Italian storysingers: De Andre, Guccini & others

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

 Mila-13 wrote:

 jamesbaldwin wrote:

Lucio Dalla is a singer-songwriter of the generation of De André and Guccini who, however, unlike them, composed less folk and more melodic music. His songs were sometimes composed with a good songwriting, sometimes are more commercial. Anyway, he wrote some masterpiece songs, although I don't know if he ever churned out a masterpiece album. He was a friend of Guccini, living in Bologna like him, but while Guccini was a less social type, who only went out to go to the tavern, Dalla was a much more worldly type - he was also outspoken homosexual.

Imo it is rather speculative
to draw valuable conclusions about the work of an artist from his public life.
But it does make sense to follow the artistic path of an artist to understand
his work. Dalla’s roots are in jazz where interaction and improvisation play a
key role. Thus, the starting point of his song writing was the musical
composition. Hence, for his first albums he joined forces with writer and lyricist Roberto
Roveresi. From then on he wrote his songs on his own. He liked to experiment, tried various genres and collaborated with many different artists, but those compositions always clearly carried his stylistic signature.- Guccini, on the other hand followed more
or less the opposite approach, starting from the spoken word towards the music,
whereby his lyrics and message always remained in the foreground.Therefore, the work of these
two artists can only be compared with each other to a very limited extent, also
in terms of their influence on other artists. Dalla was not the strict teacher type of guy, he was rather a good friend with whom you could collaborate and exchange ideas.
Besides it makes a difference whether someone composes his music on the piano
or a guitar and other instruments.- One of my favourite Dalla albums is ‘Come
è profondo il mare’, it is his first album where he wrote both the music and the lyrics. I
also like a lot his collaborations with De Gregori and in general I would say
that Dalla was one of those musicians you must see live.

I can understand
Italian and am familiar with Guccini’s early work. I’m glad to learn about his more
melodic compositions which has reawakened my interest in his music. Many thanks
for this! Oh, and before I forget, who do you consider Guccini’s and De André’s 'pupils'?

Btw. what do you mean
by 'cultured music’? There is ‘art music’ which is an umbrella term, predominantly used for Western classical and canonic music and their derivates. It typically
implies advanced structural and theoretical considerations or a written musical
tradition. Art music is also a term that is often used to present a contrast with popular
and folk music, but it is not an established musicological term and has been subject
to change over time.
Dalla actually made his own original path and it is not easy to classify it. 
I have listened a lot to the albums "Lucio Dalla", "Viaggi Organizzati", "Dalla / Morandi" and "DallAmeriCaruso", the latter is a live album, with the exception of the song Caruso, which is an absolute masterpiece. 
"Com'è profondo il mare": I listened to it many years ago, and I remember the omonymous track, but... it contains a goliardic / transgressive song that has become a cult song:

Disperato erotico stomp: Desperate erotic stomp

esperate, erotic stomp
They saw you drinking from a fountain and that fountain wasn't me
they saw you naked in the morning, you naughty girl.
Whereas you didn't take your clothes off [when you were] with me, not even at night,
and it was one punch after another, my God, the punches.
They saw you lifting your skirt
your skirt up to your [pubic] hair. It's so dark!
Then you told me "You, poor wretch,
you can send your sex down the drain".
You left with your friend,
that tall woman, that hottie.
Both out, doing something important,
useful, great. I am always at home,
I seldom go out, I just think [and sit around] in my underwear.

I think about disappointments, great endeavours, about a Thai woman
but the [truly] exceptional endeavour, trust me, is to be normal.
Therefore I went out after a week - that's normal -
it wasn't that cold
and I met a whore - that's normal.

Leaving aside her dress, her hair, her fur coat and her [knee length] boots,
she even had some serious issues and good arguments.
I don't know if you have ever met an optimistic, left wing whore.
We didn't do anything,
but I ended up alone, alone like a moron.

Walking around a little longer, I met a man who'd lost his way.
I told him that in downtown Bologna
not even a kid can get lost.
He looks at me, slightly shocked,
and tells me "I'm from Berlin"
Berlin, I have been there, with Bonetti,
it was a bit sad and very large.
But I've had enough,
I'll go home and sit around in my underwear again.

Before climbing the stairs I stopped to look at a star
I am very worried,
the silence was engorging my glans.35
I run up the stairs, three at a time,
I lied down on the couch,
I closed my eyes a little,
and my hand started to move gently.
https://lyricstranslate.com

Dalla's lyrics don't reach the level of De Andrè and Guccini - but to be honest, I don't think even Dylan reaches the literary quality of their lyrics. 
Speaking of collaborations, the music of this song is by Dalla, vocals and lyrics are by Guccini. Great song, wonderful vocal performance. The song was included in Dalla / Morandi, then in the album "Quello che non..." by Guccini (one of its best).

Italian storysingers: De Andre, Guccini & others

esperate, erotic stomp

Marinella's song

Piero's war