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.
Libera Nos Domine
Francesco Guccini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
da morte prematura, da morte industriale,
per mano poliziotta, di pazzo generale,
diossina o colorante, da incidente stradale,
dalle palle vaganti d'ogni tipo e ideale,
da tutti questi insieme e da ogni altro male,
libera, libera, libera, libera nos Domine!
dai sacri sanfedisti e da quel loro odore,
dai pazzi giacobini e dal loro bruciore,
da visionari e martiri dell'odio e del terrore,
da chi ti paradisa dicendo "è per amore",
dai manichei che ti urlano "o con noi o traditore!",
libera, libera, libera, libera nos Domine!
Dai poveri di spirito e dagli intolleranti,
da falsi intellettuali, giornalisti ignoranti,
da eroi, navigatori, profeti, vati, santi,
dai sicuri di sé, presuntuosi e arroganti,
dal cinismo di molti, dalle voglie di tanti,
dall'egoismo sdrucciolo che abbiamo tutti quanti,
libera, libera, libera, libera nos Domine!
Da te, dalle tue immagini e dalla tua paura,
dai preti d'ogni credo, da ogni loro impostura,
da inferni e paradisi, da una vita futura,
da utopie per lenire questa morte sicura,
da crociati e crociate, da ogni sacra scrittura,
da fedeli invasati d'ogni tipo e natura,
libera, libera, libera, libera nos Domine,
libera, libera, libera, libera nos Domine...
Francesco Guccini's song "Libera Nos Domine" is a passionate and powerful plea to be freed from all forms of death and evil that exist in the world. The lyrics highlight the various types of death - natural, premature, industrial, caused by police brutality, and accidents. The line "da tutti questi insieme e da ogni altro male" (from all of these together and from every other evil) emphasizes the scale and scope of the problems faced by humanity. Guccini appeals to God to liberate us from all these forms of death and evil.
The song also addresses the various forms of intolerance and extremism that exist in society. Guccini refers to "imbecili d'ogni razza e colore" (imbeciles of every race and color), "sacri sanfedisti" (sacred Sanfedists), "pazzi giacobini" (mad Jacobins), and other groups who use violence and hate to further their beliefs. Guccini rejects their narrow-mindedness and urges God to free us from their influence.
Finally, Guccini speaks of the need to be liberated from our own flaws and shortcomings. He acknowledges that we are all prone to selfishness, arrogance, and cynicism. He asks God to free us from these tendencies so that we can live better lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Da morte nera e secca, da morte innaturale, da morte prematura, da morte industriale, per mano poliziotta, di pazzo generale, diossina o colorante, da incidente stradale, dalle palle vaganti d'ogni tipo e ideale, da tutti questi insieme e da ogni altro male, libera, libera, libera, libera nos Domine!
Protect us, Lord, from every form of death - whether it be black, dry or unnatural, whether it comes too soon, due to industrial activities or police brutality, from the craziness of those in power, be it from dioxin or paint, or from a road accident, from those who push their own ideals, and from every other evil in the world.
Dai poveri di spirito e dagli intolleranti, da falsi intellettuali, giornalisti ignoranti, da eroi, navigatori, profeti, vati, santi, dai sicuri di sé, presuntuosi e arroganti, dal cinismo di molti, dalle voglie di tanti, dall'egoismo sdrucciolo che abbiamo tutti quanti, libera, libera, libera, libera nos Domine!
Shield us from the ignorant and intolerant, from fake intellectuals and ignorant journalists, from those who believe they are heroes, navigators, prophets, or saints, and from those who are sure of themselves and are arrogant, from the cynicism of many and the desires of others, and from the selfishness that we all possess.
Da tutti gli imbecilli d'ogni razza e colore, dai sacri sanfedisti e da quel loro odore, dai pazzi giacobini e dal loro bruciore, da visionari e martiri dell'odio e del terrore, da chi ti paradisa dicendo "è per amore", dai manichei che ti urlano "o con noi o traditore!", libera, libera, libera, libera nos Domine!
Protect us from foolish people of all races and colors, from the Sanctified and their smell, from the crazy Jacobins and their burning desires, from visionaries and martyrs of hate and terror, from those who worship you and say it's for love, from Manicheans who yell "either with us or you're a traitor!"
Da te, dalle tue immagini e dalla tua paura, dai preti d'ogni credo, da ogni loro impostura, da inferni e paradisi, da una vita futura, da utopie per lenire questa morte sicura, da crociati e crociate, da ogni sacra scrittura, da fedeli invasati d'ogni tipo e natura, libera, libera, libera, libera nos Domine, libera, libera, libera, libera nos Domine...
Protect us even from you, Lord, from your images and from the fear you create, from all kinds of priests and their lies, from the concept of heaven and hell, from the possibility of an afterlife, from delusions to soothe certain death, from crusaders, and from every 'sacred scripture,' from zealous believers of every kind and nature, liberate us, Lord, liberate us.
Contributed by Kennedy J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sonny Boy
Come sempre non risparmia nessuno cogliendo le cose come stanno da secoli e saranno per sempre. Amen
Serenaif
Grandissimo! Oggi come allora è vivo in noi il desiderio di un mondo migliore, libero dalle falsità, illuminato dal pensiero critico. Francesco Guccini scardina la "fede" che imprigiona la mente mana: evviva i sani dubbi di chi continua a farsi domande, ora è sempre. Ogni parola una sintesi di genio.
Imalgene500
Un genio che ha sempre capito tutto, enorme Guccini grazie di tutto !!!!
Umberto Nicolaci
Standing ovation, per chi aveva evidenziato per tempo, il mix micidiale fatto d'ignoranza e arroganza; che ancora oggi miete più vittime della peste bubbonica! Grande Francesco👍👍👍
Gianfelice Fusco
Sempre attuale. Guccini è un mito!
Claudio Rustioni
Dedicata ai miei figli per conquistare consapevolezza...✌🏻
Max Xam
Attualissima...un trattato di illuminismo in musica
Giovanni P.
Dai preti, da ogni credo, da ogni loro impostura, da inferni e paradisi, di fedeli invasati di ogni tipi e natura, libera, libera nos domine!
Pasquale Cortese
Forse in 8 anni qualcosa è cambiata e mi sa che dobbiamo liberarci di chi ci governa...che ne dici?
Pierantonio Faciocchi
Liberaci Nostro signore dalle ignoranze dell’uomo .
Versi e poesia unica e vera.
Che esista o non esista Dio lo creiamo noi con il nostro modo di vivere