Negrita – In ogni atomo


Negrita

The band’s name comes from Rolling Stone’s song “Hey Negrita!”. It actually means little black girl in spanish. They did their best between 1997 and 2001, turning a bit too much to mainstream afterwards. But they are still a good band, really exceptional in live performances.

In ogni atomo was a hit single from their 1999 album Reset, published on the wave of the successful soundtrack they composed for the breakthrough movie by a popular comedian trio (Aldo, Giovanni e Giacomo).

“In ogni atomo”

Hai le carte e passi
giocati i tuoi assi
punta pure cio’ che hai
pensi troppo a cosa fai
perche’ a quelli come noi
serve spazio ed aria sai
troppo poco quel che see’e’
troppo poco anche per te

Sei uguale a me
altro che no
sei come me
in ogni atomo

Maledetti fragili
che si fanno scrupoli
che si sciupano da se
siamo vuoti a perdere
Ma stavolta e’ colpa tua
prendi al volo e metti via
che di donne come te
lascia stare non ce ne’e’

Sei uguale a me
altro che no
sei come me
in ogni atomo

Sei uguale a me
altro che no
sei come me
in ogni atomo

Hai le carte e passi
giocati i tuoi assi
in due il rischio e’ minimo
siamo in condominio
Che chi mangia polvere
lascia i denti mordere
perche’ quelli come noi
non li schiacceranno mai
e se ti abbandonerai
io ti curero’
Medicine come noi
non le inventeranno mai
siamo soci
I’ll give you all my love

Sei uguale a me
altro che no
sei come me
in ogni atomo

“In every atom”

You got the cards and call.
Play your aces.
Let’s bet what you have
You think too much about what you do
because those like us
need space and air, you know.
Too little what’s there
too little for you too.

You are same as me
for real.
You are like me
in every atom.

Damned fragiles
that have qualms,
that spoil themselves.
We are one-way bottles
But this time it’s your fault
take it and put it away
that women like you,
forget it, there aren’t many.

You are same as me
for real.
You are like me
in every atom.

You are same as me
for real.
You are like me
in every atom.

You got the cards and call.
Play your aces.
When we are two the risk is minimum,
we are in condominium.
Because who eats the dust
leaves the teeth bite.
Because those like us,
will never be smashes.
and if you abandon yourself..
i’ll heal you.
Medicines like us,
they’ll never invent.
We are partners
I’ll give you all my love

You are same as me
for real.
You are like me
in every atom.

883 – Hanno ucciso l’uomo ragno

883

Named after an Harley Davidson motorcycle model, 883 was a duo from my hometown, made by Max Pezzali and Mauro Repetto. Actually none of the two guys really play instruments, they were only writing and (as a somewhat unintended outcome) Pezzali was singing. Their debut album was a huge hit, but treated by critics as simple pop music. Some years later their songs were (at least partially deservedly) considered as great songwriters works, for lyrics that were accurately depicting reality in italian small towns in the ’90s. Nothing to do, not many opportunities but just hopes, mainly fueled by contemporary american culture (comics, motorbikes, pop songs, top models). Lines like “we talked a lot, many years ago / about how paranoic is this city / about its people and their manias / two discos and hundred and six pharmacies” in Con un deca perfectly describe a place i know very well.

Hanno ucciso l’uomo ragno was the 1992 breakthrough first song by 883 and gives title to the same album. Focused on the famous comics character, as the authors were both addicted to comics.

“Hanno ucciso l’uomo ragno”

Solita notte da lupi nel Bronx
Nel locale stan suonando un blues degli Stones
Loschi individui al bancone del bar
Pieni di whisky e margaritas

Tutto ad un tratto la porta fa slam
Il guercio entra di corsa con una novità
Dritta sicura: si mormora che i cannoni hanno fatto bang!

Hanno ucciso l’Uomo Ragno, chi sia stato non si sa
Forse quelli della mala, forse la pubblicità
Hanno ucciso l’Uomo Ragno, non si sa neanche perché
Avrà fatto qualche sgarro a qualche industria di caffè

Alla centrale della polizia
Il commissario dice: ‘Che volete che sia’
Quel che è successo non ci fermerà, il crimine non vincerà
Ma nelle strade c’è panico ormai
Nessuno esce di casa, nessuno vuole guai
Ed agli appelli alla calma in TV adesso chi ci crede più

Hanno ucciso l’Uomo Ragno, chi sia stato non si sa
Forse quelli della mala, forse la pubblicità
Hanno ucciso l’Uomo Ragno, non si sa neanche perché
Avrà fatto qualche sgarro a qualche industria di caffè

Giù nelle strade si vedono gangs di ragionieri in doppiopetto pieni di stress
Se non ti vendo mi venderai tu, per cento lire o poco più
e-e-e Le facce di Vogue sono miti per noi, attori troppo belli sono gli unici eroi
Invece lui, sì lui era una star, ma tanto non ritornerà

“They killed Spiderman” 

Usual wolves night in the Bronx,
in the bar they are playing a [Rolling] Stones blues.
Shady guys at the bar counter,
filled of whiskey and margaritas.

Then abruptly the door slams
The squinter comes in running with news.
Trustable tip: cannons made a bang!

They killed Spiderman, who did it no one knows,
maybe mob guys or someone who works in advertising.
They killed Spiderman, no one even knows why,
he must have upset a coffee industry.

At the police central station
the captain says: “it’s doesn’t matter so much”.
What happened won’t stop us, crime won’t win.
But in the streets it’s panic by now,
no one goes out, no one wants troubles
and no one believes pleas for calm on tv anymore.

They killed Spiderman, who did it no one knows,
maybe mob guys or someone who works in advertising.
They killed Spiderman, no one even knows why,
he must have messed up with a coffee industry.

Down in the streets you can see gangs of accountants in blazers [double breasted], totally stressed.
If i don’t sell you, you’ll sell me, for one hundred liras or little more.
Faces on Vogue are myths for us,
too handsome actors are the only heroes,
while he, yes he was a star, but anyway he won’t come back.

Baustelle – Amanda Lear

Baustelle

The german name was chosen only because it sounded good to Francesco Bianconi, talented author (maybe less as a singer) that works for his Baustelle but also for other pop singers in Italy and as a novelist. Baustelle often try to stay in a “pop environment” musically, but the lyrics are somewhat complicated and usually taking care of social issues or broken relationships. First amazing album “Sussidiario illustrato della giovinezza” was published in 2000, unfortunately the best one in my opinion (“La moda del lento”) is not available on Spotify.

Amanda Lear is the first single from 2017 album “L’amore e la violenza”. The whole record doesn’t seem to be top level, but this disenchanted song titled after the singer (and Salvador Dalì muse) sums in an effective way some themes that Bianconi always liked. Relationships gone wrong and how this is the normal flow of life, as people suffer but keep on partying to get a distraction (like he does, “kissing a slut in an alley”).

“Amanda Lear”

Amore antico, amica mia.
Amore, radio, nostalgia.
Io non ti penso quasi mai
ti ho dato in pasto agli avvoltoi
all’olocausto e ai marinai
Amore atomico, Enola Gay.

Orrore amico, errore mio
che non ti ho detto neanche addio
che non ti ho detto come mai
una domenica buttai nel cesso la fotografia
in cui ci stringevamo forte,
colpa mia
se quest’anno ti hanno visto, mi dicono,
vomitare gli occhi e l’anima a un concerto rock
abbracciata ad una testa di cazzo
un regista un coreografo, che ne so.
Un lavoro come un altro, una droga
per illuderci e credere di essere uomini.

(dicevi)
I wanna be Amanda Lear.
Il tempo di un LP,
il lato A, il lato B
non siamo mica immortali, bruciamo ed è meglio così.
Amanda Lear, soltanto per un LP
il lato A, il lato B
che niente dura per sempre nemmeno la musica.

Perduto amore, anima mia.
Amore, Nona Sinfonia
vorrei sapere come stai
se come scrivi è tutto ok
e se davvero ora lo sai
che sono diventato un mostro,
colpa tua
se mi videro nel buio di un vicolo
all’uscita posteriore di un concerto rock
pomiciare una troietta qualunque,
una tizia, una pittrice, ma che ne so.
Il tuo pessimismo da quattro soldi
chiaramente aveva fatto proseliti

(dicevi)
I wanna be Amanda Lear
il tempo di un LP
il lato A, il lato B
che niente dura per sempre, finisce ed è melgio così
Amanda Lear, soltanto per un LP
il lato A, il lato B
che niente dura per sempre figurati io e te

“Amanda Lear” 

Old love, my friend.
Love, radio, nostalgia.
I don’t think about you, almost never,
i gave you to the vultures
to the Holocaust, to the sailors.
Atomic love, Enola Gay. [name of the plane that dropped the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima]

Friendly horror, my error
as i even haven’t said goodbye
as i haven’t told you why
a Sunday i threw in the toilet the picture
in which we hugged close,
my fault
if they tell me they saw you this year
puking eyes and soul at a rock concert,
hugging an asshole,
a director, a choreographer, i don’t know.
A job like any other, a drug
to deceive ourselves and believe we are men

(You used to say)
I wanna be Amanda Lear.
The time of an LP [a vinyl Long Playing]
side A, side B
we are not immortal, we burn and it’s better this way.
Amanda Lear, only for an LP,
side A, side B
as nothing lasts forever, not even the music.

Lost love, my soul.
Love, Ninth Symphony, [Beethoven’s]
i’d like to know how you are,
if it’s all fine as you write
and if now you really know
that i became a monster,
your fault
if they saw me in the dark of an alley
at the back exit of a rock concert
kissing a slut like any other,
someone, a painter, i don’t know.
Your cheap pessimism
clearly made proselytes.

(You used to say)
I wanna be Amanda Lear.
The time of an LP,
side A, side B
as nothing lasts forever, it ends and it’s better this way.
Amanda Lear, only for an LP,
side A, side B
as nothing lasts forever, how could me and you.