shadows of the night.
On the first listen, Cover model surprised many fans as Sabrina's voice was very hard to recognize and the lyrics were quite difficult to understand: for many, the song sounded strange. Indeed, it had a rather strange story. Cover model actually was inspired by Sima's You got me running (1989) which was an italo cover version of Lenny Williams' song, a US top 10 hit in 1978. If Sima didn't chart in Italy with this song, it's funny to note that her record had been released in Italy by X-Energy Records, a label which would later release Sabrina & Samantha's duet, Call me.
So Cover model wasn't 100% original, but it wasn't a real cover version either: the music was new but DJ Mori used and re-wrote the lyrics of You got me running. He kept half of the original lyrics and changed the gimmick "You got me running" which became "You get me ready". But the story doesn't end there as it seems that Cover model was sampled by the group Code K in their song Hoppa (U-O-Me Mix) in 1993!
Strangely, Cover model was only released on 12" in Italy and Sabrina only performed it once on TV. She didn't even mention it during her interview with Sorrisi & Canzoni in January 1992. She only said that she'd like to record her next album in the US after a break of several weeks. The promotion of Cover model was thus definitely cancelled. No doubt that the tensions which became stronger and stronger between Sabrina and her manager eventually doomed the song.
If the show Bellezza sulla neve, which allowed Sabrina to sing Cover model, was also broadcast in Spain and Germany, the song was finally only licensed to a French label a few months later: Panic Records. And it seems that this dance music label had big hopes for this song as it was released on 5 formats: 7", 12", CD single, maxi CD and cassette single (which is impossible to find nowadays). Furthermore, Panic Records released the song on a promo compilation for the radios. One of them, Skyrock, often played the song during that summer and Cover model even featured on 2 compilations co-released by this radio station. In spite of this support, the song didn't enter the French charts but it's also true that Sabrina didn't promote the song on TV or in the press.
Today, Cover model is cherished by Sabrina's fans. If the French releases, especially the CD single and the cassette single remain some of her most sought-after items, there's no doubt that the affectation of the fans can also be explained by the fact that Cover model marked the end of an era. Indeed, Sabrina parted with her manager in 92. A court case followed and forced her to take a two year break from Italian show business till her comeback in 1994 with a new look and a new team.
Cover Model at Bellezza sulla neve (Italy, 27 December 1991)
Sima's "You got me running":