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.
Mio fratello è figlio unico
Banda Bassotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Perché non ha mai trovato il
Coraggio di operarsi al fegato
E non ha mai pagato per fare l'amore
E non ha mai vinto un premio aziendale
E non ha mai viaggiato in seconda classe
Sul rapido Taranto-Ancona
E non ha mai criticato un film senza prima
Mio fratello è figlio unico
Perché è convinto che Chinaglia non
Può passare al Frosinone
Perché e convinto che nell'amaro benedettino
Non sta il segreto della felicità
Perché è convinto che anche
Chi non legge Freud può vivere cent'anni
Perché è convinto che esistono ancora
Gli sfruttati malpagati e frustrati
Mio fratello è figlio unico sfruttato
Represso calpestato odiato e ti amo Mariù
Mio fratello è figlio unico deriso
Frustrato picchiato derubato e ti amo Mariù
Mio fratello è figlio unico dimagrito
Declassato sottomesso disgregato e
Ti amo Mariù
Mio fratello è figlio unico frustato
Derubato sottomesso e ti amo Mariù
Mio fratello è figlio unico deriso
Declassato frustrato dimagrito e ti amo Mariù
Mio fratello è figlio unico malpagato
Derubato deriso disgregato e ti amo Mariù
The lyrics of Banda Bassotti's song "Mio fratello è figlio unico" depict the struggles and hardships faced by the singer's brother, who represents marginalized individuals in society. The song addresses various aspects of his life and the challenges he encounters, emphasizing his unique circumstances.
In the first paragraph, it is highlighted that the brother has never had the courage to undergo liver surgery, indicating that he may be grappling with health issues or fear of medical procedures. Additionally, the mention of not paying for love suggests his inability to engage in intimate relationships due to financial constraints. The mention of not winning a company award or traveling in second class on a train further symbolizes his exclusion from recognition and comfortable experiences.
The second paragraph continues to provide insight into the brother's beliefs and perceptions. The reference to the Italian football player Chinaglia not being able to transfer to Frosinone demonstrates his unwavering conviction in certain ideals, refusing to accept that they may not be feasible. The mention of the "amaro benedettino" (a bitter herbal liqueur) not holding the secret to happiness suggests his skepticism towards simple solutions or remedies. The line about living a long life without reading Freud indicates his belief that one does not need to adhere to certain intellectual or psychological theories to find fulfillment. Finally, the reference to the existence of exploited, underpaid, and frustrated individuals highlights his awareness of social injustice and the continued presence of such issues.
The subsequent paragraphs express various forms of mistreatment and oppression that the brother experiences. He is depicted as being exploited, repressed, trampled upon, hated, ridiculed, frustrated, beaten, robbed, diminished, submissive, disintegrated, and underpaid. Each line highlights a different aspect of his suffering, symbolizing the struggles faced by marginalized individuals in society. The repetition of the phrase "ti amo Mariù" suggests that despite all the hardships, the brother finds solace and strength in the love and support of someone named Mariù, potentially a significant person in his life.
Overall, the lyrics of "Mio fratello è figlio unico" shed light on the challenges and discrimination faced by marginalized individuals, emphasizing the importance of empathy, understanding, and support in their lives. The song serves as a poignant reminder of the injustices that persist and the need for societal change.
Line by Line Meaning
Mio fratello è figlio unico
My brother is an only child
Perché non ha mai trovato il Coraggio di operarsi al fegato
Because he has never found the courage to have liver surgery
E non ha mai pagato per fare l'amore
And he has never paid for love
E non ha mai vinto un premio aziendale
And he has never won a company prize
E non ha mai viaggiato in seconda classe Sul rapido Taranto-Ancona
And he has never traveled in second class on the Taranto-Ancona express
E non ha mai criticato un film senza prima Prima vederlo
And he has never criticized a movie without first watching it
Perché è convinto che Chinaglia non Può passare al Frosinone
Because he is convinced that Chinaglia cannot go to Frosinone
Perché e convinto che nell'amaro benedettino Non sta il segreto della felicità
Because he believes that the secret to happiness is not in Amaro Benedettino
Perché è convinto che anche Chi non legge Freud può vivere cent'anni
Because he is convinced that even those who do not read Freud can live for a hundred years
Perché è convinto che esistono ancora Gli sfruttati malpagati e frustrati
Because he is convinced that there are still exploited, underpaid, and frustrated people
Mio fratello è figlio unico sfruttato Represso calpestato odiato e ti amo Mariù
My brother is an only child, exploited, oppressed, hated, and I love you Mariù
Mio fratello è figlio unico deriso Frustrato picchiato derubato e ti amo Mariù
My brother is an only child, mocked, frustrated, beaten, robbed, and I love you Mariù
Mio fratello è figlio unico dimagrito Declassato sottomesso disgregato e Ti amo Mariù
My brother is an only child, slimmed down, downgraded, submissive, disintegrated, and I love you Mariù
Mio fratello è figlio unico frustato Derubato sottomesso e ti amo Mariù
My brother is an only child, whipped, robbed, submissive, and I love you Mariù
Mio fratello è figlio unico deriso Declassato frustrato dimagrito e ti amo Mariù
My brother is an only child, mocked, downgraded, frustrated, slimmed down, and I love you Mariù
Mio fratello è figlio unico malpagato Derubato deriso disgregato e ti amo Mariù
My brother is an only child, underpaid, robbed, mocked, disintegrated, and I love you Mariù
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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