24.000 baci " , also spelled " 24 mila baci " , is a 1961 song composed by Ezio Leoni , Piero Vivarelli , Lucio Fulci , and Adriano Celentano . The song premiered at the 11th edition of the Sanremo Music Festival with a double performance of Adriano Celentano and Little Tony , and placed at the second place . It is regarded as the first rock and roll song to enter the competition at the Sanremo Festival . During his performance , Celentano created a large controversy for performing part of the song with his back to the public . The song has been described as a " portrait of the disenchanted youth of that time , not inclined to romanticism , and on the threshold of sexual liberation " . The song had a large success in France with the version performed by Johnny Hallyday titled " 24.000 baisers " . It was covered in English by Claudio Simonetti with the title " Four A n'Twenty Thousand Kisses " . Other artists who covered the song include Dalida , Connie Francis , Fausto Papetti , Jenny Luna , Carla Boni
11th edition
Sanremo Music Festival 1961
24.000 baci