De André was born in Genoa, Liguria, Italy. His father was an anti-fascist, and during the war the De André family had to seek refuge in a country farm near Revignano d'Asti, Piedmont. The family returns in Genoa in 1945. Fabrizio studied law at the University of Genoa, but left before graduating.
His first instrument was the violin, and then he took up the guitar, playing in local jazz bands. In 1958 he recorded his first two songs: Nuvole barocche ("Baroque Clouds") and E fu la notte ("Then Night Came"). In 1962 he married Puny Rignon, a Genoese woman nearly ten years his senior. The same year the couple had their first and only son, Cristiano De André, who would follow in his father's footsteps to become a musician and songwriter.
Over the years that followed, De André, inspired mainly by George Brassens' works, wrote a number of songs which made him known by a larger public; his song La canzone di Marinella ("Marinella's Song") was recorded in 1968 by the famous Italian singer, Mina, and its author was acclaimed as the most important Italian cantautore, or singer-songwriter.
The first De André EP, "Volume I", was released in 1967, and contain three af the most famous Fabrizio's songs: "Via del Campo" (literally "Field Street", a famous street of Genoa), "Bocca di Rosa" and "Carlo Martello ritorna dalla battaglia di Poitiers" ("Charles Martel on His Way Back From Poitiers"). The last one was written with Paolo Villaggio, a famous italian actor and also De André's friend.
His second album "Tutti Morimmo A Stento"("We all died hardly"), released in 1968, contains songs as "Leggenda Di Natale" based on the song "Le Père Noël et la Petite Fille", written by George Brassens, one of the most important influence for Fabrizio.
In 1968 was also released the thirt De André's album, Volume III, one of the most important album of this first period. In this album there are two songs inspired by Brassens' poetry, "Il Gorilla" and "Nell'acqua della chiara fontana". Other famous songs are "La guerra di Piero"("Piero's war") "La canzone di Marinella"(Marinella's Song"), previously released by Mina, and "S'I' Fossi Foco"(If I were Fire"), from a poem by Cecco Angiolieri.
In 1970 was released "La Buona Novella"("The Good Novella"), a religious concept album based on the vision of Christ's life told in Apocrypha. The album was very controversial for Jesus' vision by De André and especially for the song "Il testamento di Tito" ("Titus' Will"), in which one of the thieves crucified together with Jesus confutes violently the Ten Commandments.
In 1971 was released one of the most famous and the most important De André's album, "Non al denaro non all'amore né al Cielo" based on Edgar Lee Masters "Spoon River Anthology", translated in italian by the famous italian poetess Fernanda Pivano, one of Fabrizio's best friend.
* "La collina" is based on "The Hill"
* "Un matto" is based on "Frank Drummer", in which a man memorizes the Encyclopedia Britannica and is considered mad by the people of Spoon River.
* "Un Giudice" is based on Selah Lively, the story of a midget who studies law and becomes a judge to get a revenge against the people who made fun of him all his life.
* "Un blasfemo" is based on "Wendell P. Bloyd".
* "Un malato di cuore" is based on "Francis Turner", in which a man dies of a heart attack while giving his first kiss.
* "Un medico" is based on "Dr. Siegfried Iseman", the story of a doctor who wants to cure poor people without receiving any payment.
* "Un chimico" is based on "Trainor, the Chemist", in which a chemist, who doesn't understand the relationships between men and women but loves chemical elements, dies while executing an experiment.
* "Un ottico" is based on "Dippold the Optician", the story of an optician who wants to create special glasses which show strange images.
* "Il suonatore Jones" is based on "Fiddler Jones".
Two years later was published another important album in Fabrizio's career, "Storia di un Impiegato"("The Story of a White-Collar"), in which De André analyses the Year Of Lead, (in Italy a period of political tensions, between 1968 and 80s characterized by bomb's massacre by neo-fascist and by kidnapping and by murders by Brigate Rosse and other subversive organization). This is another concept album, in which a man, inspired by French May, decided to rebel against the society knowing finally that his bomb and his rebellion was controlled by the State and directed to make the power stronger. This is one of the most complicated and hermetic album by De André.
The year after was released a new album, "Canzoni"("Songs"), in which De André translated some famous songs by Bob Dylan("Via della Povertà", in english "Desolation Row"), Leonard Cohen and Brassens, but also unreleased songs as "La Città Vecchia"("The Old City"), another highly famous song. Is important to see how from this album and so on, De André was highly inspired by American Folk music.
De André divorced his wife Puny, and started a relationship with the folksinger Dori Ghezzi. In 1975 he began to perform in a series of memorable concerts (after his first performances of the early 1960s, he had always refused to appear in public, except for a couple of television broadcasts).
In this year was released the new album, Volume VIII, written with Francesco de Gregori, a famous italian songwriter who also translated "Desolation Row" with Fabrizio. The most famous songs of this album are "Amico Fragile"("Fragile Friend") and "La Cattiva Strada"("The Bad Way").
In 1977, having moved to Sardinia, the couple had a daughter, and in the following year Fabrizio De André issued a new LP, Rimini. Most songs included in this album were written with a young Veronese singer-songwriter, Massimo Bubola. There's also "Avventura a Durango" a translation of "Romance in Durango" bu Bob Dylan.
1979 began with a series of famous live concerts from which a double LP is drawn; De André was accompanied by one of the most renowned Italian progressive rock bands, Premiata Forneria Marconi. At the end of August, De André and Ghezzi were kidnapped for ransom by a gang of Sardinian bandits, and held prisoner in the inaccessible Supramonte mountains. The couple was released four months later; no ransom was paid. When the bandits were apprehended by the police, and De André was called as witness before the Court, he refused to denounce his kidnappers and declared his own solidarity with them: «They were the real prisoners, not I», he said.
This dramatic episode, and the hard life of the Sardinian people, gave him inspiration for his following album, released in 1981. The album is anonymous, but, from the image of a native American appearing on the cover, the mass-media called it L'indiano (The Indian). The album contains one of his most famous songs, Fiume Sand Creek: it relates the massacre of defenceless native Americans of 29th November 1864 by U.S. Army troops.
In 1984 Fabrizio De André turned to his native Genoese dialect and wrote, together with former PFM member Mauro Pagani, one of his most celebrated albums, Crêuza de mä("Path to the sea", the term "Crêuza" actually indicates a narrow road bordered by low walls, typical of Genoa and its surroundings). The songs were a tribute to traditional music from every Mediterranean country.The album was awarded an unending series of prizes and was greeted as "the best Italian album of the 1980s". It was named by David Byrne as one of his favourite albums. As Pagani has repeatedly stated, De Andrè wrote the lyrics for the album, while the music was almost entirely Pagani's.
In 1989 Fabrizio De André married Dori Ghezzi; the following year a new album was issued, Le nuvole ("The clouds"), which included two more songs in the Genoese dialect, one in the Gallurese dialect of Northern Sardinia (Monti di Mola), and one in the Neapolitan dialect, the highly ironic Don Raffae'. A new series of live concerts followed, from which a double LP (1991 Concerti[) was drawn. In 1992 he started a new series of live concerts.
In 1997 De André started a new tour of theatre concerts and a new song collection, called
Mi innamoravo di tutto ("I fell in love with everything") was issued. This tribute album included a version of La canzone di Marinella in duet with Mina. The Anime salve concert tour went on up to the late summer of 1998, when De André stopped at the first symptoms of a serious disease, which was later diagnosed as cancer.
He died in Milan on 11th January 1999. Two days later, he was buried in his native town, Genoa; the ceremony was attended by an immense crowd of about 20,000. Fabrizio De André rests in the monumental Staglieno cemetery, in the De André family chapel.
Don Raffaè
Fabrizio De André Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
E son brigadiere del carcere oinè
Io mi chiamo Cafiero Pasquale
Sto a Poggio Reale dal '53
E al centesimo catenaccio
Alla sera mi sento uno straccio
Per fortuna che al braccio speciale
Tutto il giorno con quattro infamoni
Briganti, papponi, cornuti e lacchè
Tutte l'ore co' 'sta fetenzia
Che sputa minaccia e s'à piglia cu' me
Ma alla fine m'assetto papale
Mi sbottono e mi leggo 'o giornale
Mi consiglio con don Raffae'
Mi spiega che penso e bevimm' 'o cafè
A che bell' 'o cafè
Pure in carcere 'o sanno fa
Co' a ricetta ch'à Ciccirinella
Cumpagno di cell, ci ha dato mammà
Prima pagina venti notizie
Ventuno ingiustizie e lo Stato che fa
Si costerna, s'indigna, s'impegna
Poi getta la spugna con gran dignità
Mi scervello e m'asciugo la fronte
Per fortuna c'è chi mi risponde
A quell'uomo sceltissimo immenso
Io chiedo consenso a don Raffaè
Un galantuomo che tiene sei figli
Ha chiesto una casa e ci danno consigli
Mentre 'o assessore, che Dio lo perdoni
'Ndrento a 'e roullotte ci alleva i visoni
Voi vi basta una mossa, una voce
C'ha 'sto Cristo ci levano 'a croce
Con rispetto, s'è fatto le tre
Volite 'a spremuta o volite 'o cafè?
A che bell' 'o cafè
Pure in carcere 'o sanno fa
Co' a ricetta ch'à Ciccirinella
Cumpagno di cell, ci ha dato mammà
A che bell'ò cafè
Pure in carcere 'o sanno fa
Co' a ricetta di Ciccirinella
Compagno di cella, preciso a mammà
Ca' ci sta l'inflazione, la svalutazione
E la borsa ce l'ha chi ce l'ha
Io non tengo compendio che chillo stipendio
E un ambo se sogno 'a papà
Aggiungete mia figlia Innocenza
Vuo' marito, non tiene pazienza
Non vi chiedo la grazia pe' me
Vi faccio la barba, o la fate da sé?
Voi tenete un cappotto cammello
Che al maxi processo eravate 'o chiù bello
Un vestito gessato marrone
Così ci è sembrato alla televisione
Pe' 'ste nozze vi prego, Eccellenza
Mi prestasse pe' fare presenza
Io già tengo le scarpe e 'o gillè
Gradite 'o Campari o volite 'o cafè?
A che bell'ò cafè
Pure in carcere 'o sanno fa
'A ricetta ch'à Ciccirinella
Cumpagno di cell, ci ha dato mammà
A che bell'ò cafè
Pure in carcere 'o sanno fa
'A ricetta di Ciccirinella
Compagno di cella, preciso a mammà
Qui non c'è più decoro, le carceri d'oro
Ma chi l'ha mai viste, chissà
Chiste so' fatiscienti pe' chisto i fetienti
Se tengono l'immunità
Don Raffaè, voi politicamente
Io ve lo giuro, sarebbe 'nu santo
Ma 'ca dinto voi state a pagà
E fora chiss'atre se stanno a spassà
A proposito tengo 'nu frate
Che da quindici anni sta disoccupato
Chill'ha fatto cinquanta concorsi
Novanta domande e duecento ricorsi
Voi che date conforto e lavoro
Eminenza vi bacio, v'imploro
Chillo duorme co' mamma e co' me
Che crema d'Arabia ch'è chisto cafè
The song "Don Raffaè" by Fabrizio De André tells the story of Pasquale Cafiero, a prison brigadier at Poggio Reale from 1953, who spends his days dealing with difficult inmates and corrupt politicians. Despite the challenges he faces, Pasquale finds solace in reading the newspaper and discussing current events with Don Raffaè, a wise and respected fellow inmate who helps him make sense of the injustices he witnesses. The refrain of the song focuses on the comfort that Pasquale finds in a cup of coffee, particularly when made to the recipe of Ciccirinella, another inmate with whom he shares a cell.
The lyrics touch upon themes of corruption and injustice within the prison system and the wider society, as well as everyday struggles with employment, poverty, and bureaucracy. The character of Don Raffaè represents a voice of reason and compassion in a world that often seems indifferent and hostile, while the shared ritual of drinking coffee serves as a symbol of solidarity and human connection even in the bleakest of circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Io mi chiamo Pasquale Cafiero
E son brigadiere del carcere oinè
My name is Pasquale Cafiero and I am a prison sergeant.
Io mi chiamo Cafiero Pasquale
Sto a Poggio Reale dal '53
My name is Cafiero Pasquale and I have been stationed at Poggio Reale since 1953.
E al centesimo catenaccio
Alla sera mi sento uno straccio
Per fortuna che al braccio speciale
C'è un uomo geniale che parla co' me
By the hundredth lock at night I feel like a rag, but thankfully there's a brilliant man in the special wing who talks to me.
Tutto il giorno con quattro infamoni
Briganti, papponi, cornuti e lacchè
Tutte l'ore co' 'sta fetenzia
Che sputa minaccia e s'à piglia cu' me
All day I'm with four scumbags - robbers, pimps, cuckolds, and henchmen - stuck with this filth who spits threats and takes it out on me.
Ma alla fine m'assetto papale
Mi sbottono e mi leggo 'o giornale
Mi consiglio con don Raffae'
Mi spiega che penso e bevimm' 'o cafè
But at the end of the day, I put on my pope-like garb, unbutton and read the newspaper. I consult with Don Raffaele who explains what I'm thinking, and we have coffee.
A che bell' 'o cafè
Pure in carcere 'o sanno fa
Co' a ricetta ch'à Ciccirinella
Cumpagno di cell, ci ha dato mammà
What a good coffee, even in prison they know how to make it, with the recipe that Ciccirinella, my cellmate, got from his mother.
Prima pagina venti notizie
Ventuno ingiustizie e lo Stato che fa
Si costerna, s'indigna, s'impegna
Poi getta la spugna con gran dignità
Front page carries twenty news stories, twenty-one injustices and what does the state do? It worries, gets outraged, takes action, and then throws in the towel with great dignity.
Mi scervello e m'asciugo la fronte
Per fortuna c'è chi mi risponde
A quell'uomo sceltissimo immenso
Io chiedo consenso a don Raffaè
I rack my brain and wipe my forehead, thankfully there's someone to answer me. To that exceptionally brilliant man, I ask Don Raffaele for his consent.
Un galantuomo che tiene sei figli
Ha chiesto una casa e ci danno consigli
Mentre 'o assessore, che Dio lo perdoni
'Ndrento a 'e roullotte ci alleva i visoni
A gentleman with six children asked for a house and they give us advice, while the assessor, may God forgive him, is breeding minks inside his fur coat.
Voi vi basta una mossa, una voce
C'ha 'sto Cristo ci levano 'a croce
Con rispetto,s'è fatto le tre
Volite 'a spremuta o volite 'o cafè?
All you need is a gesture, a voice, and this Christ will be taken off the cross. With respect, it's gotten late, would you like juice or coffee?
Ca' ci sta l'inflazione, la svalutazione
E la borsa ce l'ha chi ce l'ha
Io non tengo compendio che chillo stipendio
E un ambo se sogno 'a papà
Inflation and devaluation are here, and those who have the stock market get richer. I don't understand anything other than my paycheck, and if I dream I'll win the lottery.
Aggiungete mia figlia Innocenza
Vuo' marito, non tiene pazienza
Non vi chiedo la grazia pe' me
Vi faccio la barba, o la fate da sé?
Add my daughter Innocenza, she wants a husband and has no patience. I'm not asking you for a favor for me, would you like me to shave you or will you do it yourself?
Voi tenete un cappotto cammello
Che al maxi processo eravate 'o chiù bello
Un vestito gessato marrone
Così ci è sembrato alla televisione
You have a camel coat that made you appear the most beautiful during the major trial, and a brown pinstripe suit, that's how you looked on TV.
Pe' 'ste nozze vi prego, Eccellenza
Mi prestasse pe' fare presenza
Io già tengo le scarpe e 'o gillè
Gradite 'o Campari o volite 'o cafè?
For this wedding, I beg you, your Excellency, can you lend me to be present? I already have the shoes and the jacket, do you prefer Campari or coffee?
Qui non c'è più decoro, le carceri d'oro
Ma chi l'ha mai viste, chissà
Chiste so' fatiscienti pe' chisto i fetienti
Se tengono l'immunità
Here there's no more decency, golden prisons, who's ever seen them, who knows. They're falling apart for these criminals, if they have immunity.
Don Raffaè, voi politicamente
Io ve lo giuro, sarebbe 'nu santo
Ma 'ca dinto voi state a pagà
E fora chiss'atre se stanno a spassà
Don Raffaele, politically speaking, I swear you'd be a saint, but what you pay here, God knows what they're doing out there.
A proposito tengo 'nu frate
Che da quindici anni sta disoccupato
Chill'ha fatto cinquanta concorsi
Novanta domande e duecento ricorsi
Speaking of it, I have a brother who's been unemployed for fifteen years. He's applied to fifty competitions, ninety applications, and two hundred appeals.
Voi che date conforto e lavoro
Eminenza vi bacio, v'imploro
Chillo duorme co' mamma e co' me
Che crema d'Arabia ch'è chisto cafè
You who give comfort and work, your Eminence, I kiss you, I implore you. My brother sleeps with me and mom, that's how incredible this coffee is.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Mauro Pagani, Massimo Bubola, Fabrizio De Andre
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sonia Pambira
Io mi chiamo Pasquale Cafiero
E son brigadiero del carcere, oiné
Io mi chiamo Cafiero Pasquale
E sto a Poggio Reale dal '53
E al centesimo catenaccio
Alla sera mi sento uno straccio
Per fortuna che al braccio speciale
C'è un uomo geniale che parla co' me
Tutto il giorno con quattro infamoni
Briganti, papponi, cornuti e lacchè
Tutte l'ore co' 'sta fetenzia
Che sputa minaccia e s'a piglia co' me
Ma alla fine m'assetto papale
Mi sbottono e mi leggo 'o giornale
Mi consiglio con don Raffae'
Mi spiega che penso e bevimm' 'o café
Ah, che bell' 'o cafè
Pure in carcere 'o sanno fa
Co' a ricetta ch'a Ciccirinella
Compagno di cella, c'ha dato mammà
Prima pagina, venti notizie
Ventuno ingiustizie e lo Stato che fa
Si costerna, s'indigna, s'impegna
Poi getta la spugna con gran dignità
Mi scervello e m'asciugo la fronte
Per fortuna c'è chi mi risponde
A quell'uomo sceltissimo immenso
Io chiedo consenso a don Raffae'
Un galantuomo che tiene sei figli
Ha chiesto una casa e ci danno consigli
Mentre 'o assessore, che Dio lo perdoni
'Ndrento a 'e roulotte ci alleva i visoni
Voi vi basta una mossa, una voce
C'ha 'sto Cristo ci levano 'a croce
Con rispetto, s'è fatto le tre
Volite 'a spremuta o volite 'o cafè?
Ah, che bell' 'o cafè
Pure in carcere 'o sanno fa
Co' a ricetta ch'a Ciccirinella
Compagno di cella, c'ha dato mammà
Ah, che bell' 'o café
Pure in carcere 'o sanno fa
Co' a ricetta di Ciccirinella
Compagno di cella, preciso a mammà
Ca' ci sta l'inflazione, la svalutazione
E la borsa ce l'ha chi ce l'ha
Io non tengo compendio che chillo stipendio
E un ambo se sogno 'a papà
Aggiungete mia figlia Innocenza
Vuo' 'o marito, non tiene pazienza
Non vi chiedo la grazia pe' me
Vi faccio la barba o la fate da sé?
Voi tenete un cappotto cammello
Che al maxi-processo eravate 'o cchiù bello
Un vestito gessato marrone
Così ci è sembrato alla televisione
Pe' 'ste nozze vi prego, Eccellenza
Mi prestasse pe' fare presenza
Io già tengo le scarpe e 'o gilley
Gradite 'o Campari o volite o cafè?
Ah, che bell' 'o café
Pure in carcere 'o sanno fa
Co' a ricetta ch'a Ciccirinella
Compagno di cella, cc'ha dato mammà
Ah, che bell' 'o café
Pure in carcere 'o sanno fa
Co' a ricetta di Ciccirinella
Compagno di cella, preciso a mammà
Qui non c'è più decoro, le carceri d'oro
Ma chi l'ha mai viste chissà
Chiste so' fatiscienti, pe' chisto i fetienti
Si tengono l'immunità
Don Raffae' voi politicamente
Io ve lo giuro, sarebbe 'nu santo
Ma 'ca dinto voi state a pagà
E fora chist'ati se stanno a spassa'
A proposito tengo 'nu frate
Che da quindici anni sta disoccupato
Che s'ha fatto cinquanta concorsi
Novanta domande e duecento ricorsi
Voi che date conforto e lavoro
Eminenza, vi bacio, v'imploro
Chillo duorme co' mamma e con me
Che crema d'Arabia ch'è chisto cafè
massimo calderini
Da napoletano dico solo questo : mi inchino davanti alla grandezza di De Andre'. Per sempre una leggenda assoluta. Questa canzone poi....un capolavoro.
Diletta sorcina per sempre
Anche io
canga seiro
E ci mancherebbe altro
sergio massa
@Diletta sorcina per sempre ppp
El Mitra
Non ho capito cosa c'entra il tuo essere napoletano 🤣
Serenella Serenella
Io non sono napoletana ma mi inchino anche io
Giacomo Volani
La cosa straordinaria di Faber è che con una canzone riusciva a spiegare argomenti complessi e delicati come nessun altro, in 5 minuti di canzone! Immortale
massimiliano vegro
Si chiama, genialità 😊.
Giovanni Di Prima
Agli inizi della sua carriera era ritroso di cantare in pubblico, faceva incidere i dischi in sala prove, poi forse per amore per Dori Ghezzi, comincio' ha cantare in pubblico. (Di preciso non so, ma' qualcosa slocco' il suo timore del pubblico. Giovanni Di Prima. P.S. con le sue canzoni, esprimeva molte situazioni della gente ligure.
Giovanni Di Prima
Ora non c'e piu'' canzoni che esprimano gli stati d'animo, ma' musica assordante. Giovanni Di Prima.