Berlusconi Sings on Despite Love Album Flop

Italian record stores are not exactly rushing to stock up on a new album of love songs written by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, but the irrepressible lyricist apparently has no plans to stop.

"This is a hobby for him and he is not giving it up. He is a passionate, romantic person. He writes love songs and he's good at it," Mariano Apicella, the Neapolitan crooner who sings the billionaire's lyrics, told Agence France Presse.

"He exudes passion. Not everyone can do that," said Apicella, a long-time friend of Berlusconi's and frequent guest at the 75-year-old's famously flamboyant dinner parties at luxury villas in Sardinia, Rome and Milan.

Berlusconi started out as a cruise-ship singer and has often boasted of his ability to enthrall listeners with his syrupy tones. A long-time fan of Neapolitan songs, he branched out with a daring samba track on his latest disc.

The album -- Berlusconi and Apicella's fourth collaboration -- features cringe-worthy lyrics such as: "Stay, and leave me your heart" and "I run my hands down your sides, because it's you. I adore you and I already miss you."

The album "True Love" came out on the day Berlusconi stepped down as premier on November 13 but -- except for media attention -- there has been little interest in the warbling of a premier who bowed out with his popularity at record lows.

"We've got a copy, but it's still in the store-room and I've no idea if or when we'll put it on the shelves," said Feltrinelli bookshop salesman in Rome.

"No-one has requested it yet -- apart from five journalists," he added.

The Ricordi Media store on Rome's central Via del Corso, abuzz with shoppers getting their Christmas purchases in early, said they had one copy of the album in stock, but appeared to have temporarily misplaced it.

Apicella, who used to sing in restaurants and hotels around the world before he met Berlusconi, defended himself against the apparent flop, saying: "Some shops still haven't stocked up, but they will."