Obsession: Italian music
posted on:
Over 25 years ago I fell in love with the Italian language. I had to pick a second foreign language at school, but had some weird experience with a French class two years before so that I did not want to pick that up again. Luckily, there was another language that was offered: Italian. So this one was it. And it was one of the better decisions I made in my life.
Over the years, as is my custom, I went back and forth between engaging with the language by taking a class and listening to a lot of music, and not doing any of it. For some months, starting with this year's Sanremo festival but really going off after Eurovision, I've been very deep into it again. I've been listening to Italian music exclusively for weeks and I don't know how to stop. My range is not exactly broad though. However, I thought I'd like to list some of my all-time and current favourites.
I am currently translating songs just for myself, so that I understand what they are about. And though I still don't understand everything completely (translating is complicated), it's a good exercise. I will not provide translations here, especially not mine, but give links to lyricstranslate.com instead. That site is a very good help when I have problems with certain lines. Most songs have English translations there, though unfortunately not all. But if you're interested I bet you know how to get them translated yourself. I will also link to song.link, a page that lists lots of places where you can listen to, watch a video of, or buy each song.
Here we go, in no particular order.
Francesco de Gregori - La donna cannone
This is one of my all-time favourite songs ever. It has a wonderfully melancholic tone and a beautiful story.
Lucio Corsi - Volvevo essere un duro
The song he performed at Sanremo (and made second place), and to my utter delight also at Eurovision. The moment I first saw his performance at Sanremo I was in love. His songs are fantastic, whimsical, funny, and very very beautiful. He has such amazingly beautiful texts that it hurts at times! This one is no exception.
Lucio Corsi - Un altro mondo
I love the first two lines a lot, as well as the chorus. I mean:
La pianta carnivora un giorno mi ha detto:
"Per avere la voce una bocca non basta."
And the chorus:
Che esista un altro mondo
io non ne dubito
Basta credere agli occhi
credere agli occhi
anche quando si chiudono
Wonderful, isn't it! And then there are the two very hot e-guitar solos. Oh my word! There was one week a while ago where I would listen to this song on rotation. For hours. I'm sure it was very unhealthy. LOL
Lucio Corsi - Nel cuore della notte
6 and a half minutes just the piano and his voice. So good! I love the tone a lot and how he adapts the structure of the song according to the story he tells. Like when he whistles after a train runs past whistling in the first stanza. Or how the one about the cat (my favourite stanza) gets some extra lines. This one is probably my favourite of Corsi's songs. And another one I listened to for an unhealthy amount of times in a row for days.
song.link ~ a nicer video ~ Unfortunately there is no English translation on lyricstranslate.com (yet).
Let's take a short break from Lucio Corsi now (there will be more later, don't worry), and turn to another of my favourite singers.
Diodato - Un'altra estate
Written during the first Covid summer, which hit Italy especially hard, this song carried me through 2020 and also through a good portion of 2021. Every time I go to the sea (which is only once a year, sadly) it plays in my head.
Diodato - Non ti amo più
I love the juxtaposition of the text and the music. The latter is so upbeat and happy, but the text is about not loving a partner anymore, being appalled by them really, and breaking up with them.
Diodato - Vieni a ridere di me
One of things he is really good at is writing these sad love songs. "Fai Rumore" and "Quello che mi manca di te" are two others. Here we find the protagonist completely lost after a breakup. Wonderfully melancholic and sad.
And now let's travel back in time once more, into the good old 1990's.
Jovanotti - Serenata Rap
I don't know what to say about that one. It's a classic in my eyes. I do have difficulties watching the video though. LOL (Don't watch it if you've got fear of heights.)
Lùnapop - Niente di più
They only had one album, a few years after which the lead singer, Cesare Cremonini, embarked on a solo career. This song has been a favourite of mine for a loooong time, but it took me until a week or so ago to finally listen to that album ("...squérez?"). I actually listened to the 20th anniversary edition ("...squèrez?" - notice the different accent on the first e.) with lots of bonus songs. It was a lot of fun. The sound is so 90's/ turn of the century. I am loving it! Once I can get away form Lucio Corsi and Diodato for a bit longer I may have to dive into Cesare Cremonini's work.
song.link ~ Unfortunately there is no English translation on lyricstranslate.com (yet).
Back to this century with...
The Kolors - Tu con chi fai l'amore
They started out singing in English, but since they first participated at the Sanremo festival in 2018 they are singing in Italian. Which was a good decision in my opinion. This one is their entry at this year's festival.
What I like about The Kolors is that their songs are fun and often have a great synth/ disco sound. I'm not a dancer, but their songs make me want to move my body.
The Kolors - Leoni al sole
I said above that The Kolors are fun. This song however is a bit different. Maybe because Tommaso Paradiso (more of him below) is a co-writer. It's beautiful and a bit melancholic. Like a summer day that was too hot and too long.
Tommaso Paradiso - Non avere paura
Before going solo he was the singer of the band Thegiornalisti. Do check them out also. (I really enjoy their "New York".)
This one is a beautiful love song. Watch the video! It's full of Italian musicians.
Tommaso Paradiso - I nostri anni
I don't even know what this song makes me feel like. It's a mix of melancholy and hope. It just speaks to me at this moment. It's a bit like a hymn, too. "Fanculo tutto, questi sono i nostri anni!"
Lucio Corsi - Situazione complicata
I promised I would get back to him. This one is funny, and also a bit sad. Poor protagonist.
Lucio Corsi - Orme
When I said that some of his songs are so beautiful that it hurts, this is one of the top ones of those. I wanna cry, that's how beautiful it is. Especially the chorus:
Certe orme sono ferite sulla riva
che non spariscono con le onde
ma restano stampate sulla pelle a vita
Don't let the image distract you. It's the cover for a double single with the song "Magia nera", which has a beautiful text as well.
Lucio Corsi - Tu sei il mattino
Ok, I swear this is the last one of his. I love this one so much. What a beautiful story! Don't watch the video though. It's disgusting and I don't I think I ever finished it because of it.
I have to close with another classic, a true hymn, something that seems to have gotten rare:
Toto Cutugno - Insieme: 1992
In 1990 Cutugno made second place at Sanremo with a different title. That year he went to perform at Eurovision instead of the winner, presenting this song. And he won!
It is one we should take to heart as Europeans once more. It's about a united Europe, about love without borders, about the stars on our one flag, about being one together. All this is currently being threatened by paranoia and right wing politics. Instead of open borders, Germany, my own country, has closed its borders again. What an utter shame! There are federal police officers with guns on every border crossing now. That's not what Europe should be like! Our strength is our unity, our friendship, our common values, our open borders. I want that back! And let those from outside Europe, who seek this freedom, peace, and unity for themselves too, take part as well. So let's all sing along: "Insieme, united, united Europe!"
I could have gone on and on. Yes, I know, there are a lot of songs by Lucio Corsi in this list. But what can I say that I haven't said before: I love his music so very much! Maybe I'll do a part two some time, one that will be a bit more diverse perhaps. We'll see.
And the word of this post is... melancholic/ melancholy. It seems to be the vibe I gravitate to. Make of that what you will.
Do you have a musical obsession, too? Tell me about it!
- Elena.
Leave a comment in the Fediverse
or write me an e-mail: hello [-at-] theresmiling [dot] eu