FF’s first album, 1.0, was released in 1999 in Italy by Mescal and soon travelled beyond national borders. Universal Music Japan engineered a Japanese release in 2000, and Omnium Recordings an American/Canadian/Mexican one in early 2001, to a wide acclaim. In the mean time, Fiamma and Alberto had built up a permanent (and predominantly female and very young, consistently with the attitude of the project) live band. This includes the versatile Lady Jessica Lombardi, here (Emilian bagpipes, flutes, electric bass) and Italian-Eritrean female dj Medhin Paolos (loops and samples). The band has been invited to WOMAD 2001 in Palermo; to the CMJ Music Marathon in New York in the same year (the event cancelled because of the Twin Towers tragedy); to the Detroit Festival of the Arts in 2002 and to many festivals and gigs in Italy and abroad.
In September 2003 FF signed to American label Omnium Recordings and released their second album, Home. The new release is even more focused on northern Italian roots than the former one (almost all of the 11 tracks are traditionals, and traditional artists of the old generations feature prominently), but it is also more extreme in sound, with a harder, more “live” approach to electronica. The album was accompanied by a contract with an agent in the USA, SRO Artists, and an American tour, which saw FF perform on the most important American world music festivals and clubs of the period (Chicago, Detroit, Bloomington, Minneapolis, St. Louis...). Since January 2004 Home is in distribution in Sweden (by CDA); since March in the UK (by Discovery); on April 16th it will be released in Italy, too (by Mescal).
Walking song
Fiamma Fumana Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I walk on the palm-lined road by the orchard
There is no one around, the truck has vanished beyond the bend
And the clouds cross the sky, crowded with birds
The backpack is light and the trail shadowy
And the morning sun does not burn
The rhythm of my footsteps is perfect
Once more the road carries me with her
I only miss your footstep marked on mine
One step after another step
One foot after another foot and again
One step after another step
One foot after another foot
The bar in Santiago resounds with music and voices
The girls dance happily on the courtyard's stones
The Italian tourists admire them, leaning on the counter
All around the night is sweet and full of stars
Emilio has arrived with his guitar
He is talking to Oscar and Carlos
The trumpet draws arabesques
That shine sharply beyond my glass
Once more the road carries me with her
I only miss your footstep marked on mine
One step after another step...
Last night I dreamed of plains in green and brown
And beeches and chestnut-trees dripping the winter rain
The sky was dark, and the fog wrapped everything
But an inviting light shone at the house's windows
And everything was grey and everything was dull
Like the places where I grew up
Yet in my dream I was happy
As she who is going back to the people she loves
Once more the road carries me back to you
And I listen to my footsteps once more marked on yours
The song "Walking Song" by Fiamma Fumana is a poetic representation of a walk taken by the artist. It is a journey taken on foot, where the artist walks on a palm-lined road by an orchard and treads on the red dust which stains their clothes. The path is deserted, and the artist carries a light backpack. As they walk, they realize that the rhythm of their footsteps is like a music playing inside of them. The surrounding clouds are crowded with birds, and the morning sun is just the right amount of warm. The artist misses the footstep of someone who was with them earlier on the walk.
The artist describes their surroundings in elaborate detail. In the next verse, they describe a bar in Santiago, where girls are dancing happily on the courtyard's stones. Italian tourists are admiring them, leaning on the counter, and the starry night is sweet. Everything is lively in the bar, with the trumpet drawing arabesques that shine sharply beyond his glass. The artist once again misses the footstep of a companion as they walk.
In conclusion, "Walking Song" is a beautiful song that takes the listener on a poetic journey. It is a song about walking, about being in the moment, and about the nostalgia one can feel for the companionship of others. The lyrics are vivid and descriptive, and the artist skillfully evokes a sense of place and emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
I tread on the red dust which stains my clothes
I walk on a path covered in red dirt that stains my clothing.
I walk on the palm-lined road by the orchard
I am walking on a road alongside the trees of an orchard, which are lined with palm trees.
There is no one around, the truck has vanished beyond the bend
There is no one in my vicinity, as a truck has disappeared out of sight after turning on a bend in the road.
And the clouds cross the sky, crowded with birds
Birds fill the sky, as clouds move across it.
The backpack is light and the trail shadowy
The backpack I'm carrying is not heavy, and the path I'm on is lacking in significant illumination.
And the morning sun does not burn
The sun is rising, but it isn't hot yet.
The rhythm of my footsteps is perfect
My walking is in tune with the beat in my heart.
It reminds me of a music playing inside of me
The footsteps are akin to a melody playing within me.
Once more the road carries me with her
Once again I am being led by the road I'm walking on.
I only miss your footstep marked on mine
The only thing I miss is the sound of someone else's footsteps walking alongside mine.
One step after another step
I am putting one foot in front of the other, moving forward.
One foot after another foot and again
Continuing to place one foot in front of the other, repeatedly.
The bar in Santiago resounds with music and voices
A bar in Santiago is filled with lively music and chatter.
The girls dance happily on the courtyard's stones
The female patrons inside are dancing merrily on stones within a courtyard.
The Italian tourists admire them, leaning on the counter
The tourists from Italy are enjoying the view, while leaning against a counter.
All around the night is sweet and full of stars
The atmosphere is pleasant, and the sky is filled with stars.
Emilio has arrived with his guitar
Emilio just showed up with his guitar.
He is talking to Oscar and Carlos
He is currently having a conversation with Oscar and Carlos.
The trumpet draws arabesques
A trumpet is playing melodies filled with intricate shapes and patterns.
That shine sharply beyond my glass
The melody resonating from the trumpet harmoniously matches the contents of my glass.
Last night I dreamed of plains in green and brown
The previous night, I had a dream that consisted of fields colored in brown and green.
And beeches and chestnut-trees dripping the winter rain
In the same dream, beech and chestnut-trees were being showered by the rain of winter.
The sky was dark, and the fog wrapped everything
The scenery was covered in mist due to the dark, cloudy sky.
But an inviting light shone at the house's windows
Despite the uninviting environment, light was emitting from the windows of a house.
And everything was grey and everything was dull
Everything within that dream was uneventful and monotonous.
Like the places where I grew up
The same felt like the places of my upbringing.
Yet in my dream I was happy
Despite that, I felt content in the dreamed environment.
As she who is going back to the people she loves
It was the same sensation as that of someone returning to their beloved acquaintances.
Once more the road carries me back to you
The road is taking me back to the person I care for.
And I listen to my footsteps once more marked on yours
I can hear the sound of our footsteps walking together again.
Contributed by William D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.