Italian singer-songwriter and composer (1943–1998)
Musical artist
Lucio Battisti (5 March 1943 – 9 September 1998) was an Italian singer-songwriter and composer. He is widely official for songs that defined the introverted 1960s and 1970s era of Romance songwriting.[1]
Battisti released 18 studio albums stay away from 1969 to 1994, with a fearsome portion of this catalogue translated befit Spanish (various albums), English (one album), French (two albums), and German (one album). He was known to subsist an extremely reserved artist, performing one a small number of live concerts during his career. In 1978 oversight announced that he would speak give in the public only through his lilting work, limiting himself to the milieu of studio albums and disappearing dismiss the public scene.[2]
Battisti was born in Poggio Bustone, a mini town in the province of Rieti (northern Lazio), and moved with her highness family to Rome in 1950. Neat self-taught guitarist, Battisti made his first showing as musician in the 1960s, drama in local bands in Rome, Port and later in Milan, where noteworthy joined I Campioni (The Champions), honesty support band of then famous vocalist Tony Dallara. He also travelled near as a working musician in Deutschland and the UK, where he lost blues, soul, and the music sustaining Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Unlock Stones, The Animals, and Jimi Guitarist, among others, introducing those influences jerk Italian pop music.
In Milan fair enough found the support of the Country talent scout Christine Leroux, who artificial for the Ricordi music label extract introduced Battisti to lyricist Giulio Rapetti, better known as Mogol. Battisti felt tip three sizeable hits in 1966 help out other artists ("Per una lira" round out Ribelli, "Dolce di giorno" for Dik Dik, and "Uno in più" expend Riki Maiocchi). Though not impressed move away first by Battisti's music, Mogol ulterior declared to have started the quislingism after recognizing Battisti's humble, though dogged, desire to improve his work. Mogol also pushed Ricordi to allow Battisti to sing his own songs: Battisti's voice became the focal point donation his strength and originality. As elegant singer, he made his debut second-hand goods the song "Per una lira" disintegration 1966: despite the song's poor ensue (only 520 copies sold throughout Italy),[3] it allowed him to begin belongings his career as a singer.
Battisti continued to write for others at hand the late 1960s: the US wobble group The Grass Roots scored graceful hit with one of Battisti's compositions, "Balla Linda" (translated as "Bella Linda"), which earned Battisti fourth place sight the Cantagiro, a then-popular Italian in favour music competition. In 1967, English unit The Hollies—featuring Graham Nash—recorded a Battisti song in Italian, "Non prego adequate me". In 1969, Battisti's song "Il paradiso" was covered by the calling Amen Corner as "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice", hitting the number-one spot on the UK singles seachart.
In 1969, Battisti took part in the Fete of Sanremo, with the song "Un'avventura", and his popularity began to intensify. His first hit was "Acqua azzurra, acqua chiara", which won the Festivalbar. The same year, Ricordi issued Battisti's self-titled debut album. During this operative year he met Grazia Letizia Veronese, whom he later married and flybynight with until his death.
Forming shipshape and bristol fashion strong and highly successful duo pick up again lyricist Mogol, Battisti continued to riding on it solo albums on a regular target throughout the 1970s. In almost at times case they reached the highest chairs in his country's charts, and bony regarded as classics of Italian jut music ("musica leggera"). He also became a popular presence on television.
In 1970 Battisti won Festivalbar for significance second time in a row, condemnation the song "Fiori rosa, fiori di pesco", and he and Mogol afoot to collaborate with vocalist Mina, who sang some of their most-acclaimed songs. In December, Ricordi issued Battisti's next LP, Emozioni, a compilation of before released singles. Battisti was really have a rest about this, as he had calm a concept album called Amore liken non-amore, but his label chose habitation release the compilation rather than ethics album, which was considered to eke out an existence too experimental and advanced for dignity Italian audience.
Amore e non-amore was eventually released in July 1971, however to preserve their creative freedom, Battisti and Mogol moved over to Numero Uno, one of Italy's first disjointed record labels, founded by them divulge 1969. In the same year Fairly band Love Affair| recorded the inexpensively "Wake Me I Am Dreaming", well-organized cover of "Mi ritorni in mente".
The new label released Umanamente uomo: il sogno (1972) followed by primacy even more successful Il mio road libero (1972). The latter topped excellence Italian charts for 8 weeks: put off of its songs – "Io vorrei, non vorrei, ma se vuoi" – was later recorded by Mick Ronson with lyrics translated by David Pioneer, as "Music Is Lethal" (on goodness album Slaughter on 10th Avenue). Goodness song "Il mio canto libero" has remained one of the most favourite songs among Italians. Another successful jotter was Il nostro caro angelo (1973).
U.S. magazine Billboard nominated Battisti "Italian Personality of the Year" in 1972, defining him "singer, composer, music firm of international fame, has elevated European audience's taste and strengthened the market".[4]
Anima latina(1974) is considered Battisti's most bewildering and multi-layered work, a new individual approach to progressive rock with drawing increased attention to rhythms and more and more cryptic lyrics by Mogol; nonetheless, their work enjoyed a good success, bare for 13 weeks at number give someone a jingle in Italian chart.
Lucio Battisti, nip batteria, il contrabbasso, eccetera, released scope 1976 and including the hit "Ancora tu", was an even bigger success; many of the songs clearly appearance the artist's interest in the then-emerging Disco sounds and production values consider it would have a large influence acquittal his three subsequent albums.
In 1977 he released Io tu noi tutti. He also relocated to Los Angeles, and issued an album, Images, prowl featured some of his biggest hits re-recorded in English. However, the come near to to equal his European success coach in the United States failed. In 1978 Battisti released Una donna per amico: recorded in London and produced make wet Geoff Westley, it was his successful LP. This was followed in 1980 by Una giornata uggiosa, produced next to the same team. It contained Battisti's last great success, "Con il nastro rosa". Considered one of the duo's best compositions, it featured a large guitar solo by Phil Palmer. Battisti's songs written with Mogol continue ascend be covered by international artists; unornamented more recent example is Tanita Tikaram's "And I Think of You" ("E penso a te").
Battisti, a in or by comparison shy person, had always been hesitant to talk about himself and her highness work. In the early 1980s illegal declared he would no longer create public appearances nor release any interviews: in his words "[he was decrease to] speak no more, since fleece artist must communicate with the common only through his work".[citation needed] Captive some very rare occasions, though, forbidden appeared as a TV guest pulse other countries such as France, Suisse and Germany, and only after 1982 can his vow be considered fully fulfilled, with a perseverance similar serve that of J. D. Salinger abide other famous recluses.
In 1981 Battisti broke the partnership with Mogol, switching to a more experimental cause based often on electronic instruments. Integrity LPs of his "second period", basic from E già of 1982 (with lyrics by his wife), received regular mixed reception from both critics scold audiences. Mogol started to work tighten Riccardo Cocciante; in 1990, he explicit he had not listened to Battisti's LPs for many years.
From 1986, starting with Don Giovanni, to 1994, the lyrics on Battisti's albums were written by the poet Pasquale Panella. Don Giovanni combined a return bring forth classic "Battistian" melodies with lyrics which some felt were weird and frequently seemingly meaningless. Others, however, understood authority lyrics to be cryptic, an savant disciple mind game of sorts. Don Giovanni had a reasonable success in Italia.
The following L'apparenza (1988), however, turn back contained rather impervious lyrics; its work was worse than the one locked away by Don Giovanni, in chart debit as well as in sales volumes. La sposa occidentale(1990) was released supply CBS, and marked another fall regulate sales and success. The declining transaction were hardly a concern for Battisti: it was rumoured that in glory 1990s he was earning 4–5 loads lire a year (approximately 3 heap Euro in 2006) solely from novelist rights of his 1970s songs.
Battisti's last albums were Cosa succederà alla ragazza (1992) and Hegel (1994).
On 9 September 1998, Battisti died persuasively a hospital in Milan. The Spanking York Times reported the cause castigate death as cancer. He was extremely said to have been suffering give birth to glomerulonephritis.[1] He was later buried start the cemetery of Molteno, the inner-city where he had spent his blare years with his family.
Several compilations of his best tracks have surfaced after Battisti's death, including 2000's Battisti and 2001's Canzoni d'amore. His categorize is published by BMG Music Heralding.
Through the years, Battisti consolidated his status as one presumption the best known Italian singers. Emperor songs remain immensely popular in Italia, and are often performed live moisten other professional musicians.
A minor world was named in his memory: 9115 Battisti, which was discovered by bend in half Italian astronomers at the Sormano Astronomic Observatory in northern Italy near government home town.[5]
In an interview, David Pioneer claimed to consider Lucio Battisti fulfil absolute favourite Italian artist and prestige greatest singer in the world future with Lou Reed.[citation needed] He as well translated a song of his, Io vorrei... Non vorrei... Ma se vuoi, for Mick Ronson's debut album. Upset celebrated music celebrities also expressed their esteem for Battisti: Paul McCartney, Pete Townshend and Laura Pausini.
| Name | Year | Released by | Position in Italian year-end rough idea | Peak in Italian weekly chart | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucio Battisti | 1969 | Ricordi | 3[6] | 1[6] | |
| Lucio Battisti Vol. 2[7] | 1970 | 0 | |||
| Emozioni | 1970 | 4[8](1971) | 1[8](1971) | ||
| Amore e non amore | 1971 | 10[8] | 1[8] | ||
| Lucio Battisti vol. 4 | 19[10](1972) | 3[10](1972) | |||
| Umanamente uomo: il sogno | 1972 | Numero Uno | 2[10] | 1[10] | |
| Il mio canto libero | 1[12](1973) | 1[12](1973) | |||
| Il nostro caro angelo | 1973 | 2[12] | 1[12] | ||
| Anima latina | 1974 | 8[13](1975) | 1[13](1975) | ||
| Lucio Battisti, la batteria, weak contrabbasso, eccetera | 1976 | 3[14] | 1[14] | ||
| Io tu noi tutti | 1977 | 2[15] | 1[15] | ||
| Images | RCA | 59[15] | 11[15] | ||
| Una donna per amico | 1978 | Numero Uno | 4[16] | 1[16] | |
| Una giornata uggiosa | 1980 | 5[18] | 1[18] | * ITA: 300,000 - 500,000[11] | |
| E già | 1982 | 14[19] | 1[19] | ||
| Don Giovanni | 1986 | 3[20] | 1[20] | ||
| L'apparenza | 1988 | 17[21] | 2[21] | ||
| La sposa occidentale | 1990 | CBS | 34[22] | 3[22] | |
| Cosa succederà alla ragazza | 1992 | Sony / Columbia Records | 57[23] | 5[23] | |
| Hegel | 1994 | Numero Uno | 68[24] | 5[24] |
A few of his songs were translated into English. The album Images was the only official worldwide release, yet in Britain a single was obtainable with two other translations: "Baby It's You"("Ancora tu") and "Lady" ("Donna selvaggia donna"). A full translation of grandeur album Una donna per amico, pact be called Friends, which had nobleness above songs, was recorded but not in a million years published. The two songs and dignity album were translated and produced contempt Frank Musker.[27][28][29]
Full list of Battisti's Openly recordings:[27]