Paolo Conte (born 6 January 1937 in Asti, Piedmont, Italy) is a craggy-voic… Read Full Bio ↴Paolo Conte (born 6 January 1937 in Asti, Piedmont, Italy) is a craggy-voiced italian singer, pianist and composer. He both writes and performs his own material and his grainy, resonant voice redolent of Francophone singers like Jacques Brel adds a certain charm to his wistful, sometimes melancholic lyrics.

His performing career began as a vibraphone player in local and touring bands. He began songwriting with his brother Giorgio Conte early on and eventually began writing songs of his own. As a poet, painter and lawyer as well as a musician, he first earned attention during the late '60s and early '70s as the creative force behind hits from Adriano Celentano and Patty Pravo. Conte began his solo career with a 1974 self-titled LP, with subsequent efforts like 1987's Aguaplano and 1990's Parole D'Amore Scritte a Macchina enjoying considerable success throughout Europe. 1998's Paolo Conte, a greatest-hits collection, was his first U.S. release. His compilation album is titled The Best of Paolo Conte.

Some of his hits were used in many movies, for example "Come di" (1999), "Via con me" in French Kiss (1995), Welcome to Collinwood (2002) , "Sparring Partner" in 5x2 (2004), "Chiamami Adesso" in The Lake House (2006), and the "Fritz" Coca Cola commercial that was widely shown in US movie theaters in early 2006. French humourist Pierre Desproges used both in his Chroniques de la haine ordinaire. The lyrics of "Insieme a te non ci sto più" was performed by Caterina Caselli in the Italian 2001 hit-at-Cannes La Stanza del Figlio.

Paolo Conte was a lawyer for years and has only retired recently.

Frisco
Paolo Conte Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Babilonia, Ninive
Menfis e Luxor guardale
polvere d'oro
al sole calante
Le semiramidi urlano
contro il soffitto lirico
e vanno a stormi
sopra le onde

Frisco, svogliata e viziosa
Frisco, pietra pomice, tapis roulant
Frisco, sei chic e ambiziosa
come un sofà di Creton

Nè Babilonia, Ninive
Menfis e Luxor valgono
Frisco l'etrusca
al sole viaggiante

Babilonia, Ninive
Menfis e Luxor guardale

polvere nera
al sole diamante

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Paolo Conte's "Frisco" describe a comparison between ancient cities such as Babylon, Nineveh, Memphis, and Luxor, and modern-day San Francisco. The imagery created throughout the song highlights the contrast between historical civilizations and contemporary culture. The beginning of the first verse mentions the golden dust created from the declining sun, emphasizing the mystical and ancient aspects of the older cities. In contrast, the chorus focuses on San Francisco's contemporary materialism, comparing it to a pumice stone and treadmill while still acknowledging its sophistication and ambition.

The second verse builds upon the comparison, stating that San Francisco's allure surpasses that of the older cities, represented here by "Etruscan Frisco." The lyrics emphasize the dynamic between the past and the present, ultimately concluding that while the older cities hold historical value, modern-day San Francisco is incomparable in its uniqueness and value.

Overall, "Frisco" by Paolo Conte is a thought-provoking commentary on the evolution and progression of society, contrasting the value of ancient civilizations with the contemporary world.

Line by Line Meaning

Babilonia, Ninive
The great empires of the past

Menfis e Luxor guardale
Their ruins still standing and observed

polvere d'oro
Golden dust signifies their prosperity which is now non-existent

al sole calante
In the setting sun, indicating their end

Le semiramidi urlano
The pyramids scream out in agony

contro il soffitto lirico
Against the lyrical ceiling of creativity

e vanno a stormi
They flock together

sopra le onde
Over the waves of history and time

Frisco, svogliata e viziosa
San Francisco, lazy and wicked

Frisco, pietra pomice, tapis roulant
San Francisco, full of contrasts and contradictions

Frisco, sei chic e ambiziosa
San Francisco, stylish and ambitious