He then moved back to his family in Modena and attended the local "istituto magistrale". He worked for a couple otf years as a reporter for a local newspaper Gazzetta di Modena. In 1960 the Guccinis moved to Bologna where Francesco studied at the local university. From 1965 to 1985 he held italian courses at the Dickinson College (an American school) in Bologna.
He played in local bands such as The Hurricanes and Gatti and achieved success in the 1960s writing songs for a legendary Italian band, Nomadi, also from Modena. Some of these successes include "Noi non ci saremo" and "Dio è morto". In the 1970s, Nomadi recorded two albums of Guccini's songs as well as a live album, Album Concerto, featuring him. Guccini's debut album was Folkbeat, No. 1 (1967).
Guccini always declared his first two works, Folk Beat n.1 and Due anni dopo, being merely tentatives, a nature probably noticeable in the quite essential musical arrangements. The latter, however, contained classics like the title-track and "La primavera di Praga" ("Prague Spring"). His first mature album is therefore L'Isola Non Trovata ("The Not Found Island") of 1970, which shows many the themes which were to be present in the future releases: a certain melancholy for a perceived nearness of death, as well as the portrait of outcasts figures like "Il frate" ("The Friar").
Radici ("Roots", 1972), is one of Guccini's finest works, and contains some of his most famous songs. These include: the title-track, a nostalgic declaration of love for Guccini's youth spent in the Appennine mountains; "La locomotiva", a long ballad about the solitary, unlucky revolt of a Bolognese railwayman during the 19th century; "Il vecchio e il bambino", a melancholic story about the dreams of an old man, and the different way in which they are perceived by the boy accompanying him; "Piccola città" ("Small City"), about Guccini's early years in the Emilia-Romagna provincial world.
Stanze di vita quotidiana ("Stanzas of Everyday Life") of 1974 deals with more private themes, sometimes with nearly desperate accents. The album contains at least one masterwork, the yearning "Canzone delle osterie di fuori porta".
In 1976 Guccini scored his greatest commercial success with the album Via Paolo Fabbri 43. The title is his residence street in Bologna. He declared this choice was an error, because many of his fans made true pilgrimages there to meet and talk with him. The album features the famous "L'avvelenata", a catchy ballad in which Guccini unleashes his rage against musics critics and people perceiving in a distorted way his career ans popularity as singer-songwriter.
Amerigo (1978), whose title-track is about the story of the emigration of Guccini's Pavanese uncle to the United States, Metropolis (1981), and Guccini (1983), showed that the Bolognese singer's inspiration was left untouched by the general switch to the more commercial themes that characterized the Italian musical world starting from the end of 1970s.
The 1984 live tournée was highly successful, and was soon collected in a double live LP, Fra la Via Emilia e il West ("Between the Via Aemilia and the West"). Emilia Romagna and the Old West symbolize well the double ties of Guccini to his native land and to America. Guccini declared to have knwown the latter soon in his life, through the comics and magazines imported by US soldiers during World War 2, but also through his uncle's tales. After the war, like many Italians of the period, he was of course influenced by American songs and Hollywood movies, and finally managed to touch with hand this kind of myth during his personal voyages to US (including a love story with an American girl).
Last album of 1980s was Signora Bovary (1987), containing notable pieces like "Scirocco". After several interlocutory albums in the 1990s, Guccini returned at his best with Stagioni ("Seasons") of 2000: the title-track is an effective, merciless accusation against media invadence and moral corruption of Italy.
Guccini's last studio release is Ritratti of 2004.
Canzone delle domande consuete
Francesco Guccini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
come se il tempo per noi non costasse l'uguale,
come se il tempo passato ed il tempo presente
non avessero stessa amarezza di sale.
Tu non sai le domande, ma non risponderei
per non strascinare le parole in linguaggio d'azzardo;
eri bella, lo so, e che bella che sei;
dicon tanto un silenzio e uno sguardo.
quel che sono o sarei, quel che saro' domani...
non parlare non dire piu' niente se puoi,
lascia farlo ai tuoi occhi alle mani.
Non andare...vai. Non restare...stai.
Non parlare...parlami di te.
Tu lo sai, io lo so, quanto vanno disperse,
trascinate dai giorni come piena di fiume
tante cose sembrate e credute diverse
come un prato coperto a bitume.
Rimanere cosi' annaspare nel niente,
custodire i ricordi, carezzare le eta',
e' uno stallo o un rifiuto crudele e incosciente
del diritto alla felicita'
Se ci sei, cosa sei? Cosa pensi e perche'?
Non lo so, non lo sai; siamo qui o lontani?
Esser tutto, un momento, ma dentro di te.
Aver tutto, ma non il domani.
Non andare...vai. Non restare...stai.
Non parlare...parlami di te.
E siamo qui, spogli, in questa stagione che unisce
tutto cio' che sta fermo, tutto cio' che si muove;
non so dire se nasce un periodo o finisce,
se dal cielo ora piove o non piove,
pronto a dire "buongiorno", a rispondere "bene"
a sorridere a "salve", dire anch'io "come va?"
Non c' vento stasera. Siamo o non siamo assieme?
Fuori c'e' ancora una citta'
Se c'e' ancora balliamoci dentro stasera,
con gli amici cantiamo una nuova canzone....
...tanti anni, e sono qui ad aspettar primavera
tanti anni, ed ancora in pallone
Non andare...vai. Non restare...stai.
Non parlare...parlami di te.
Non andare...vai. Non restare...stai.
Non parlare...parlami di noi.
The song "Canzone delle domande consuete" by Francesco Guccini is a reflection of the singer's contemplation of the passage of time and the complexities of relationships. The opening lines imply the singer's uncertainty and avoidance of confronting the challenges inherent in relationships. The phrase "come se il tempo per noi non costasse l'uguale" can be translated to "as if time did not cost us equally," suggesting the singer's hesitation to invest time and emotional energy into a relationship that may not be reciprocated. The line "tu non sai le domande, ma non risponderei" (you don't know the questions, but I wouldn't answer anyway) reveals the singer's fear of engaging in the unknown and risking rejection.
The song also touches on the impermanence of relationships and experiences. The line, "tu lo sai, io lo so, quanto vanno disperse" (you know, I know, how much is scattered) highlights the fleeting nature of things that are highly valued, such as memories and love. The line "Non andare...vai. Non restare...stai. Non parlare...parlami di noi" can be interpreted as a plea to hold on to the present moment and the relationship, as it's unclear if they will continue in the future. The overall message seems to be a pensive reflection upon what could be and what has been, and the fear of the unknown that keeps people from engaging fully in the present.
Line by Line Meaning
Ancora qui a domandarsi e a far finta di niente
We are still here, wondering and pretending nothing is wrong
come se il tempo per noi non costasse l'uguale,
as if time didn't weigh equally on us
come se il tempo passato ed il tempo presente
as if the past and present didn't bring the same bitterness
non avessero stessa amarezza di sale.
of salted wounds
Tu non sai le domande, ma non risponderei
You don't know the questions, but I wouldn't answer them
per non strascinare le parole in linguaggio d'azzardo;
to avoid dragging words in uncertain language
eri bella, lo so, e che bella che sei;
you were beautiful, I know, and how beautiful you still are
dicon tanto un silenzio e uno sguardo.
silence and a look can say so much
Se ci sono non so cosa sono e se vuoi
If there is something, I don't know what it is, and if you want
quel che sono o sarei, quel che saro' domani...
what I am or would be, what I will be tomorrow ...
non parlare non dire piu' niente se puoi,
don't speak, don't say anything else if you can
lascia farlo ai tuoi occhi alle mani.
let your eyes and your hands do it
Non andare...vai. Non restare...stai.
Don't go ... go. Don't stay ... stay.
Non parlare...parlami di te.
Don't talk ... talk to me about yourself.
Tu lo sai, io lo so, quanto vanno disperse,
You know it, I know it, how much things get lost
trascinate dai giorni come piena di fiume
dragged by the days like a full river
tante cose sembrate e credute diverse
so many things seemed and believed to be different
come un prato coperto a bitume.
like a meadow covered in bitumen.
Rimanere cosi' annaspare nel niente,
Remaining like this, struggling in nothingness,
custodire i ricordi, carezzare le eta',
keeping memories, cherishing the ages,
e' uno stallo o un rifiuto crudele e incosciente
is a stalemate or a cruel and unconscious rejection
del diritto alla felicita'
of the right to happiness
Se ci sei, cosa sei? Cosa pensi e perche'?
If you exist, what are you? What do you think and why?
Non lo so, non lo sai; siamo qui o lontani?
I don't know, you don't know; are we here or far away?
Esser tutto, un momento, ma dentro di te.
To be everything, for a moment, but inside of you.
Aver tutto, ma non il domani.
To have everything, but not tomorrow.
E siamo qui, spogli, in questa stagione che unisce
And here we are, stripped, in this season that unites
tutto cio' che sta fermo, tutto cio' che si muove;
everything that stands still, everything that moves;
non so dire se nasce un periodo o finisce,
I can't tell if a period begins or ends,
se dal cielo ora piove o non piove,
if it's raining from the sky or not, right now,
pronto a dire "buongiorno", a rispondere "bene"
ready to say "good morning", to answer "fine"
a sorridere a "salve", dire anch'io "come va?"
to smile at "hello", say "how are you?" too
Non c' vento stasera. Siamo o non siamo assieme?
There's no wind tonight. Are we together or not?
Fuori c'e' ancora una citta'
Outside, there is still a city
Se c'e' ancora balliamoci dentro stasera,
If it still exists, let's dance inside tonight,
con gli amici cantiamo una nuova canzone....
with friends, let's sing a new song ...
...tanti anni, e sono qui ad aspettar primavera
...so many years, and I'm here waiting for spring
tanti anni, ed ancora in pallone
so many years, and still confused
Non andare...vai. Non restare...stai.
Don't go ... go. Don't stay ... stay.
Non parlare...parlami di te.
Don't talk ... talk to me about yourself.
Non andare...vai. Non restare...stai.
Don't go ... go. Don't stay ... stay.
Non parlare...parlami di noi.
Don't talk ... talk to me about us.
Contributed by Cole R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
annalisa tanghetti
Che testo maestro:la forza ,il dolore, il peso del tempo,la malinconia e la grande musica che resta.
Rosanna Rosada
Grande autore , grande poeta , grande, persona ☀️☀️☀️
Massimo Riva
Poesia allo stato puro ❤️
Alfredo Spartà
Bellissima, struggente, favolosa, altissimi livelli!
Manuela Parisini
L'ho ascoltata poco tempo fa e tante volte in questi anni. Anche stasera mi sono venuti i brividi.
alessandra sani
Una canzone da tenere nel cuore, sempre. Grazie Francesco Guccini
Paolo Venturoli
Passano gli anni, ma riesci sempre a riempire i nostri cuori di cose belle...... grazie Francesco.
Maria Antonietta Barbarossa
Un magnifico poeta ❤
Matematica nessun problema: lezioni online
Che meraviglia 🥰
Cinzia Lista
Meravigliosa poesia un maestro Guccini