When their first album "Elio Samaga Hukapan Karyiana Turu" came out (1989), the concept of an underground band was outdated by the 150,000 copies that were sold in the first ten months. This result was even more significant since they were not supported by the official media.
Slowly the media's ostracism would be transformed into a clear admiration for a project that did not undergound traditional market rules, but had instead created a new market. Today Elio e le Storie Tese is one of the most appreciated bands by the press and one of the most requested to appear on television.
The second album "Italyan Rum Casusu Çikti" that contains "Pipppero" (recorded with Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares, the world-famous female Bulgarian traditional choir), reached success even quicker selling 150,000 copies in the first 6 months.
The hilarious impact of the lyrics, the catchy melodies, the stage presence, (their concerts are real happenings that are attended by a more and more vast and loyal audience), the professionality (the six musicians are some of the best performers in Italy); all these things together with a boost of energy and the constant seek of innovative ideas, make the group undoubtely a "unique case" in the Italian musical panorama.
Their impact on the media grew constantly, more and more. In 1996 they participated in the world-known "Festival di Sanremo", which contributed to increase their popularity without diluting their original and intelligent way of making music. Both critics and audience were stunned by their hit "La Terra dei Cachi".
Their next album "Eat the Phikis", released a few months after Sanremo, jumped immediately to number one of the Italian top selling chart.
Between 1997 and 1998 two new releases from Elio e le Storie Tese: their greatest hits called "Del Meglio del Nostro Meglio Vol. 1" and the special box "Perle ai Porci", containing all of their recordings, previously released and unreleased. Few days before the new year's day the band dramatically lost Feyez, the sax player, who died during a concert, because of an ictus.
"Craccracriccrecr", the next studio album, was released in 1999, followed two years later by "Made in Japan", a double live cd that ironically refers to the well known Deep Purple live album.
Their latest studio release is "Cicciput" (2003). Some of the most popular italian artists (Gianni Morandi, Laura Pausini, Max Pezzali, Litfiba) gave their contribution to the record.
During these years the band won more than a prize for their musical carreer: Best Italian Band at the Mtv European Music Awards 1999, Best Videoclip (Shpalman) at the Italian Music Awards 2003, "Critics' Prize" plus the second place at the Sanremo Festival in 1996.
They have been pioneers, in their own special way, in the field of marketing, communication and promotion. Nothing that ever comes from Elio e le Storie Tese could be less than unique.
At present Elio e le Storie Tese are the first artists in Italy (and among the very few in the world) to record each live performance and sell the mastered copy right after the show; in addition to that, this new website has been activated, with a new form of membership (annual or quarterly) allowing members to download a wide range of audio/video recordings for free.
The band:
Elio: voice, flute
Faso: bass guitar
Cesareo: guitar
Rocco Tanica: keyboards
Christian Meyer: drums
Jantoman: additional keyboards
(source: elioelestorietese.it)
Pensiero Stupesce
Elio e le Storie Tese Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La TV è come la mafia: non se ne esce
se non da morti
Uno che conoscevamo ci è riuscito
però poi si è impiccato
Dopo la TV c'è il cinema,
dopo il cinema la radio e poi la morte
Alla fine l'unica cosa seria in Italia
Che bella gente e che buon vino!
Oh yeah!
Recitazione, copione, intensità e faccia di merda
Boris Boris Boris Boris
Boris al cinema
Boris Boris Boris Boris
Boris al cinema
Pensiero stupesce
che nasce e perisce
che cresce e decresce
che rientra e fuoriesce
ma attenti alle lische!
Pensiero stupesce
che la gente rapisce nel cinematografo
Quando un telefilm di culto approda al grande schermo
solitamente
è una ciofeca tipo "Sesso and the city"
Uh eh!
Per fare botteghino ci vuole un bel "Natale con la casta"
Pensiero stupesce
che inizia e finisce
che cresce e decresce
che rientra e fuoriesce
ma attenti alle lische!
Pensiero stupesce
che la gente rapisce nel cinematografo
con l'impepata di cozze
Boris Boris Boris Boris
Boris al cinema
"Con l'impepata di cozze!"
Boris Boris Boris Boris
Boris al cinema
"In alcuni cinema!"
Boris Boris Boris Boris
>
-Com'era?
-Buono, buono!
The lyrics of Elio e le Storie Tese's song Pensiero Stupesce reflect a critical view of the Italian entertainment industry, which is portrayed as a cultural wasteland where TV, cinema, and radio offer nothing but shallow and uninspired content. The opening lines compare television to the mafia, as they suggest that once you are trapped in its alluring and addictive grip, the only way out is death. However, the next line introduces a note of hope, as the singer mentions someone they knew who managed to escape this fate, only to tragically end their life soon after.
The song then moves on to explore other aspects of the entertainment industry, in particular, the cinema, which is portrayed as a medium that has lost its creative edge and is only interested in producing formulaic and commercial movies. The chorus introduces the title phrase "pensiero stupesce," which can be translated as "stupid thought," and it emphasizes the hypnotic and mind-numbing effect that the movies have on the audience. The singer warns us to be careful of the bones in the "impepata di cozze," a spicy Italian dish, which becomes a metaphor for the hidden dangers and traps that lurk in the cultural landscape.
Line by Line Meaning
La TV è come la mafia: non se ne esce se non da morti
Television is like the mafia- there is no escape except through death.
Uno che conoscevamo ci è riuscito però poi si è impiccato
Someone we knew managed to escape from television, but then committed suicide.
Dopo la TV c'è il cinema, dopo il cinema la radio e poi la morte
After television comes cinema, after cinema comes radio, and then death.
Alla fine l'unica cosa seria in Italia è la ristorazione / Che bella gente e che buon vino! / Oh yeah!
Ultimately, the only serious thing in Italy is the restaurant industry. The people are beautiful, and the wine is great.
Recitazione, copione, intensità e faccia di merda / Boris Boris Boris Boris / Boris al cinema
Acting, scriptwriting, intensity, and a shitty face. Boris, Boris, Boris, Boris- Boris at the cinema.
Pensiero stupesce / che nasce e perisce / che cresce e decresce / che rientra e fuoriesce / ma attenti alle lische!
The thought stupefies- it is born and then dies, grows and then diminishes, enters and then exits, but beware of the bones!
Pensiero stupesce / che la gente rapisce nel cinematografo
The thought stupefies and captivates people in the cinema.
Quando un telefilm di culto approda al grande schermo / solitamente / è una ciofeca tipo "Sesso and the city" / Uh eh!
When a cult TV show hits the big screen, it usually turns out to be garbage, like "Sex and the City." Uh eh!
Per fare botteghino ci vuole un bel "Natale con la casta"
To make money, you need a film like "Christmas with the Establishment."
Pensiero stupesce / che inizia e finisce / che cresce e decresce / che rientra e fuoriesce / ma attenti alle lische!
The thought stupefies- it begins and ends, grows and then diminishes, enters and then exits, but beware of the bones!
Pensiero stupesce / che la gente rapisce nel cinematografo / con l'impepata di cozze
The thought stupefies and captivates people in the cinema with spicy mussel soup.
Boris Boris Boris Boris / Boris al cinema / "Con l'impepata di cozze!" / Boris Boris Boris Boris / Boris al cinema / "In alcuni cinema!" / Boris Boris Boris Boris / / Com'era? / Buono, buono!
Boris, Boris, Boris, Boris- Boris at the cinema. "With spicy mussel soup!" Boris, Boris, Boris, Boris- Boris at the cinema. "In some cinemas!" / How was it? / Good, good!
Contributed by Dylan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.