Roberto Vecchioni
Encyclopedia
Roberto Vecchioni is an Italian
singer-songwriter
and writer.
, province of Milan
, to a family of Neapolitan
origin. In 1968 he graduated in Classical Literature at the Università Cattolica of Milan, where he remained for two years as assistant lecturer of History of Religion. Later he become literature and history teacher in a Milanese High School, an activity he continues to this day.
His career in the Italian music industry began in the late 1960s as songwriter for Italian pop stars including Ornella Vanoni
, Gigliola Cinquetti
, Mina
, Iva Zanicchi
. His first solo album was Parabola of 1971. In 1973 he took part in the Sanremo Festival with "L'uomo che si gioca il cielo a dadi", continuing to release works as singer-songwriter in the following years. His 1974 LP, Il re non si diverte, obtained the Best Year's Album Award from the Italian musical critics. In 1976 he published his first commercial success, Elisir, but he gained public recognition only in the following year, with Samarcanda
. With this work Vecchioni was acclaimed as one of the most skillful italian singer-songwriters: his inspiration draws mainly from autobiographical themes, intermingled with dreamy, literary and historical (often mythological) ones. His friend Angelo Branduardi
played violin
on the LP.
Vecchioni's skills were confirmed in the following works, Calabuig, Stranamore e altri incidenti (1978), where the literary citations predominated, and in Robinson (come salvarsi la vita) (1979), where instead the autobiographical inspiration prevails. The songs "Signor giudice" and "Lettera da Marsala" of the latter work deal with the problems Vecchioni had had in the preceding years: respectively, a charge for marijuana possession (from which he was acquitted) and a dispute with his former record label. The following album, Montecristo, was released indeed by both the old and the new labels.
After Hollywood Hollywood
of 1982, whose songs are influenced by the world of cinema, Vecchioni in 1984 released the double LP Il grande sogno ("The Big Dream"), in which he collected new songs together with new versions of his past hits. The title track featured Francesco De Gregori
playing blues harp
. The LP was accompanied by his first literary attempt, a short book with the same name. Many of the cover of Vecchioni's LPs of this period were disegned by the famous Italian comic book artist and painter Andrea Pazienza
.
While continuing a successful career as a renowned singer-songwriter in the 1980s and the 1990s, Vecchioni spent more time writing. His prose includes the collection Viaggi nel tempo immobile (1996) and the novels Le parole non portano le cicogne (2000) and Il libraio di Selinunte. He also lectured on the History of Italian Songwriting in a tour lasting two years, and was called to author the Enciclopedia Treccani article about Italian singer-songwriters. His best more recent works include Sogna ragazzo sogna
("Dream, boy, dream") of 1999 and Il lanciatore di coltelli ("The Knife Thrower") of 2002.
On 19 February 2011 he won the 61st Festival of Sanremo and the "Mia Martini" Critics' Award with the song "Chiamami ancora amore" ("Call me Love again").
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and writer.
Biography
Vecchioni was born in Carate BrianzaCarate Brianza
Carate Brianza is a town and comune in the province of Monza and Brianza. The city lies at an altitude ranging from 230 and 300 m above sea level, on the Lambro river.- History :...
, province of Milan
Province of Milan
The Province of Milan : /) is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Milan. The provincial territory is highly urbanized, resulting in the third highest population density among the Italian provinces with more than 2,000 inhabitants/km2, just behind the provinces of...
, to a family of Neapolitan
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
origin. In 1968 he graduated in Classical Literature at the Università Cattolica of Milan, where he remained for two years as assistant lecturer of History of Religion. Later he become literature and history teacher in a Milanese High School, an activity he continues to this day.
His career in the Italian music industry began in the late 1960s as songwriter for Italian pop stars including Ornella Vanoni
Ornella Vanoni
Ornella Vanoni, OMRI is one of the most credited pop singers of Italy. She is known for her sophisticated pop style.-Artistic career:...
, Gigliola Cinquetti
Gigliola Cinquetti
Gigliola Cinquetti is an Italian singer, TV presenter and journalist.-Biography:At the age of 16 she won the Sanremo Music Festival in 1964 singing "Non ho l'età" , with music composed by Nicola Salerno and lyrics by Mario Panzeri...
, Mina
Mina (singer)
Anna Maria Quaini, Grand Officer , known as Mina, is an Italian pop singer. She was a staple of Italian television variety shows and a dominant figure in Italian pop music from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s known for her three-octave vocal range, the agility of her soprano voice, and her image as an...
, Iva Zanicchi
Iva Zanicchi
Iva Zanicchi is an Italian pop singer.Iva Zanicchi's career began in 1962 at the Castrocaro Festival of New Voices, where she gained third place. She won the Sanremo song festival in 1967 with Non pensare a me, in 1969 with Zingara and again in 1974 with Ciao cara, come stai?...
. His first solo album was Parabola of 1971. In 1973 he took part in the Sanremo Festival with "L'uomo che si gioca il cielo a dadi", continuing to release works as singer-songwriter in the following years. His 1974 LP, Il re non si diverte, obtained the Best Year's Album Award from the Italian musical critics. In 1976 he published his first commercial success, Elisir, but he gained public recognition only in the following year, with Samarcanda
Samarcanda (album)
Samarcanda is an album by Italian singer-songwriter Roberto Vecchioni, released in 1977. The work was highly successful, mostly thanks to the title track, and established him as one of the most popular singer-songwriters in Italy....
. With this work Vecchioni was acclaimed as one of the most skillful italian singer-songwriters: his inspiration draws mainly from autobiographical themes, intermingled with dreamy, literary and historical (often mythological) ones. His friend Angelo Branduardi
Angelo Branduardi
Angelo Branduardi , is an Italian folk singer and composer who scored relevant success in Italy and European countries such as France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.- Biography :...
played violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
on the LP.
Vecchioni's skills were confirmed in the following works, Calabuig, Stranamore e altri incidenti (1978), where the literary citations predominated, and in Robinson (come salvarsi la vita) (1979), where instead the autobiographical inspiration prevails. The songs "Signor giudice" and "Lettera da Marsala" of the latter work deal with the problems Vecchioni had had in the preceding years: respectively, a charge for marijuana possession (from which he was acquitted) and a dispute with his former record label. The following album, Montecristo, was released indeed by both the old and the new labels.
After Hollywood Hollywood
Hollywood Hollywood
Hollywood Hollywood is an album by Italian singer-songwriter Roberto Vecchioni.The theme of the title track is cinema, but intermingled with other themes typical of Vecchioni's art: love, women, drinking. "Sestri Levante" is an autobiographical ballad about a painful love experience...
of 1982, whose songs are influenced by the world of cinema, Vecchioni in 1984 released the double LP Il grande sogno ("The Big Dream"), in which he collected new songs together with new versions of his past hits. The title track featured Francesco De Gregori
Francesco De Gregori
Francesco De Gregori is an Italian singer-songwriter. He is popularly known as "Il Principe Poeta" , a nickname referring to the elegance of his lyrics.-1970s:...
playing blues harp
Blues harp
The Richter-tuned harmonica, or 10-hole harmonica or blues harp , is the most widely known type of harmonica...
. The LP was accompanied by his first literary attempt, a short book with the same name. Many of the cover of Vecchioni's LPs of this period were disegned by the famous Italian comic book artist and painter Andrea Pazienza
Andrea Pazienza
Andrea Pazienza , was an Italian comics artist and painter.- Life :Pazienza was born in San Benedetto del Tronto, province of Ascoli Piceno , in 1956....
.
While continuing a successful career as a renowned singer-songwriter in the 1980s and the 1990s, Vecchioni spent more time writing. His prose includes the collection Viaggi nel tempo immobile (1996) and the novels Le parole non portano le cicogne (2000) and Il libraio di Selinunte. He also lectured on the History of Italian Songwriting in a tour lasting two years, and was called to author the Enciclopedia Treccani article about Italian singer-songwriters. His best more recent works include Sogna ragazzo sogna
Sogna ragazzo sogna
Sogna ragazzo sogna is an album by Italian singer-songwriter Roberto Vecchioni.-Track listing:#"Sogna ragazzo sogna"#"Vorrei essere tua madre"#"Vedrai"#"Canzone per Alda Merini"#"I commedianti"#"Alamo"#"Incubi ricorrenti del sognatore Olsen"...
("Dream, boy, dream") of 1999 and Il lanciatore di coltelli ("The Knife Thrower") of 2002.
On 19 February 2011 he won the 61st Festival of Sanremo and the "Mia Martini" Critics' Award with the song "Chiamami ancora amore" ("Call me Love again").
Discography
- Parabola (19711971 in music-Events:*February 1 – after months of feuding in the press, Ginger Baker and Elvin Jones hold a "drum battle" at The Lyceum.*February 8 – Bob Dylan's hour-long documentary film, Eat the Document, is premièred at New York's Academy of Music...
) - Saldi di fine stagione (19721972 in music-Events:*January 17 – Highway 51 South in Memphis, Tennessee is renamed "Elvis Presley Boulevard"*January 20 – The début of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon at The Dome, Brighton, is halted by technical difficulties,...
) - Il re non si diverte (19741974 in music-January–April:*January 3 – Bob Dylan and The Band kick off their 40-date concert tour at Chicago Stadium. It's Dylan's first time on the road since 1966.*January 17...
) - Barbapapà (1975)
- IpertensioneIpertensioneIpertensione is an album by Italian singer-songwriter Roberto Vecchioni.-Track listing:#"Irene"#"Canzone per Laura"#"I poeti"#"Canzonenoznac"#"Alighieri"#"Tutta la vita in un giorno"#"Pesci nelle orecchie"...
(19751975 in music-January–April:*January 2 - New York City U.S. District Court Judge Richard Owen rules that former Beatle John Lennon and his lawyers can have access to Department of Immigration files pertaining to his deportation case....
) - Elisir (19761976 in music-January–February:*January 5 – Former Beatles road manager Mal Evans is shot dead by Los Angeles police after refusing to drop what police only later determine is an air rifle....
) - SamarcandaSamarcanda (album)Samarcanda is an album by Italian singer-songwriter Roberto Vecchioni, released in 1977. The work was highly successful, mostly thanks to the title track, and established him as one of the most popular singer-songwriters in Italy....
(19771977 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1977.-January–February:*January 1 – The Clash headline the gala opening of the London music club, The Roxy....
) - Robinson (come salvarsi la vita) (19801980 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1980.-January–March:*January 1**Cliff Richard is appointed an MBE by Elizabeth II.**The Zorros audition drummer Greg Pedley....
) - Calabuig, stranamore e altri incidenti (1978)
- Montecristo (1980)
- Hollywood HollywoodHollywood HollywoodHollywood Hollywood is an album by Italian singer-songwriter Roberto Vecchioni.The theme of the title track is cinema, but intermingled with other themes typical of Vecchioni's art: love, women, drinking. "Sestri Levante" is an autobiographical ballad about a painful love experience...
(19821982 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music from 1982. 1982 was a big year in music with Madonna making her debut as well as the year that Michael Jackson released Thriller which became the world's best selling album and it still holds that title today....
) - Il grande sogno (19841984 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1984.-Janury-March:*January 21 – "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart, despite being banned by the BBC; it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40.*January 27 – Michael Jackson's...
) - Live @ RTSI (19841984 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1984.-Janury-March:*January 21 – "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart, despite being banned by the BBC; it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40.*January 27 – Michael Jackson's...
, live) - Bei tempiBei tempiBei tempi is an album by Italian singer-songwriter Roberto Vecchioni, released in 1985.-Track listing:#"Bei tempi"#"Livingstone"#"La mia ragazza"#"Piccolo amore"#"Gastone e Astolfo"#"Millenovantanove"#"Fata"#"Fratel Coniglietto"...
(19851985 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1985.-January–March:*January 1 - The newest music video channel, VH-1, debuts on American cable. It is aimed at an older demographic than its sister station, MTV...
) - Ippopotami (19861986 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1986.-January-June:*January 23 – The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes place...
) - Milady (19891989 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989.-Events:*January 14 – Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in the USSR...
) - Per amore mio (19911991 in musicSee also:* 1991 in music Record labels established in 1991-Summary:The year 1991 is the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", becomes the most popular U.S. album of the year...
) - Camper (19921992 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....
, live collection) - Blumùn (19931993 in musicThis is a summary of significant events in music in 1993.-January–February:*January 8 – The U.S. Postal Service issues an Elvis Presley stamp. The design was voted on in February 1992....
) - Il cielo capovolto (19951995 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....
) - Vecchioni studio collection (19971997 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
) - El bandolero stanco (19971997 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
) - Sogna ragazzo sognaSogna ragazzo sognaSogna ragazzo sogna is an album by Italian singer-songwriter Roberto Vecchioni.-Track listing:#"Sogna ragazzo sogna"#"Vorrei essere tua madre"#"Vedrai"#"Canzone per Alda Merini"#"I commedianti"#"Alamo"#"Incubi ricorrenti del sognatore Olsen"...
(19991999 in music-Events:*January 7**After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation.**Paul McCartney attends the first of his stepdaughter Heather's first housewares collection in Georgia....
) - Canzoni e cicogne (20002000 in musicSee also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
, live collection) - Il lanciatore di coltelli (20022002 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002.-Events:*February 3 – U2 perform during the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXVI...
) - Le ballate (20022002 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002.-Events:*February 3 – U2 perform during the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXVI...
) - Rotary Club of Malindi (20042004 in musicSee also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
) - Il contastorie (20052005 in music-Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:...
, double live collection) - Di rabbia e di stelle (20072007 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame...
) - In Cantus (20092009 in musicThe following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year...
, live collection) - Chiamami ancora amore (2011)