It’s not all that surprising to find no information about an obscure artist from the 1960s or 70s who released a couple of failed singles and then disappeared. However, it’s somewhat shocking to find that situation in the 21st century. Almost without trying, nearly everyone has some sort of presence on the internet, especially if you’re the creative type. So how, in this day and age, can someone virtually vanish?

Mario Spinetti was born in New York City but spent his childhood traveling all over Europe. Both of his parents were opera singers and they stayed busy, moving from theater to theater, show to show. In the 2000s, Spinetti moved back to NYC to study the family business: music. Computer technology allowed for easy multi-tracking and Spinetti constructed full tracks filled with his own harmonized vocals and mouth percussion.

This takes us to 2007 and Season 3 of the TV dance competition So You Think You Can Dance. Most performances on the show featured choreography set to (fairly) well known songs or singers, but every once in a while someone threw in a surprise. The surprise in this instance was a dancer named Danny Tidwell (who would go on to finish second that year) showing off his balletic skills to an unknown song packed with vocal gymnastics called “Delirious” by an unknown artist named Mario Spinetti.

An audience of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, watched — and heard — and that kind of publicity will certainly boost your profile. Spinetti had an EP out (or would release one soon) but rather than pursue performing he became a vocal teacher for many years, only returning to singing as an artist himself in the late 2010s.

What’s odd is that the last mention of Spinetti on the internet is a concert appearance in May of 2020. He has no songs, performances, or presence on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, or X (Twitter), although he apparently did at one time. And what little he has recorded isn’t available on Spotify. Considering the maxim that what goes onto the internet, stays on the internet, it seems strange how little exists: a few mentions, a few people dancing to Spinetti’s songs, and a 2019 interview.

Mysteries in this age are rare as hen’s teeth. But, you know… sometimes hens have teeth.

YouTube doesn’t have this song but I was able to embed a video from Dailymotion. Sometimes the video auto-plays for me so apologies if it did that for you and startled you while sipping your morning tea or coffee.

Also, apologies to Mario if he’s just quietly hanging out, vocal coaching, singing, living his best life outside of the virtual world. I’m certainly not trying to stir things up. I’ve just always loved this song.