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 di notte n. 3
Francesco Guccini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come un ladro sempre pronta per fuggire
Ogni età chiude in sé i crismi dello sbando, sbaglio e intuire
Coi suoi giochi di carambola e rimando, prendere e offrire
Ma si muoia solo un po' di quando in quando
Ma sia poco a poco che si va a morire
Ogni giorno è un altro giorno regalato
Ma per quanto non l'ho mai visto colmato, così per dire
Resta solo l'urlo solito gridato, tentare e agire
Ma si pianga solo un po' perché è un peccato
E si rida poi sul come andrà a finire
Lo capisco se mi prendi per le mele
Ma ci passo sopra, gioco e non mi arrendo
Ogni giorno riapro i vetri e alzo le vele, se posso prendo
Quando perdo non sto lì a mandar giù fiele e non mi svendo
E poi perdere ogni tanto ci ha il suo miele
E se dicono che vinco stan mentendo
Perché quelle poche volte che busso a bastoni
Mi rispondono con spade o con denari
La ragione diamo e il vincere ai coglioni, oppure ai bari
Resteremo sempre a un punto dai campioni (tredici è pari)
Ma si perda perché siam tre volte buoni
E si vinca solo in sogni straordinari
Ah, quei sogni, ah, quelle forze del destino
Che chi conta spingerebbe a rinnegare
Ci hanno detto di non fare più casino, non disturbare
Canteremo solo in modo clandestino, senza vociare
Poi ghignando ce ne andremo pian pianino
Per sederci lungo il fiume ad aspettare
Quello che mi gira in testa questa notte
Son tornato, incerta amica, a riferire
Noi immergenti, noi con fedi ed ossa rotte, lasciamo dire
Ne abbiam visti geni e maghi uscire a frotte per scomparire
Noi, se si muore solo un po'chi se ne fotte
Ma sia molto tardi che si va a dormire
The song "Canzone di notte n. 3" by Francesco Guccini is a contemplation on life and its fleeting nature. The song opens with the idea that existence is always on the run, like a thief. Every age has its own chaos and confusion, but also intuition and wisdom. Guccini juxtaposes the games of billiards and offer and take to represent the balance between living and dying. The lyrics assert that one should die just a little every once in a while, and that it should be a slow process.
Guccini acknowledges that every day is a gift, and every night is an opportunity to fill a void. He expresses the sentiment that he has never fully filled the void, but he keeps trying. The lyrics suggest that one should try to cry just a little bit for their occasional failures, and then laugh at how things will ultimately end. Guccini's outlook on life in this song is one of accepting the ups and downs that come along with it, while continuing to push forward and trying to make the most of it.
Overall, "Canzone di notte n. 3" is a song about finding balance and appreciating the fleeting nature of life, while continuing to strive for something better. The lyrics are introspective and thoughtful, with a touch of humor and irony.
Line by Line Meaning
Esistenza, che stai qui di contrabbando
Existence, you're here smuggled in like a thief, always ready to flee
Come un ladro sempre pronta per fuggire
Always ready to escape like a thief
Ogni età chiude in sé i crismi dello sbando, sbaglio e intuire
Every age contains the elements of adventures, mistakes and learning
Coi suoi giochi di carambola e rimando, prendere e offrire
With its games of carom and reference, taking and giving
Ma si muoia solo un po' di quando in quando
But one should only die a little from time to time
Ma sia poco a poco che si va a morire
And let it be a gradual process of dying
Ogni giorno è un altro giorno regalato
Every day is a gift, a new opportunity
Ogni notte è un buco nero da riempire
Every night is a black hole to fill
Ma per quanto non l'ho mai visto colmato, così per dire
But even though I've never seen it filled, so to speak
Resta solo l'urlo solito gridato, tentare e agire
Only the usual scream remains, to try and act
Ma si pianga solo un po' perché è un peccato
But shed only a little tear because it's a shame
E si rida poi sul come andrà a finire
And then laugh about how it will end up
Lo capisco se mi prendi per le mele
I understand if you mistake me for someone else
Ma ci passo sopra, gioco e non mi arrendo
But I just go with it, play, and don't give up
Ogni giorno riapro i vetri e alzo le vele, se posso prendo
Every day I open the windows and raise the sails, if I can
Quando perdo non sto lì a mandar giù fiele e non mi svendo
When I lose, I don't swallow my bitterness and I don't give up
E poi perdere ogni tanto ci ha il suo miele
And losing once in a while has its sweetness
E se dicono che vinco stan mentendo
And if they say I win, they're lying
Perché quelle poche volte che busso a bastoni
Because the few times I knock on doors with a stick
Mi rispondono con spade o con denari
They answer me with swords or money
La ragione diamo e il vincere ai coglioni, oppure ai bari
We give reason, and winning to the fools, or the cheats
Resteremo sempre a un punto dai campioni (tredici è pari)
We'll always be one point away from the champions (thirteen is even)
Ma si perda perché siam tre volte buoni
But let's lose because we are three times as good
E si vinca solo in sogni straordinari
And let's only win in extraordinary dreams
Ah, quei sogni, ah, quelle forze del destino
Ah, those dreams, ah, those forces of destiny
Che chi conta spingerebbe a rinnegare
That those who count would push us to deny
Ci hanno detto di non fare più casino, non disturbare
They told us not to make noise, not to disturb
Canteremo solo in modo clandestino, senza vociare
We'll sing only in secret, without shouting
Poi ghignando ce ne andremo pian pianino
Then we'll leave, grinning, slowly but surely
Per sederci lungo il fiume ad aspettare
To sit along the river and wait
Quello che mi gira in testa questa notte
What's on my mind tonight
Son tornato, incerta amica, a riferire
I came back, uncertain friend, to tell you
Noi immergenti, noi con fedi ed ossa rotte, lasciamo dire
We, the divers, we with broken bones and faith, let them talk
Ne abbiam visti geni e maghi uscire a frotte per scomparire
We've seen geniuses and magicians disappear in droves
Noi, se si muore solo un po'chi se ne fotte
We don't care if we only die a little
Ma sia molto tardi che si va a dormire
But let it be very late when we go to sleep
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Francesco Guccini
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind