Some time ago, writing about Beady Eye @ the isle of Wight, I posted an Italian song about it. Usually me and a lot of Italians don't like Italian music (not because it's bad music, it's quality, but especially because it's too much about love bullshit ahaha) and so we prefer the British one... but modern Italian music is famous for our opera singers as Pavarotti, Bocelli, etc. and the "musica leggera" (light music), sometimes very successful also in other countries (for example Eros Ramazzotti, Laura Pausini, etc.).
In the Sixties it was clearly influenced by the Beatles, I think these songs can still influence very much. Some foreign musicians were also inspired, in fact they also covered some.
This image comes from Fausto Papetti records (he played the saxophone), always with nude girls ^_^
And Italian 60s music influenced us too (then you can see why today we still love Oasis, inspired by the Beatles), 'cause our parents used to listen to their old songs also in the 80s and 90s, so when I hear them I feel a bit of nostalgia, reminding me of when I was a kid.
Then the 70s were famous for the Italian "progressive music", but it's another story :)
The Rokes (by Shel Shapiro from London),
English band successful in Italy and singing in Italian with English accent :)
they were the "Italian Beatles".
"C'è una strana espressione nei tuoi occhi" (=there's a strange expression in your eyes)
Other famous songs: "Bisogna saper perdere" (with Lucio Dalla), "Che colpa abbiamo noi", "E' la pioggia che va", etc.
(there was another singer from UK, Mal, singing in Italian down here)
i Pooh (one of the most famous historic bands), "In silenzio" + "Piccola Katy"
Pretty Green graphics, lol
"...and in a morning of grey fog, suddenly you decided to go away...go go, little Katy"
Another famous song: "Tanta voglia di lei", etc. in the 70s
Gianni Morandi (very famous not only in Italy), "C'era un ragazzo che come me amava i Beatles e i Rolling Stones" (=there was a boy who as me loved the Beatles and the Rolling Stones)
It says, he was from the United States of America, he was not handsome but he could have a thousand girls by his side... He was singing "Help!" and "Ticket to ride" or "Lady Jane" or "Yesterday"... but then he received a letter, gave me his guitar and went to fight in Vietnam (and then died there)
Other hits: "Fatti mandare dalla mamma a prendere il latte", "Scende la pioggia", "In ginocchio da te", "Non son degno di te", etc.
For a period he was dressed as soldier, 'cause it was compulsory.
Mina (extremely popular, a sort of holy figure, as Noel Gallagher lol, also because she doesn't appear anymore in public, some say because she's fat, but she's still one of the greatest artists, born near Milan),
"Grande grande grande" (= [you're] great great great)
about someone with a bad character as Liam Gallagher ahaha but she still loves him :)
Other songs: "Se telefonando" (if calling by phone), "E' l'uomo per me" (he's the man for me), "Stessa spiaggia stesso mare" (same beach same sea), etc.
Renato dei Profeti (born in Milan), "Gli occhi verdi dell'amore" (=the green eyes of love)
"I was walking in the night, can't sleep anymore...when I met a girl who was alone as me, with the face of a child..."
Don Backy, "L'immensità" (with Johnny Dorelli, from near Milan, whose wife is the sexy Gloria Guida).
When I was a child in the '80s I liked Don Backy very much, I think he was cool :)
Rita Pavone, "La partita di pallone" (=old way to say: the football match)
it's about a jealous girl doubting her boyfriend was really going to the stadium :), so she wants to go there.
Other famous ones: "Il ballo del mattone", "Datemi un martello", "Viva la pappa col pomodoro", "Che m'importa del mondo", "Come te non c'è nessuno", etc.
Edoardo Vianello, "Guarda come dondolo" (=look how I swing)
Famous ones about seaside: "A-Abbronzatissima", "Con le pinne, fucile ed occhiali", and "I watussi", etc.
Patty Pravo, "Pensiero stupendo" (=wonderful thought), she's a vamp. This song is from the '70s, but she was already sucessful in the 60s, other ones: "La bambola" (the doll), "Pazza idea" (crazy idea), "Ragazzo triste" (sad boy), etc.
Bobby Solo (he was very influenced by Elvis Presley, as Liam :),
"Una lacrima sul viso" (=a tear on your face)
Another song: "Domenica d'agosto"
Little Tony, "Cuore matto" (=mad heart)
Another one: "Riderà" (she'll laugh)
Nada, "Ma che freddo fa" (=how cold is it),
here she was 16 years old and very similar to my mamma in the '60s :)
Franco IV e Franco I, "Ho scritto t'amo sulla sabbia" (=I wrote I love you on the sand)
Adriano Celentano (very popular, born in Milan, also appearing in "La dolce vita" film.
His nickname is the "Molleggiato" for the way he moves),
"24 mila baci" (=24,000 kisses)
Another famous one, a story from Milan: "Il ragazzo della via Gluck", then "Azzurro", etc.
Mario Tessuto, "Lisa dagli occhi blu" (=Lisa with blue eyes)
Gino Paoli, "Sapore di sale" (=taste of salt), very nostalgic reminding past summers.
Other ones: "Il cielo in una stanza" (the sky in a room), "Senza fine" (without an end)
Maurizio (born in Milan), "Cinque minuti e poi" (=five minutes and then), about airports :)
Caterina Caselli, "Nessuno mi può giudicare" (=nobody can judge me).
Then "Perdono", "Bugiarda", etc.
Equipe 84, "Io ho in mente te" (=I've got you on my mind)
Nico Fidenco, "Legata a un granello di sabbia" (=bound to a grain of sand)
Fidenco again, "Con te sulla spiaggia" (=with you on the beach)
i Camaleonti (founded in Milan), "L'ora dell'amore" (=the hour of love).
Other ones: "Applausi", "Io per lei", etc.
i Giganti (the Giants, from Milan), "Una ragazza in due (mai le dirò)" (=A girl in two - I'll never tell her)
Another song: "Tema"
Mal, from UK, I think from Wales (then became Italian), singing with strong British accent :), "Pensiero d'amore" (=thought of love)
Rocky Roberts (from US, became Italian, singing with American accent), "Stasera mi butto".
Another one: "Sono tremendo"
Nino Ferrer, "Vorrei la pelle nera" (=I'd like to have a black skin)
Another one: "Agata"
Lucio Battisti (the most important one, now a legend 'cause he died, many famous songs by him), this one dedicated to our presidents, both of them born on 29 September, Alan McGee and the songwriter Silvio Berlusconi, lol.
Other ones: "La canzone del sole" (The sun song), "Acqua azzurra acqua chiara" (Blue water clear water), "Mi ritorni in mente" (you come back to my mind), "Emozioni" (emotions), etc.
Dik Dik, "L'isola di Wight" (they have a restaurant-club near Milan, with the same name).
Other ones: "Il primo giorno di primavera" (the first day of spring),
"Sognando California" (cover of California dreamin')
and many more (I will add), especially about holidays and beach life :), as Fred Bongusto ("Una rotonda sul mare"), but also Fausto Leali ("A chi"), Ornella Vanoni (from Milan), Luigi Tenco (legend who died young), Peppino Di Capri, Massimo Ranieri ("Rose rosse"), Giorgio Gaber (from Milan), Jimmy Fontana ("Mondo"), Gianni Pettenati ("Bandiera gialla"), Iva Zanicchi, Memo Remigi, Bruno Lauzi, Enzo Jannacci (from Milan, comic songs), Riccardo Del Turco ("Luglio"), Sergio Endrigo, Gigliola Cinquetti, Giuliano e i Notturni ("Il ballo di Simone"), Piero Focaccia, Michele ("Se mi vuoi lasciare", "Soli si muore"), etc. etc.
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