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.
Sottocasa
Lucio Dalla Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
E c'è una luce che l'illumina
Forse ti darà un po' di dolore
Ma non chiuderla
E se qualche volta col tramonto
Nei tuoi occhi c'è una lacrima
Non ti chiedere cos'è
È tutto quello che hai
Puoi fidarti di lei
Non tenerla in gabbia
O legata a un filo
Non accarezzarla
Non è il tuo gattino
Ha bisogno d'aria
L'aria del mattino
Esci fuori e fai un giro
Per le strade piene
In mezzo a tanta gente,
Gente che non parla
Che non chiede niente
Poi all'improvviso
Uno che si volta
Che ti guarda e fa un sorriso
Fermati
La tua anima
E fidati di lei
. . . . . .
Una cosa che comincia e poi finisce
Te la lasci dietro l'angolo
Una foto, un volto che sbiadisce
Vuol dire che era pallido
La tua anima da sola non rimane
E quel sorriso non è l'ultimo
Lei lo sa tra poche ore è già domani
Lo rivedi e senti un brivido
Il segreto che c'è,
È fidarsi di lei, ma...
Non tenerla in gabbia
O legata a un filo
Non accarezzarla
Non è il tuo gattino
Ha bisogno d'aria
L'aria del mattino
Torna fuori a fare un giro
Per le strade piene
In mezzo a tanta gente,
Gente che non parla
Che non chiede niente
Poi all'improvviso
Lo rivedi ancora
Lui sorride al tuo sorriso
Fermati
La tua anima
La rivivi con te
Uoho uoho
Uoho uoho
Hu uuuuuu
Uoh o o-o
Per le strade piene...
In mezzo a tanta gente eh
Per le strade piene...
In mezzo a tanta gente eh...
(Grazie a Salvo per questo testo e a Luigi per le correzioni)
The song "Sottocasa" by Lucio Dalla is about the importance of not suppressing one's emotions and soul. The opening lines urge the listener to open up the windows of their heart and let the light in, even if it may cause some pain. The following lines advise not to cage or restrain one's soul like a pet cat, but rather let it breathe and roam free in the fresh air of the morning.
The chorus repeats the message to trust one's soul and to not suppress it, even if it means feeling vulnerable. The second verse describes the fleeting nature of life and how one should cherish each moment and not let them pass by unnoticed, as represented by the smile of a stranger on the street.
The chorus is repeated once again, with the addition of the interjection "Uoho uoho," culminating in a final repetition of the phrase "Per le strade piene in mezzo a tanta gente" (Through the crowded streets among so many people).
Overall, the song encourages listeners to embrace their emotions and not to suppress their soul, even if it means feeling exposed or vulnerable.
Line by Line Meaning
Se si apre una finestra nel tuo cuore
If a window opens in your heart
E c'è una luce che l'illumina
And there is a light that illuminates it
Forse ti darà un po' di dolore
Perhaps it will give you a bit of pain
Ma non chiuderla
But don't close it
E se qualche volta col tramonto
And if sometimes at sunset
Nei tuoi occhi c'è una lacrima
There is a tear in your eyes
Non ti chiedere cos'è
Don't ask yourself what it is
Perchè è l'anima
Because it's your soul
È tutto quello che hai
It's all that you have
Puoi fidarti di lei
You can trust her
Non tenerla in gabbia
Don't keep her in a cage
O legata a un filo
Or tied to a string
Non accarezzarla
Don't pet her
Non è il tuo gattino
She's not your kitten
Ha bisogno d'aria
She needs air
L'aria del mattino
The morning air
Esci fuori e fai un giro
Go outside and take a walk
Per le strade piene
Through crowded streets
In mezzo a tanta gente,
In the midst of so many people
Gente che non parla
People who don't speak
Che non chiede niente
Who don't ask for anything
Poi all'improvviso
Then suddenly
Uno che si volta
Someone turns around
Che ti guarda e fa un sorriso
Who looks at you and smiles
Fermati
Stop
La tua anima
Your soul
E fidati di lei
And trust her
Una cosa che comincia e poi finisce
Something that begins and then ends
Te la lasci dietro l'angolo
You leave it around the corner
Una foto, un volto che sbiadisce
A photo, a face that fades
Vuol dire che era pallido
It means that it was pale
La tua anima da sola non rimane
Your soul doesn't stay alone
E quel sorriso non è l'ultimo
And that smile is not the last
Lei lo sa tra poche ore è già domani
She knows that in a few hours it will already be tomorrow
Lo rivedi e senti un brivido
You see it again and feel a shiver
Il segreto che c'è,
The secret that there is,
È fidarsi di lei, ma...
Is to trust her, but...
Torna fuori a fare un giro
Go back outside and take a walk
Lo rivedi ancora
You see it again
Lui sorride al tuo sorriso
It smiles at your smile
La tua anima
Your soul
La rivivi con te
You relive it with you
Contributed by Madelyn I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.