Looking for information about the song's history and genesis for inspiration, we were disappointed: there appears to be little on the web.
Apparently, the composition of Satellite of Love dates back to 1970, when Lou Reed was still active in the Velvet Underground. Doug Yule, who had taken John Cale's place in the band in 1968, claimed in a 2005 interview that he had clear memories of the manager asking for music to make airplay and that a lapidary Lou claimed to have a song about the satellite that had just been launched. Today we would call it a trend topic. The other theme of the song seems to be jealousy.
In short, there are two narrative levels: a man watching a momentous space conquest scene on TV, but at the same time he is torn by jealousy caused by a partner's frivolous attitude.
Co-producer and author of the original arrangement with Mick Ronson, as well as special guest vocalist, David Bowie.
In rearranging the song, we chose to proceed by subtraction, to give space and air to drums and bass - which Saturnino (always by Jovanotti's side) played magistically as always. Breathy guitars in the background and Greta Zuccoli's ethereal voice to do the rest. Playing the song live with both of them we realized the communicative power of the finale, so we performed it as a gospel, to give it back a choral dimension.