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.
Rum E Polvere Da Sparo
Banda Bassotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In cerca di guai, non ci arrenderemo mai
Chi ti guiderà? Una stella seguirò
Non si vede più, ma la notte passerà
Per te, che sei, sei l'ultimo
Con il vento partirò
Con te, per noi, combatterò
Solo non ce la farò
Ai vostri guardiani, polvere da sparo
Per i servitori una zappa in mano
Ai vostri banchieri la cassa da morto
Salpa l'ancora
La terra è l'isola del tesoro
E la ricchezza siamo noi
Di chi ti vende tu non ti fidare
Non hai bisogno di lui
Se tu vuoi, cambiare rotta se vuoi
Si salvi chi può
Neanche un passo indietro no
Troppo tempo ormai, tanti squali e pochi eroi
Nel vento parole, terra in vista ancora no
Continua a cercare, prima o poi arriverò
Cos'è un fuoco senza rumore?
Polvere da sparo
Cos'è il fuoco senza calore?
Prima o poi li troverò
Ai vostri guardiani, polvere da sparo
Ai vostri banchieri la cassa da morto
Per i servitori una zappa in mano
E una botte de rum
Per noi che siamo briganti e pirati
Per sempre ciurma vi piace così
Perdiamo solo manette ai polsi
E abbiamo oceani interi, davanti a noi
Da conquistare
Polvere da sparo la cassa da morto
The lyrics of Banda Bassotti's song "Rum E Polvere Da Sparo" speak about a sense of rebellion and resilience in the face of adversity. The opening lines ask where one should go, implying a restless quest for trouble and a refusal to give up. The mention of following a star suggests finding guidance in something intangible, even though it may not always be visible.
The lyrics then shift to addressing different societal groups and their roles. "Ai vostri guardiani, polvere da sparo" refers to the guardians or authorities who are seen as explosive powder, ready to ignite conflict. "Per i servitori una zappa in mano" refers to the servants who are equated with having a shovel in hand, implying that they are forced to toil away obediently. "Ai vostri banchieri la cassa da morto" suggests that the bankers, associated with the coffin, are responsible for the death of fairness and equality.
The chorus highlights the idea that the earth is a treasure island, and the real wealth lies within the people themselves. It warns not to trust those who aim to sell or control us. The call to change course and save oneself reflects a sense of urgency and the need for individuals to take charge of their own destiny. The lyrics assert that it's time to break free from the influences that hinder us and find our own path, even if it means facing sharks and a shortage of heroes.
Overall, the lyrics convey a message of resistance against oppressive forces, encouraging individuals to unite and overthrow the systems that hold them back. The song uses metaphors of treasure, fire, and gunpowder to symbolize power, rebellion, and the determination to fight for freedom and justice.
Line by Line Meaning
Ehi dove si va? Per tutto il mondo
Hey, where are we going? All around the world
In cerca di guai, non ci arrenderemo mai
Looking for trouble, we will never surrender
Chi ti guiderà? Una stella seguirò
Who will guide you? I will follow a star
Non si vede più, ma la notte passerà
It's no longer visible, but the night will pass
Per te, che sei, sei l'ultimo
For you, who are the last one
Con il vento partirò
I will leave with the wind
Con te, per noi, combatterò
With you, for us, I will fight
Solo non ce la farò
Only I won't make it
Ai vostri guardiani, polvere da sparo
To your guardians, gunpowder
Per i servitori una zappa in mano
For the servants, a hoe in hand
Ai vostri banchieri la cassa da morto
To your bankers, the coffin
Salpa l'ancora
Raise the anchor
La terra è l'isola del tesoro
The earth is the treasure island
E la ricchezza siamo noi
And we are the wealth
Di chi ti vende tu non ti fidare
Do not trust those who sell you
Non hai bisogno di lui
You don't need him
Se tu vuoi, cambiare rotta se vuoi
If you want, change course if you want
Si salvi chi può
Save yourself if you can
Neanche un passo indietro no
Not even one step back, no
Troppo tempo ormai, tanti squali e pochi eroi
Too much time has passed, many sharks and few heroes
Nel vento parole, terra in vista ancora no
Words in the wind, land in sight yet unseen
Continua a cercare, prima o poi arriverò
Continue to search, sooner or later I will arrive
Cos'è un fuoco senza rumore?
What is a fire without noise?
Polvere da sparo
Gunpowder
Cos'è il fuoco senza calore?
What is fire without heat?
Prima o poi li troverò
Sooner or later I will find them
Per noi che siamo briganti e pirati
For us who are outlaws and pirates
Per sempre ciurma vi piace così
Forever crew, you like it that way
Perdiamo solo manette ai polsi
We only lose handcuffs on our wrists
E abbiamo oceani interi, davanti a noi
And we have entire oceans in front of us
Da conquistare
To conquer
Polvere da sparo la cassa da morto
Gunpowder, the coffin
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Константин Сенюта
Шедевр! Ребята, я вас обожаю!)))
Fran Dead Pixel
con el vento partiró
Sylwester Ziarno
Hail B.B.!!!
Fran Dead Pixel
Sam Porter Bridges
heavy metal forever
Que vengan los de Mago de Oz y lo vean!
Fran Dead Pixel
O no en verdad si, que vengan
Fran Dead Pixel
ai vostri guardiani ai vostri banquieri
Fran Dead Pixel
una botella de ron :)
Marcelo Pratta
Lá vida pirata!!!
Nino Coliatti
Pensavo fosse un ordigno invece una stupida canzone ! Baaaa