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.
Il bello
Francesco Guccini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
bello, con le scarpe di coppale e l'andata un po' per male, ed in bocca il riso amar...
Le donne treman quando monto la Gilera, fremono aspettando alla balera,
muoion spasimando nell'attesa che ad un mio cenno d'intesa io le stringa nel "casché"
Modestamente: olè!
Poi mi decido e avanzo tra la folla, lalala, e con un fischio invito la più bella, lalala:
lei mi stramazza sulla spalla, poverina, quell' odor di brillantina è il profumo dell'amor
Risponde dolce "Sguazzinelli Argìa, sto qui in fondo alla via al centoventitrè..."
Dimenticavo: olè!
Bello con la mossa, olè, dell'anca, bello mentre turbina la danza,
bello con lo sguardo vellutato ed il labbro corrucciato e la voluttà nel cor!
Oh, la stringo forte in una spastica carezza e nello spasimo una costola si spezza,
ma che m'importa, poichè sono quasi un mito
questo è il minimo tributo che una donna pagar dè...
Sono fatale: olè!
Tace il violino, si tace la chitarra, lalala, sazio d'amore la risbatto sulla panca, lalala,
lei sta piangendo il suo dolore, poverina, quell' odor di brillantina non scorderà mai più...
Mentre la notte tenebrosa impera, risalto al volo sulla mia Gilera:
per questa sera ho troppo amato e sono stanco,
la notte tutto in bianco non posso fare perchè
sono anemico! Olè!
The song "Il bello" by Francesco Guccini is a playful and ironic portrayal of a man who sees himself as the epitome of male beauty and charm. The lyrics describe this man as being dressed up in his finest clothes, with slicked back hair and shiny shoes. He is depicted as being so confident in his appeal to women that they tremble when he rides by on his motorcycle, hoping that he will invite them to dance. The man eagerly obliges, asking the most beautiful woman in the room to dance with him. As the dance progresses, he becomes increasingly forceful with his partner, even breaking one of her ribs in the process. Eventually, as the night draws to a close, the man rides off on his motorcycle, leaving his weeping partner behind.
The song is an ironic commentary on the concept of male beauty and machismo. While the man in the song sees himself as irresistible to women, the reality is that his behavior is unappealing and even violent. The use of the word "bello" (beautiful) throughout the song creates a sense of self-absorption and narcissism. The repeated use of the interjection "olè" adds to the playful tone of the song, but also serves to underscore the man's arrogance and egocentrism.
Overall, the lyrics of "Il bello" offer a satirical critique of traditional ideas of masculinity and male beauty, portraying them as shallow and ultimately empty. Guccini uses the language of romance and seduction to reveal the flaws and contradictions that lie beneath the surface of these conventions.
Line by Line Meaning
Bello col vestito della festa, bello con la brillantina in testa
Looking handsome with a party dress and shiny hairdo
bello, con le scarpe di coppale e l'andata un po' per male, ed in bocca il riso amar...
Still looking good despite the awkward shoes and bitter smile
Le donne treman quando monto la Gilera, fremono aspettando alla balera, muoion spasimando nell'attesa che ad un mio cenno d'intesa io le stringa nel "casché"
Women tremble when I ride my Gilera, they eagerly wait at the ballroom, dying for my attention and touch
Poi mi decido e avanzo tra la folla, lalala, e con un fischio invito la più bella, lalala:lei mi stramazza sulla spalla, poverina, quell' odor di brillantina è il profumo dell'amor e mentre il tango dolcemente vola sussurro piano: "bambola, il tuo nome!"
Slowly approaching the crowd, whistling to invite the prettiest girl, carrying her on my shoulder as she smells of perfume; we dance the tango with sweet whispers
Risponde dolce "Sguazzinelli Argìa, sto qui in fondo alla via al centoventitrè..."
She sweetly responds with her full name and address
Bello con la mossa, olè, dell'anca, bello mentre turbina la danza, bello con lo sguardo vellutato ed il labbro corrucciato e la voluttà nel cor! Oh, la stringo forte in una spastica carezza e nello spasimo una costola si spezza, ma che m'importa, poichè sono quasi un mito questo è il minimo tributo che una donna pagar dè... Sono fatale: olè!
Looking good with hip movements and passionate dance, with lust in my heart, I hold her tightly in a crazy embrace, breaking her rib, but I don't care since I am almost a myth and this is the least women could offer me
Tace il violino, si tace la chitarra, lalala, sazio d'amore la risbatto sulla panca, lalala, lei sta piangendo il suo dolore, poverina, quell' odor di brillantina non scorderà mai più...
As the music stops, we sit down exhausted, realizing her pain as she continues to smell of perfume, which she won't forget
Mentre la notte tenebrosa impera, risalto al volo sulla mia Gilera: per questa sera ho troppo amato e sono stanco, la notte tutto in bianco non posso fare perchè sono anemico! Olè!
As the dark night reigns, I ride my Gilera home, feeling tired and anemic due to loving too much this evening and unable to do anything else
Contributed by Owen R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Carlo Veniani
Balli , osterie , musica popolare e tanta vita di giovani sognatori .
Gian Carlo Carta
magico!!
fra fri
eclettico Guccio!
Irene Perini
Ciao caro sei bravissimo complimenti di cuore. Questa canzone mi ricorda i miei sentimenti e amori.
Valentina Locchi
Qualcuno mi potrebbe indicare un video che riproduca la versione incisa su 45 giri o comunque una sua riedizione digitale? Grazie! Questa comunque è un bel bombino!
cirauz
Modestamente...olè!!!!
mindy simmons
BUONGIORNO BELLO!
Dino De Biasi
Ehhhhh!!!! vecchi ricordi
Carlo Veniani
Veramente divertente , costola spezzata a parte ...
Francesco Pomposelli
e in bocca il riso amar...