Banda Bassotti was formed in 1988, by a group of politically active musicians who began to sympathize with the Nicaraguan, Salvadorean, Palestinian, and Basque people fights. This group of friends supports the Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional with solidarity initiatives by creating some work brigades. From 1984 to 1987 they took part to a three months brigade with the building cooperative XXV Aprile, to build some students houses and a school. From 1987 to 1989 the group creates a rock-band which begins to stir in the squats and in the demonstrations. The Banda Bassotti together with other comrades establishes the project Gridalo Forte No fascism! No racism! A documentation centre against fascism and racial prejudice.
From 1990 to 1991 they organize an antiracist festival with the same title who took place in Rome on 1991 May 3rd and 4th. European antiracist bands took part into such festival with concerts, videos and meetings. From this documentation centre, after two years the label Gridalo Forte Records is created. From this documentation centre the project Balla e Difendi arises, always in 1991, where the Banda Bassotti, took part to, together with other roman bands, such as: Red House, Filo da Torcere, AK 47. In this record, produced by the Gridalo Forte Records independent label, took part the most active bands of the left roman antagonist scene. "Figli della stessa rabbia" the first Banda Bassotti cd follows the success of such initiative and it is produced by the same label. This cd obtained a great success of both audience and critics and acted as an ingagements band multiplier: from a roman dimension to a national, and then an international one.
Without abandoning their roots, the BB obtained appreciation in Spain and especially in the Basque Country, where they performed in several concerts together with some independist left bands. During the recording of "Bella Ciao" together with the GANG, it raised the idea to play in Salvador for the FMNL. The occasion to realize such idea comes out few months later in march 1994, for the first political elections after 11 years of civil war in Salvador. The Banda Bassotti played with the Negu Gorriak in San Salvador central square at the end of the campaign with an audience of 50.000 people. They performed in 4 concerts in less than a week.
In June 1995 the band moved to Euskadi for 15 days in the IZ studio, on the mountains and with Kaki Arkarazo –sound technician and Negu Gorriak guitarist- they recorded "Avanzo di Cantiere" produced by Gridalo Forte Records label. Fermin Muguruza took part to the traditional song "Carabina 30-30" This cd is sold also in Euskadi and Spain, published by Gora Herriak Records a branch of the International Basque label Esan Ozenki. The record has been presented in several concerts in Italy and all over Spain: Bilbao, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Santiago De Compostela, Saragoza, Gasteiz, Oiartzun. The Banda Bassotti played with the Negu Gorriak in summer 1995 in Bilbao Gaz Square at the town party with an audience of 10.000 people. After a while the Banda Bassotti took part to a Hitz Egin demonstration for the freedom of expression, a big concert to raising funds for the Negu Gorriak trial against the civil guard General Galindo. The song reported is Ustalkerria. They raised 200.000.000 liras for the defence, about 12.000 people took part to it and 15 bands played, there were all Basque bands and the Banda Bassotti represented the international sympathy.
In the mid 1996 the band decided to stop because of great energies spent and the obvious difficulties to go on both with the band and to work in the yard.
In February 2001 Negu Gorriak -who broke in the same time of of the Banda Bassotti- decided to keep the promise to get back together to play in a concert to celebrate the end of the legal prosecution of Colonel Galindo against their song Ustalkerria when the Negu Gorriak won the trial. The agreement stated that also the Banda Bassotti should have to rejoin nad play with the Basque band. The Banda Bassotti decided to increase the instruments of the band with the brass section: Sandokan to the tombone -singer of the Ramiccia and trombone of the International Fermin Muguruza Dub Manifest and of the Radici nel Cemento- and Stefano Cecchi to the trumpet -trumpet of the bands International Fermin Muguruza Dub Manifest and Radici nel Cemento-. They rearranged their songs and left for Bilbao.
Concerts in February should have been two but they were three, due to the great demand of tickets (30.000). Seizing this opportunity the Banda Bassotti organized two concerts in Rome on 15th and 17th March 2001. The first concert is in support of the people reported for the demonstration against the nazi Haider arrival in Rome, while the second took place in the Social Centre "Villaggio Globale" with an audience of 9.000 people. The great success of these occasional concerts was the input to find new energies and the Banda Bassotti started to reorganize its future as a band. They started again to play and they received great demands from Italy and Spain.
In May 2001 a double live cd has been published by the label Gridalo Forte Records with the title "Un altro giorno d’amore" recorded at the Villaggio Globale and mixed in the Euskadi Garate Studio by Kaki Arkarazo. The video is the live concert of May 17th as well. Fermin Muguruza took part to roman concerts singing "La Linea del Frente" and "Zu Trapartu Arte" the two most famous songs by Fermin Muguruza’s first band: the Kortatu. After a while they shoot the video of "Carabina 30-30" and Maurizio Gregori -Ramiccia’s saxophonist- joined the band.
In summer 2001 the Banda bassotti is on tour again in Italy, Spain and the Basque Country until September when they played at the Independent Day Festival with Manu Chao, Africa Unite, and so on. Without forgetting their attitude, the Banda Bassotti and their label organized a concert in Rome to support the partisan Walter Dall’Olmo and his family. After that they performed in Italy and Spain and in November 2001, during their first seven concerts tour, they had a total audience of about 30.000 people.
In their second tour in December, with four concerts their audience was of around 7.000 people. During this month they released a compilation with the title "Poetry and reality" for the Japanese label Two Children Records.
Singer Angelo "Sigaro" Conti, died at the age of 62 on 11 December 2018.
Avviso ai Naviganti
Banda Bassotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Si Raffreddano I Motori Sono Spente Le Vetrine
E Milioni Di Occhi Stanchi Come Anestetizzati
A Guardare Quella Scatola Dai Vetri Colorati
E Tutte Le Sere I Movimenti Sono Rituali
La Preghiera Solo Un Bacio Forse Un Po' Di Addominali
E Poi Dormono Tranquilli Come Fanno Tutti Quanti
Ma Noi Non Siamo Tranquilli
Luna
Le Strade Deserte Sono Terra Di Nessuno
A Duecento All'ora Sensa Alcun Binario Questo Treno
Che Ti Fa Sentire Avanti L'importante E' Non Cadere
Perche' Questo Non E' Un Gioco E I Crisantemi Sono Veri
Non Saranno Le Piccole Paste A Farci Volare
Non Saranno I Duecento All'ora Sopra Un'astronave
Noi Voliamo Alto Solamente Quando Stiamo Insieme
A Sognare Ad Occhi Aperti Aspettando Lei Che Viene
E' La Notte
E' La Notte Che Respiro
E' La Notte
Che Mi Fa Sentire Vivo
E' La Notte
Delle Belve E Degli Amanti
E' La Notte
Avviso Ai Naviganti
Lavatrici Intorno Ai Fuochi Ai Bordi Delle Strade
Come Macchine A Gettoni Dai Sorrisi Congelati
Come Veneri Che Per La Strada Ci Fanno La Vita
Quando Passo Le Saluto Per La Strada Ci Sono Cresciuto
Il Canto Delle Sirene Porta Sempre Male
Vanno A Caccia Di Qualcuno Che Non Possono Addomesticare
C'e' La Legge Dei Signori E Quella Della Strada
La Giustizia E' Un'altra Cosa
La Giustizia E' Solo Una Parola
Respira Lento Lei Muove Le Dita
E Intanto Il Sole Ha Fatto Un'altro Giro
Non C'e' Piu' Tempo Tregua Finita
Apri La Porta Usciamo Da Motel
Luna Sole
E' La Notte E' La Notte Che Respiro
E' La Notte Che Mi Fa Sentire Vivo
E' La Notte Delle Belve E Degli Amanti
Questa Notte
The lyrics of Banda Bassotti's song Avviso ai Naviganti tackles the reality of life in a dystopian society where people are just going through the motions of living but not really living. The first part of the song describes a scene where the sun is far away, the motors are cold, and the shops are closed. It describes millions of tired and anesthetized eyes staring at a colored box every night, following a ritual of prayers and exercise before sleeping. The singer, however, emphasizes that they are not like everyone else, and they are not at peace.
The second part of the song talks about the night, where life is more vibrant, and possibilities are endless. The streets are empty, and the speeding train is the only thing that represents life, and the most important thing is not to fall. The singer talks about flying high only when they are together and dreaming while waiting for someone to arrive.
The third part of the song talks about life on the streets, where people live in poverty and struggle to survive. It mentions the law of the lords and the law of the streets, where justice is just a word. The singer talks about breathing slowly and the passing of time, and the need to leave the motel.
Overall, the song speaks about the contrast between the bleak reality of everyday life and the vibrancy and excitement of the night. It emphasizes the need for human connection, dreams, and living life to the fullest despite the harsh realities of society.
Line by Line Meaning
Il Sole E' Lontano Oltre La Linea Del Confine
The sun is far beyond the border line
Si Raffreddano I Motori Sono Spente Le Vetrine
The engines are cold and the shop windows are closed
E Milioni Di Occhi Stanchi Come Anestetizzati
Millions of tired eyes, feeling numb
A Guardare Quella Scatola Dai Vetri Colorati
Look at that colorful box
E Tutte Le Sere I Movimenti Sono Rituali
Every evening the movements are ritualistic
La Preghiera Solo Un Bacio Forse Un Po' Di Addominali
Praying just to kiss, maybe do some crunches
E Poi Dormono Tranquilli Come Fanno Tutti Quanti
And then they sleep peacefully, like everyone else
Ma Noi Non Siamo Tranquilli
But we are not calm
Noi Non Siamo Tutti Quanti
We are not like everyone else
Luna
Moon
Le Strade Deserte Sono Terra Di Nessuno
Empty streets are no man's land
A Duecento All'ora Sensa Alcun Binario Questo Treno
This train runs at two hundred kilometers per hour without a track
Che Ti Fa Sentire Avanti L'importante E' Non Cadere
Making you feel like you're moving forward, it's important not to fall
Perche' Questo Non E' Un Gioco E I Crisantemi Sono Veri
Because this is not a game and the chrysanthemums are real
Non Saranno Le Piccole Paste A Farci Volare
Small pastries won't make us fly
Non Saranno I Duecento All'ora Sopra Un'astronave
Neither will two hundred kilometers per hour on a spaceship
Noi Voliamo Alto Solamente Quando Stiamo Insieme
We only fly high when we're together
A Sognare Ad Occhi Aperti Aspettando Lei Che Viene
Dreaming with eyes wide open, waiting for her to come
E' La Notte
It's night
E' La Notte Che Respiro
It's the night I breathe
E' La Notte Che Mi Fa Sentire Vivo
It's the night that makes me feel alive
E' La Notte Delle Belve E Degli Amanti
It's the night of beasts and lovers
E' La Notte Avviso Ai Naviganti
It's the night, warning to the navigators
Lavatrici Intorno Ai Fuochi Ai Bordi Delle Strade
Washing machines around fires at the edge of the streets
Come Macchine A Gettoni Dai Sorrisi Congelati
Like vending machines with frozen smiles
Come Veneri Che Per La Strada Ci Fanno La Vita
Like Venuses that make our life on the street
Quando Passo Le Saluto Per La Strada Ci Sono Cresciuto
When I pass them, I greet them. I grew up on these streets
Il Canto Delle Sirene Porta Sempre Male
The song of the sirens always brings trouble
Vanno A Caccia Di Qualcuno Che Non Possono Addomesticare
They hunt for someone they cannot tame
C'e' La Legge Dei Signori E Quella Della Strada
There's the law of the lords and that of the street
La Giustizia E' Un'altra Cosa
Justice is another thing
La Giustizia E' Solo Una Parola
Justice is just a word
Respira Lento Lei Muove Le Dita
Breathing slowly, she moves her fingers
E Intanto Il Sole Ha Fatto Un'altro Giro
Meanwhile, the sun has completed another cycle
Non C'e' Piu' Tempo Tregua Finita
There's no more time, truce is over
Apri La Porta Usciamo Da Motel
Open the door, let's leave the motel
Questa Notte
This night
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kevin
Riposa in pace, grande compagno.
Noi voliamo alto solamente quando siamo insieme
A sognare ad occhi aperti
Aspettando lei che viene..
SkaPartizan
Il nostro poeta guerriero, la voce della classe operaia...
Addio Sigaro, onorato di averti conosciuto, sarai sempre con noi. 🛠🌟â˜
Os Estróinas GZ
Ciao SÃgaro !! Abraço desde a Galiza a todos os companheiros da Banda Bassotti, familia e camaradas !! La lotta continua !!!
one love
Grazie sigaro..per la banda, per i vento dall' est...perché certi pezzi, come questo, mi stringono il cuore in un pugno.
Pugni al cielo
Genova presente.
69redskinpride77
me fascina esta cancion!!!!!! saludos!!!!!!!
carlos garcia
Nosotros volamos alto solamente cuando estamos juntos "aviso a los navegantes"
rk jr
es muy bella viento,lucha y sol
scoppe99
BOIA ! Gran pezzo e bel testo..... vorrei sentirla cantare insieme a Bobo Rondelli
vincenzo ricolfi
stupenda
marco pesenti
Sigaro rimarrai sempre con noi..!! Chi lotta non sarà mai SCHIAVO Ciao grande Compagno