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.
hotel
Lucio Dalla Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tra poco dormo, sei libera
Schiva ogni angolo
Di questo albergo così squallido
Lascia i pensieri torbidi
Mettili là giù sopra quei mobili
Vai dove gli angeli fanno il coro
Vola lassù in alto ed addormentati con loro
Che tanto non mi sveglio
Se no rischio di cadere giù
Anzi io dormo di più
Così tra poche ore
Arrivi fino al sole
Amore, amore, amore
Raggio di sole
Sul mio petto
Entra dentro
Scaldami il cuore
E il mio letto
In questo cesso di un albergo c'è rumore
Qualcuno ha acceso la televisione
Che è sgradevole nel sonno mi dà dolore
Un fastidio fisico che gela il cuore
Ma tu anima non ti voltare
Resta ferma dove sei
Proprio lì davanti al sole
Proprio adesso che sogno lei
Così continuo il sogno
Adesso ne ho bisogno
Da sveglio non la penso più
Dopo dormi anche tu
Anche per ore
Fino a quando va via il sole
Amore, amore, amore
Raggio di sole
Sul mio petto entra dentro
Scaldami il cuore
Amore, amore, amore
Raggio di sole
Sul mio petto entra dentro
Scaldami il cuore
Amore, amore, amore
Dove vai anima
Dove vai anima
The song "Hotel" by Lucio Dalla speaks of a person who is about to go to sleep in a very poor hotel, and they advise their soul to leave all the tormented thoughts and worries behind and go where the angels sing in harmony, up high above. They encourage their soul to let time pass and allow themselves to sleep, even if it means risking a fall, because they would be able to dream and forget about their problems. The person then begs for love, for someone to come and warm their heart and bed, as the noisy television in the hotel room is causing them physical pain that is freezing their heart. They tell their soul to stay in the presence of the sun, as they dream of their lover and forget their worries. In the end, they ask their soul where it is going.
The song reflects the loneliness and disconnection of a person who is staying alone in a shabby hotel room. It shows how one can seek solace in sleep and dreams, in the hope of forgetting worries and finding comfort. The person's soul, in a way, represents their inner self, and they try to comfort it by letting it fly away from the harsh reality to a more peaceful and positive place. The person realizes that they are alone, nothing is perfect, and life can be hard, but they find comfort in the thought of love and hopes that they can get through the challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Dove vai anima
Where are you going, soul?
Tra poco dormo, sei libera
I'll be sleeping soon, you're free.
Schiva ogni angolo
Avoid every corner.
Di questo albergo così squallido
Of this shabby hotel.
Lascia i pensieri torbidi
Leave your troubled thoughts.
Mettili là giù sopra quei mobili
Put them down on those pieces of furniture.
Vai dove gli angeli fanno il coro
Go where the angels sing together.
Vola lassù in alto ed addormentati con loro
Fly up high and fall asleep with them.
E poi che passi pure il tempo
And then let time pass by.
Che tanto non mi sveglio
So I won't wake up.
Se no rischio di cadere giù
Otherwise, I risk falling down.
Anzi io dormo di più
Instead, I'll sleep more.
Così tra poche ore
So in a few hours.
Arrivi fino al sole
You'll reach the sun.
Amore, amore, amore
Love, love, love.
Raggio di sole
Ray of sunshine.
Sul mio petto
On my chest.
Entra dentro
Come inside.
Scaldami il cuore
Warm my heart.
E il mio letto
And my bed.
In questo cesso di un albergo c'è rumore
In this crappy hotel, there's noise.
Qualcuno ha acceso la televisione
Someone turned on the television.
Che è sgradevole nel sonno mi dà dolore
Which is unpleasant and gives me pain while sleeping.
Un fastidio fisico che gela il cuore
A physical discomfort that freezes my heart.
Ma tu anima non ti voltare
But you, soul, don't turn around.
Resta ferma dove sei
Stay still where you are.
Proprio lì davanti al sole
Right there in front of the sun.
Proprio adesso che sogno lei
Right now that I'm dreaming of her.
Così continuo il sogno
So I'll keep on dreaming.
Adesso ne ho bisogno
I need it now.
Da sveglio non la penso più
When I'm awake, I won't think of her anymore.
Dopo dormi anche tu
Later, you'll fall asleep too.
Anche per ore
For hours as well.
Fino a quando va via il sole
Until the sun goes away.
Contributed by Matthew C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
pipibu bu
Una delle più grandi di Lucio nel senso più assoluto. Varo68
Elisabetta Arena
popoppopooo