He was the composer of Caruso (1986), which has been covered by numerous international artists. A version of Caruso sung by Luciano Pavarotti sold over 9 million copies and the song was a track on Andrea Bocelli's first international album Romanza which has sold over 16 million albums world wide thus far; the song is a tribute to the emblematic opera tenor Enrico Caruso.
He began to play the clarinet at an early age, in a jazz band in Rome. The singer-songwriter Gino Paoli noticed Dalla's vocal qualities and suggested he attempt a solo career as an Italian soul singer. In 1964, at age 21, Dalla recorded his first 45 rpm containing "Lei (non è per me)" and "Ma questa sera". However, Dalla's debut at the Cantagiro festival in 1965 was unsuccessful probably due to his appearance and to his music, which was considered too experimental for the time. His first album, 1999, was released the following year. His next album, Terra di Gaibola (from the name of a suburb of Bologna), was released in 1970 and contained some early Dalla classics.
His first hit was "4 Marzo 1943", which garnered some success at the Sanremo Festival. Regardless of its title, the song became popularly known as "Gesu bambino". Also successful was "Piazza grande", which Dalla would sing again at Sanremo.
At this point, Dalla made a decisive move in his career, starting a collaboration with the Bolognese poet Roberto Roversi. Roversi wrote the lyrics to Dalla's next three albums Il giorno aveva cinque teste (The Day Had Five Heads) (1973), Anidride solforosa (1975) and Automobili (Automobiles) (1976) Although these albums did not sell in large numbers, they were noted by critics for the unusual mix of Roversi's weird lyrics with Dalla's improvisatory, and sometimes experimental, compositional abilities.
The duo had already broken up by the time the concept album Automobili was released. Roversi, who had been against the album's release, chose the pseudonym "Norisso" when it was time to register the songs. The album, however, included one of Dalla's most popular songs, "Nuvolari", named after the famous 1930s Italian racer.
Affected by the end of the collaboration, Dalla decided to write the lyrics of his next albums himself. This decision proved to be surprisingly good, and he soon emerged as one of the most intelligent and musically cultured of the Italian singer-songwriters. The first album of this new phase was Com'è profondo il mare (1977), in which Dalla was accompanied by some members of the future pop band Stadio. The title track or "Quale allegria" are today ranked among the best Italian songs.
Dalla's poetic inspiration was confirmed by the following albums, all entitled Lucio Dalla or Dalla and all best-sellers. They contain classics like "Anna e Marco", "L'anno che verrà", "Futura", and "Cara".
In 1979, his popularity was confirmed by the success of the Banana Republic tour and album of 1979 together with singer-songwriter Francesco De Gregori, his band, and his friend Ron.
The hit single Attenti al Lupo (1990) gave him wider success in Europe.
He was invited for duetting on Pavarotti and friends, singing his own hit "Caruso" with Luciano Pavarotti.
He died from a heart attack in 1 March 2012 while on tour at Switzerland.
La casa in riva al mare
Lucio Dalla Lyrics
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The lyrics of "La casa in riva al mare" by Lucio Dalla tell the story of a man who is in prison and can only see the sea from his cell. He sees a white house in the distance with a woman looking out of the window. He gives her the name Maria and dreams of being with her. He imagines that she will be his companion and together they will be free. He even sees a ring on her finger and hopes that one day they will be together.
As time goes by, the man dreams of leaving prison and going to the city with Maria. He wishes for freedom and a new life. However, years pass and he grows old with his hair turning white. He tells Maria that he is coming to her, but by the end of the song, he is alone and lost in the blue sea.
The lyrics are full of emotions and symbolism. The sea represents freedom, while the white house represents the man's dreams of a new life. Maria is a symbol of hope and companionship. The dream of leaving prison and starting a new life is a common theme in many songs and literature.
Line by Line Meaning
Dalla sua cella lui vedeva solo il mare ed una casa bianca in mezzo al blu una donna si affacciava....
From his prison cell, all he could see was the endless expanse of the sea and a solitary white house in the middle of the blue. A woman appeared at the window of that house, and he called her Maria.
Maria E' il nome che le dava lui Alla mattina lei apriva la finestra E lui pensava quella e' casa mia
He gave the woman the name Maria. Every morning, she would open the window of the house he could see, and he imagined that it was his own home.
Tu sarai la mia compagna Maria Una speranza e una follia E sogno' la liberta'
He dreamed that Maria would be his companion and escape from prison with him. This hope was also a bit of madness, as he yearned for freedom.
E sogno' di andare via, via E un anello vide gia' Sulla mano di maria
He dreamed of escaping, and saw that Maria was already wearing an engagement ring on her hand.
Lunghi i silenzi come sono lunghi gli anni parole dolci che s'immagino' questa sera vengo fuori maria ti vengo a fare compagnia
Years went by, and the silence became as long as his confinement. He imagined sweet words that he would tell Maria, hoping to keep her company if he ever got the chance to see her again.
E gli anni stan passando tutti gli anni insieme ha gia' i capelli bianchi e non lo sa. questa sera vengo fuori maria vedrai che bella la citta' e sogno' la liberta'........ e gli anni son passati tutti gli anni insieme ed i suoi occhi ormai non vedon piu'
Years passed, and he grew old together with his memories of Maria. He dreamed of being reunited with her and experiencing the freedom of the outside world, despite not realizing how much time had already passed.
Disse ancora la mia donna sei tu e poi fu solo in mezo al blu' Coro: vengo da te mari'
In his final moments, Maria appeared to him one last time, telling him that he was her only love. Then he passed away, alone in his cell, while the blue of the sea outside continued on indefinitely.
Contributed by Alyssa J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Chaplin Verve
LYRICS / TESTO:
Dalla sua cella lui vedeva solo il mare
Ed una casa bianca in mezzo al blu
Una donna si affacciava, Maria
E' il nome che le dava lui
Alla mattina lei apriva la finestra
E lui pensava quella è casa mia
Tu sarai la mia compagna Maria
Una speranza e una follia
E sognò la libertà
E sognò di andare via, via
E un anello vide già
Sulla mano di Maria
Lunghi i silenzi come sono lunghi gli anni
Parole dolci che s'immaginò
Questa sera vengo fuori Maria
Ti vengo a fare compagnia
E gli anni stan passando tutti gli anni insieme
Ha già i capelli bianchi e non lo sa.
Dice sempre manca poco, Maria
Vedrai che bella la città
E sognò la libertà
E sognò di andare via, via
E un anello vide già
Sulla mano di Maria
E gli anni son passati tutti gli anni insieme
Ed i suoi occhi ormai non vedon più
Disse ancora la mia donna sei tu
E poi fu solo in mezzo al blu
E poi fu solo in mezzo al blu
E poi fu solo in mezzo al blu
Vengo da te Maria
Vengo da te Maria
Vengo da te Maria
Vengo da te Maria
Vengo da te Maria
Vengo da te Maria.
Aysan Bashirpour Bonab
Dalla sua cella lui vedeva solo il mare
Ed una casa bianca in mezzo al blu
Una donna si affacciava, Maria
È il nome che le dava lui
Alla mattina lei apriva la finestra
E lui pensava quella è casa mia
Tu sarai la mia compagna, Maria
Una speranza e una follia
E sogno la libertà
E sogno di andare via, via
E un anello vide già
Sulla mano di Maria
Lunghi i silenzi come sono lunghi gli anni
Parole dolci che s'immaginò
Questa sera vengo fuori, Maria
Ti vengo a fare compagnia
E gli anni stan passando, tutti gli anni insieme
Ha già i capelli bianchi e non lo sa
Questa sera vengo fuori, Maria
Vedrai che bella la città
E sogno la libertà
E sogno di andare via, via
E un anello vide già
Sulla mano di Maria
E sogno la libertà
E sogno di andare via, via
E un anello vide già
Sulla mano di Maria
E gli anni son passati tutti gli anni insieme
Ed i suoi occhi ormai non vendo più
Disse ancora la mia donna sei tu
E poi fu solo in mezzo al blu
E poi fu solo in mezzo al blu, Maria
E poi fu solo in mezzo al blu
E poi fu solo in mezzo al blu
E poi fu solo in mezzo al blu
E poi fu solo in mezzo al blu
cecilia mattera
Sarà che ti amo da sempre ...ti amo da quando avevo 13 anni e ti ascoltavo in spiaggia,sulla mia amata isola d'Ischia...ad oggi che ne ho 33 ti amo ancora di più...e ti sto facendo amare anche da mia figlia che ne ha solo due ...mi manchi Lucio, cazzarola se manchi ...❤️⚓
Antonella Amitrano
Un miscuglio di emozioni fatte di profonda tristezza e solitudine ma stranamente restituisce dolcezza e piacevolezza, unico nel suo genere
sarina
La canzone di Lucio che più mi emoziona, le sue parole quasi sussurrate mi arrivano dritte al cuore. Non ho mai sentito qualcosa di più poetico.
Luigi Iacoletti
Vero capolavoro..poesia pura
Luisa Grandi
La più bella poesia che ho ascoltato. Come ci manchi Lucio
Maria Colella
Aaa
Giampiero Sales
Una poesia sublime ❤
Paolo Rosazza P.
Una meraviglia, una speranza e una follia. Bravissimo, Lucio.
Francesco Erdas
inarrivabile Dalla…la capacità di farti immaginare le scene che racconta nelle sue canzoni e di farti emozionare come se le stessi vivendo tu stesso
Tommaso Marcantonio
Un canto alla Libertà, all'amore all'infinito.....
Una delle più belle canzoni ..... struggente.
Solo un animo sensibile poteva comporla