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.
El Hijo del Pueblo
Banda Bassotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
En El Barrio Mas Humilde
Alejado Del Bullicio
De La Falsa Sociedad
Yo No Tuve La Desgracia
De No Ser Hijo Del Pueblo
Yo Me Cuento Entre La Gente
Que No Tiene Falsedad
Yo Lo Quiero Como Venga
Soportando Una Tristeza
O Detrás De Una Ilusion
Voy Camino De La Vida
Muy Feliz Con Mi Pobreza
Como No Tengo Dinero
Tengo Muchio Corazon
Descendiente De Cuautemoc
Mexicano Por Fortuna
Desdichiado En Los Amores
Soy Borracho Y Trovador
Pero Cuantos Millonarios
Quisieran Vivir Mi Vida
Pa' Cantarle A La Pobreza
Sin Sentir Ningun Temor
Es Por Eso Que Es Mi Orgullo
Ser Del Barrio Mas Humilde
Alejado Del Bullicio
De La Falsa Sociedad
Yo Compongo Mis Canciones
Pa' Que El Pueblo Me Las Cante
Y El Dia Que El Pueblo Me Falle
Ese Dia Voy A Llorar
The lyrics of Banda Bassotti's song "El Hijo del Pueblo" express a sense of pride and contentment in being born in the humblest neighborhood, far away from the noise and falsehoods of society. The singer feels fortunate to be a son of the people, belonging to a community that values authenticity and lacks pretense. The song highlights the singer's acceptance of their equal and straightforward fate, whether they have to endure sadness or pursue fleeting dreams. Despite lacking financial resources, they find happiness in their poverty because they possess a rich heart.
There is also a reference to the singer being a descendant of Cuautemoc, who was the last Aztec emperor of Mexico. This heritage adds to their pride and identity as a Mexican. The singer describes themselves as a troubadour and a drunkard, implying a carefree lifestyle that enjoys music and expression. They suggest that many millionaires would envy their life and wish to experience the freedom and authenticity that they possess.
The singer's role as a songwriter and singer is crucial in their connection with the people. They compose songs to be sung by the community, creating a bond between artist and audience. However, they admit that if the people ever fail them, it will be a heartbreaking moment. This vulnerability reveals the deep connection and reliance they have on the support and acceptance of the people they sing for. Overall, the lyrics celebrate a sense of pride in their humble origins, their authenticity, and the genuine connection formed with the community through their music.
Line by Line Meaning
Es Mi Orgullio Haber Nacido
I take pride in being born
En El Barrio Mas Humilde
In the humblest neighborhood
Alejado Del Bullicio
Away from the noise
De La Falsa Sociedad
Of the false society
Yo No Tuve La Desgracia
I didn't have the misfortune
De No Ser Hijo Del Pueblo
Of not being a son of the people
Yo Me Cuento Entre La Gente
I consider myself among the people
Que No Tiene Falsedad
Who have no falsehood
Mi Destino Es Muy Parejo
My destiny is very straightforward
Yo Lo Quiero Como Venga
I accept it as it comes
Soportando Una Tristeza
Enduring sadness
O Detrás De Una Ilusion
Or behind an illusion
Voy Camino De La Vida
I go along the path of life
Muy Feliz Con Mi Pobreza
Very happy with my poverty
Como No Tengo Dinero
Since I have no money
Tengo Muchio Corazon
I have a lot of heart
Descendiente De Cuautemoc
Descendant of Cuautemoc
Mexicano Por Fortuna
Mexican by fortune
Desdichiado En Los Amores
Unfortunate in love
Soy Borracho Y Trovador
I am a drunkard and troubadour
Pero Cuantos Millonarios
But how many millionaires
Quisieran Vivir Mi Vida
Would like to live my life
Pa' Cantarle A La Pobreza
To sing to poverty
Sin Sentir Ningun Temor
Without feeling any fear
Es Por Eso Que Es Mi Orgullo
That's why I take pride
Ser Del Barrio Mas Humilde
In being from the humblest neighborhood
Alejado Del Bullicio
Away from the noise
De La Falsa Sociedad
Of the false society
Yo Compongo Mis Canciones
I compose my songs
Pa' Que El Pueblo Me Las Cante
So that the people sing them to me
Y El Dia Que El Pueblo Me Falle
And the day that the people fail me
Ese Dia Voy A Llorar
That day I will cry
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
E H.
que buenos los bassotti y qué grande josé alfredo viva méxico y viva italia!!
Jahaziel Estrada
honor a quien honor merece jose alfredo y los basotti...
trojan697
viva Mexico cabrones!!!!
luiscar pabon
latinoamerica es una sola des mexico hasta argentina que viva los latinos cabrones!!
soldadoblanco80
RICHIHAVENS... EN REALIDAD ITALIA ES UNO DE LOS PAÍSES EUROPEOS QUE ADMIRAN EN VARIOS ASPECTOS A MÉXICO. POR ESO Y MUCHAS COSAS MAS, MI ASCENDENCIA ITALIANA LA TRAIGO CON ORGULLO DESDE CASI 6 GENERACIONES Y SOY MEXICANO DE NACIMIENTO...
francisco ciego
que poca madre en mexico ya no tenemos dinero y nos falta corazón, somos un pueblo dejado y pisoteado