Alfred C. Sant
Alfred C. Sant is one of Malta's most successful song lyricists. He has written extensively since the Seventies, his main genres including Maltese modern folk songs for Tony Gauci il-Kampanjol, Sammy Bartolo, Freddie Castelletti, Charlie Mamo Caligari and Ray Axisa.
Amongst his most popular songs in Maltese are Tony Gauci's 1978 hit single Qalb ta' Kampanjol and Waħda Għalik u l-Oħra Għalija, Ray Axisa's and Joan Vassallo's Għadna Żgħar, Freddie Castelletti's Marija and Tony Camilleri's L-Għannej. It was indeed this 1984 Malta International Song Festival entry that baptised Camilleri as L-Għannej, the folksinger, with its memorable quatrain:
Għannej, Għannej Il-lejla għalfejn? Għall-briju ninġabru U nqattgħu sagħtejn...
He has also written the words for Sammy Bartolo's L-Aħħar Bidwi f'Wied il-Għasel. One of his lesser known writings is Bendu Muscat, sung by George Agius. Muscat was the fictional private detective created by Maltese-Alexandrian writer Ivo Muscat Azzopardi.
Sant also writes in English, extending his collaboration in 2012 with Amber in her Answer With Your Eye. His songs has been performed worldwide, including festivals in Ireland, Turkey, Japan and the Italian Zecchino D'Oro childrens' festival. He has also partecipated in musical albums released by the Libyan radio station Leħen il-Ħbiberija, that included the input of seasoned singers Joe Cutajar, Bayzo and Mary Rose Mallia.