''Volume 1'' (''Vol. 1º'') is the second studio release by

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

singer-songwriter

Fabrizio De André Fabrizio Cristiano De André (; 18 February 1940 – 11 January 1999) was an Italian singer-songwriter, the most prominent '' cantautore'' of his time. His 40-year career reflects his interests in concept albums, literature, poetry, political pr ...

and his first true studio album. It was first issued in

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 5 ** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establ ...

on Bluebell Records. It is a collection of re-recordings of De André's early singles, previously issued on the

Karim Kareem (alternatively spelled Karim or Kerim) ( ar, کریم) is a common given name and surname of Arabic origin that means "generous", "noble", "honorable". It is also one of the Names of God in Islam in the Quran. Given name Karim * Karim Abd ...

label.

Track listing

The songs

"Preghiera in Gennaio"

;("Prayer in January") :The song is dedicated to the memory of Fabrizio's longtime friend

Luigi Tenco Luigi Tenco (21 March 1938 – 27 January 1967) was an Italian singer-songwriter. Biography Tenco was born in Cassine (province of Alessandria) in 1938, the son of Teresa Zoccola and Giuseppe Tenco. He never knew his father, who died in uncle ...

, who had committed suicide in January that year, after taking part in the Italian Song Festival of

Sanremo Sanremo (; lij, Sanrémmo(ro) or , ) or San Remo is a city and comune on the Mediterranean coast of Liguria, in northwestern Italy. Founded in Roman times, it has a population of 55,000, and is known as a tourist destination on the Italian Rivie ...

and failing to advance to the final competition. The lyrics deal with the theme of

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and ...

and the

Church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Ch ...

's systematic condemnation of those who kill themselves.

"Marcia nuziale"

;("Wedding March") :A translated version of the song "La Marche nuptiale", written in

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Jim Elliot and Pete Fleming, are kille ...

Georges Brassens Georges Charles Brassens (; 22 October 1921 – 29 October 1981) was a French singer-songwriter and poet. As an iconic figure in France, he achieved fame through his elegant songs with their harmonically complex music for voice and guitar and a ...

, who De André always considered a master as well as one of his greatest sources of inspiration.

"Spiritual"

:This song, true to its title, is a spiritual in which De André sings with a deep voice, similar to that of

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

singers. The lyrics may be read as a genuine expression of praise to

God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

, as in the best tradition of American

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...

, but their general informal tone, as well as the song's placement in the tracklist of the album - coming right before an unconventional depiction of

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...

- both point to a slightly cynical, detached attitude by De André toward organized religion in general. This is particularly clear in the final two lines: "God of Heaven, I will wait for you; in Heaven and on Earth I will look for you." Also, during his last-ever filmed live performance, on 14 February 1998, De André said: "If God didn't exist we should invent Him - which is exactly what mankind has been doing for the past 2000 years."

"Si chiamava Gesù"

;("He Was Called Jesus") :The singer narrates the story of

in an avant guardist way, saying that his goal isn't to glorify someone who he believes was "nothing but a man gone down in history as a god".Original lyrics: " ..i chi penso non fu altri che un uomo/come Dio passato alla storia .. While maintaining an

atheist Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...

point of view, De André shows great respect and admiration toward the human figure of Jesus, who he defined "the greatest revolutionary of all history".

"La canzone di Barbara"

;("Barbara's song") :A low-key folk song about an unfaithful girl called Barbara. It was the last song from the album to be released as a single, with a different mixing and some guitar parts cut out.

"Via del Campo"

:In this song, partly inspired by

Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Regions of Italy, Italian region of Liguria and the List of cities in Italy, sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of t ...

n transvestite "Morena", De André expresses his sympathy to the lower social classes.

Via del Campo Via Del Campo is a paved road that crosses the ''carruggi'' in Genoa city centre. This street is well known for being one of the most representatives of Fabrizio De Andrè songs ( played with Enzo Jannacci ). The song is actually named "Via del ...

was an infamous street of

, known in the 1960s as home to prostitutes,

transvestites Transvestism is the practice of dressing in a manner traditionally associated with the opposite sex. In some cultures, transvestism is practiced for religious, traditional, or ceremonial reasons. The term is considered outdated in Western ...

and poor people. This composition features the music of an

Enzo Jannacci Vincenzo Jannacci (3 June 1935 – 29 March 2013), more commonly known as Enzo Jannacci (), was an Italian singer-songwriter, pianist, actor and comedian. He is regarded as one of the most important artists in the post-war Italian music scene. ...

song, "La mia morosa la và alla fonte", which De André erroneously believed to be a medieval ballad rediscovered by

Dario Fo Dario Luigi Angelo Fo (; 24 March 1926 – 13 October 2016) was an Italian playwright, actor, theatre director, stage designer, songwriter, political campaigner for the Italian left wing and the recipient of the 1997 Nobel Prize in Literature. ...

. Jannacci recorded the song himself for his 1988 album ''Vengo anch'io. No, tu no''.

"Caro amore"

;("Dear Love") :When the album was reissued in 1971 under the newly-born Produttori Associati label, this song, whose music is taken from the second movement ''Adagio'' of

Joaquín Rodrigo Joaquín Rodrigo Vidre, 1st Marquess of the Gardens of Aranjuez (; 22 November 1901 – 6 July 1999), was a Spanish composer and a virtuoso pianist. He is best known for composing the '' Concierto de Aranjuez'', a cornerstone of the classical ...

1939 This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Third Reich *** Jews are forbidde ...

Concierto de Aranjuez The ''Concierto de Aranjuez'' (, "Aranjuez Concerto") is a classical guitar concerto by the Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo. Written in 1939, it is by far Rodrigo's best-known work, and its success established his reputation as one of the m ...

'', was taken out of the album under request of Rodrigo himself, who did not approve the use of De André's lyrics with his music. The song was eventually replaced with "La stagione del tuo amore" ("The Season of Your Love"), a De André original, which would be featured in every following reissue.

"Bocca di Rosa"

;("Rose Mouth") :Possibly based on Brassens' song "

Brave Margot "Brave Margot" is a 1953 song by Georges Brassens, about a young woman who breastfeeds a young kitten. It is one of his best known and most controversial songs. Lyrics The lyrics describe a young, well-meaning but naïve shepherdess, Margot, who f ...

" (

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh ...

), it is one of De André's most well-known songs and, as stated by the singer himself, the one that "resembles him the most".
The song tells the story of a foreign girl (Bocca di Rosa, who is not a prostitute since - as the song states - she never asks for money), whose passionate and libertine behaviour upsets the women of the small town of Sant'Ilario. Seeing her conduct as unacceptable, the women turn to the Police commissioner, who sends four

gendarmes Wrong info! --> A gendarmerie () is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to "men-at-arms" (literally, " ...

to put her on the first train out of town. All the men in town gather at the station to send their regards to the woman who "brought love to the town". At the following station, she is greeted by even more people, including the priest, who wants her to be by his side during the subsequent

procession A procession is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner. History Processions have in all peoples and at all times been a natural form of public celebration, as forming an orderly and impressive ceremony. Religious ...

, not far from the statue of the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...

, thus "carrying around town sacred love and profane love".Original lyrics: " ..e con la Vergine in prima fila/e Bocca di rosa poco lontano,/si porta a spasso per il paese/l'amore sacro e l'amor profano"
Bocca di Rosa's character was reproposed, with different connotations, in the novel ''

Un destino ridicolo ''Un destino ridicolo'' (''A ridiculous destiny'') is a 1996 novel written by the Italian singer-songwriter Fabrizio De André together with the writer Alessandro Gennari. The 2008 film "'' Amore che vieni, amore che vai''", directed by Daniele Co ...

'', co-written by De André and writer Alessandro Gennari.
According to newspaper ''

Il Secolo XIX ''Il Secolo XIX'' ( ) is an Italian newspaper published in Genoa, Italy, founded in March 1886, subsequently acquired by Ferdinando Maria Perrone in 1897 from Ansaldo Ansaldo Energia S.p.A. is an Italian power engineering company. It is ...

'', the inspirer of the song died June 14, 2010, aged 88, in

Sampierdarena Sampierdarena (also San Pier d'Arena; Ligurian: San Pè d'ænn-a) is a major port and industrial area of Genoa, in northwest Italy. With San Teodoro it forms the West Central (Centro Ovest) ''municipio''. Geography Sampierdarena lies on t ...

hospital, in

. De André's widow,

Dori Ghezzi Dori Ghezzi (born 30 March 1946) is an Italian singer who was active as a recording artist between 1966 and 1989. In the 1970s, Ghezzi worked mainly in a duo with American singer Wess, and the couple represented Italy in the 1975 Eurovision Song ...

, and his longtime friend

Paolo Villaggio Paolo Villaggio (; 30 December 1932 – 3 July 2017) was an Italian actor, voice actor, writer, director and comedian. He is noted for the characters he created with paradoxical and grotesque characteristics: Professor Kranz, the ultra-timid G ...

both denied De André ever meeting her, despite the singer having stated otherwise to newspaper ''

Repubblica Repubblica ( Republic in Italian) may refer to: *''La Repubblica'', an Italian newspaper * Repubblica (Milan Metro), a rail station in Milan, Italy * Milano Repubblica railway station, a station on the Milan Passante railway * Repubblica (fictional ...

'' in 1996.

Controversy

"Bocca di Rosa" was re-recorded with different lyrics for the first reissue of the album. The fictional town of Sant'Ilario, named after an actual suburb of

, was renamed "San Vicario". Also, after "polite pressures from the corps of

Carabinieri The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign poli ...

", a line was taken out of the lyrics which criticized the law enforcement corps (with explicit mention of the Carabinieri). This "censored" version of the song would be featured in every following reissue. The original version was included in the

posthumous Posthumous may refer to: * Posthumous award - an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death * Posthumous publication – material published after the author's death * ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1987 * ''Posthumous'' (E ...

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris (dwarf planet), Er ...

compilation album ''In direzione ostinata e contraria''.

"La morte"

;("Death") :The music for this song is taken from "Le verger de Roi Louis", composed by

with

lyrics Lyrics are words that make up a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist. The words to an extended musical composition such as an opera are, however, usually known as a "libretto" and their writer ...

Théodore de Banville Théodore Faullain de Banville (14 March 1823 – 13 March 1891) was a French poet and writer. His work was influential on the Symbolist movement in French literature in the late 19th century. Biography Banville was born in Moulins in Allier, ...

. The main theme is the inevitability of death, which strikes without any warning, regardless of the identity of the victim, unstoppable.

"Carlo Martello ritorna dalla battaglia di Poitiers"

;("Charles Martel Returns from the Battle of Poitiers") :The song is a parody of the Christian medieval tradition based on the historical figure

Charles Martel Charles Martel ( – 22 October 741) was a Frankish political and military leader who, as Duke and Prince of the Franks and Mayor of the Palace, was the de facto ruler of Francia from 718 until his death. He was a son of the Frankish state ...

.
Martel, returning victorious after the

Battle of Tours The Battle of Tours, also called the Battle of Poitiers and, by Arab sources, the Battle of tiles of Martyrs ( ar, معركة بلاط الشهداء, Maʿrakat Balāṭ ash-Shuhadā'), was fought on 10 October 732, and was an important battle ...

, is "feeling love yearnings more than body wounds"Original lyrics: ..ma più che del corpo le ferite/da Carlo son sentite le bramosie d'amor ../ref> and uses his position as king to obtain sexual favors from a beautiful peasant girl. Then, when the girl demands payment for her "services" afterwards (thus revealing herself as a prostitute), Martel quickly hops on his horse and rides away in a comical fashion.
The song imitates an ancient

Occitan Occitan may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania territory in parts of France, Italy, Monaco and Spain. * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania administrative region of France. * Occitan language Occitan (; ...

lyric Lyric may refer to: * Lyrics, the words, often in verse form, which are sung, usually to a melody, and constitute the semantic content of a song * Lyric poetry is a form of poetry that expresses a subjective, personal point of view * Lyric, from ...

genre Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other ...

, the "

Pastorela The ''pastorela'' (, "little/young shepherdess") was an Occitan lyric genre used by the troubadours. It gave rise to the Old French ''pastourelle The pastourelle (; also ''pastorelle'', ''pastorella'', or ''pastorita'' is a typically Old Fren ...

", which revolved around the meeting of knights with shepherdesses in bucolic sets such as brooks and stretches of water.
The idea for the song was born on a day of November 1962, when De André and

were at Villaggio's house in

, both waiting for their wives to give birth. De André played the melody on a guitar and Villaggio, very fond of history, immediately thought of writing lyrics to it about Charles Martel. A week later, the lyrics were ready.Andrea Monda. ''De André nel ricordo di Paolo Villaggio''

Several poetic licenses are used in the lyrics: :*Charles Martel was never a king, only Mayor of the Palace under the

Merovingian The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gauli ...

kings. :*The

took place in the month of October, not in spring.Original lyrics: " ..l sol della calda primavera .. :The song had been first released as the

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

of a

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Co ...

and was re-recorded for the album with some differences, namely the marked

Bolognese Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nati ...

accent of De André's interpretation of the girl and

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standar ...

solos between each verse.

Release history

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Volume 1 (Fabrizio De Andre Album) 1967 albums Fabrizio De André albums Italian-language albums Bluebell Records albums