Sabrina Salerno – “Like a Yo-Yo”
A bouncy Italo disco comeback with Giorgio Moroder’s signature spark
Released in February 1989, “Like a Yo-Yo” marked a sleek and stylish return for Italian pop star Sabrina Salerno, showcasing a more sophisticated sound while keeping her trademark energy intact. After storming the charts with 1987’s “Boys (Summertime Love),” Sabrina raised the bar by teaming up with none other than Giorgio Moroder — the synth-disco pioneer behind Donna Summer, Blondie, and countless electronic milestones. The result was one of her most polished singles to date.
A Dancefloor-Ready Pop Revival
“Like a Yo-Yo” is pure late-’80s pop magic: punchy beats, shimmery synths, and a chorus that swings around in your head long after the song ends. Moroder handled both writing and production, delivering a sound that’s tight, futuristic, and irresistibly danceable. Sabrina’s vocals glide over the beat with playful confidence, giving the track emotional lift without weighing it down.
Lyrically, it’s a simple but clever metaphor — bouncing back and forth in a relationship, spun around and dropped like, well… a yo-yo. It’s disco-pop melodrama in its most vibrant form, dressed in glitz and ready for the club.
Chart Performance and Remix Appeal
“Like a Yo-Yo” found solid success across Europe following its release in February 1989. It reached the top of the charts in Finland, claiming the No. 1 spot, and climbed to No. 2 in Denmark. The single also broke into the Top 10 in Spain, further cementing Sabrina’s appeal beyond Italy. In the UK, the track charted modestly, peaking at No. 72 in July 1989 and staying on the chart for two weeks. The single’s remix by Stock Aitken Waterman helped boost its club appeal, particularly in the UK and France, where alternate versions were released to suit regional tastes.
Glam and Glitter in Motion
The music video leaned hard into Sabrina’s glam-pop persona: confident, colorful, and full of bouncy choreography that matched the song’s kinetic vibe. While it didn’t generate the same media shockwaves as “Boys,” it reinforced her image as one of Europe’s most camera-ready pop performers.
She promoted the single widely on European TV shows and music festivals, where her charisma and polish onstage helped maintain her position in an evolving pop scene.
More than three decades on, “Like a Yo-Yo” still holds up as one of Sabrina’s strongest singles — musically slick, vocally confident, and anchored by a production pedigree that elevates it above throwaway novelty. It marked a creative step forward for her: still sexy and fun, but also tighter, brighter, and ready for a more mature audience.
In the larger story of late ’80s Italo disco, this track stands as one of its final glittering peaks — just before house and Eurodance began to change the sound of clubland for good.