Italian music

[DTMark]

7 hours ago, Orleans said:

Oh, Montalbano's great; but don't beat yourself up: the accent's heavly Sicilian.  Think RP vs Geordie!  Second only to Neapolitan in inpenetrability and barriers to entry IMHO.  Generally in Italy it's the inverse to the UK: the further north the clearer and purer  the accent. 

Try listening to Riccardo Muti for example and you'll not need subtitles. 

But I applaud your efforts: Italian is the most beatiful of all the Romance languages if only for the plural formations.

I can't imagine a guy like him from the Giornalisti making it on the UK popscene with that moustache: fabulous!

There's something of the Fast Show's scousers about The Giornalisti. The lead guy seems to be twice the age of the other two.

The lyrics to "From the Road to the Stars" are fairly clear and I can get most of it. It's just that even so, it's gibberish. I put the lyrics through Google Translate and it comes back with roughly what I thought it was, and most of it is still gibberish. I get the "gist" of it. It's more like reading poetry than prose.

I shall move ahead with the Michel Thomas stuff, but, daft though it is, learning it phonetically from music and Italian radio gives me some confidence that I'll be able to make a decent stab at "sounding Italian". It's one of those languages where, I suspect, if you don't make an effort with the accent, it will just sound hilarious. The language and that flowing, singing pronunciation really work together.

[DTMark]

7 hours ago, GreenDevil said:

I like a bit of italia euro poptrash. Thanks for posting

 

Sweet!

In the event that it was the other one, this is from the same producer.

Wonderful modern disco track with a trance-esque sounding overlay. Another of my all-time favourites.

 

[mattydread]

One listen & you'll be humming this all day! The Italian (the album is quite good)

 

 

[Saving For a Space Ship]

Never gets old 

 

Sueño Latino - Luxuria (Massimino L. Extended Version) (1989)

 

 

Sueño Latino Sueño Latino Paradise Mix) 1989 YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXhqDeTSEl4

 

[DTMark]

^ Classic dance tune.

"The Eagle" might have been wondering how long it would take before this one popped up after translating it for me. I still have no idea how you did that. I mean, I know what the words are now, thanks to you, and by this stage I'd have been able to get most of it, but some of it is so indistinct as words join together that I feel I would never have got it. You're very good

BTW I think that missing bit is "but the music is the sun" (ma la musica e il sole). And I hear the more misogynist "to dance for my women" (not "with the") in a couple of places. If I were to ever perform this at karaoke based on what *I* hear, I might get some odd looks.

Yep, it's total pop cheese. And yet it has been "climbing my all time top 40" steadily for the last year and is probably now in the top five of all time.

It's hardly the finest example of Italian music, I'm sure. But I can't help myself.

 

[Orleans]

On 13/11/2016 at 4:26 AM, DTMark said:

There's something of the Fast Show's scousers about The Giornalisti. The lead guy seems to be twice the age of the other two.

The lyrics to "From the Road to the Stars" are fairly clear and I can get most of it. It's just that even so, it's gibberish. I put the lyrics through Google Translate and it comes back with roughly what I thought it was, and most of it is still gibberish. I get the "gist" of it. It's more like reading poetry than prose.

I shall move ahead with the Michel Thomas stuff, but, daft though it is, learning it phonetically from music and Italian radio gives me some confidence that I'll be able to make a decent stab at "sounding Italian". It's one of those languages where, I suspect, if you don't make an effort with the accent, it will just sound hilarious. The language and that flowing, singing pronunciation really work together.

Your comments are spot on Mark; in my personal experience, having worked in Italy you have to commit 100% to the faintiy comedy, exaggerated mannerisms and accent or they will dismiss you as a foreigner, and speak to you in English anyway! 

It'd be a bit like - I'd imagine - starring in an Ealing comedy and speaking like Liam Gallagher.  Awkward. 

Lol at the Scousers! He is an effective and engaging frontman however; compare and contrast him to the current UK offering however, and that's before you consider the retro synth sound, which I haven't heard convinciingly replicated for years. 

[Orleans]

And, to illustrate my point, here is (in increasing order of shame) Sting, Elton and the late Whitney utterly butchering Piave's masterpiece on the subject of deluded scrapper birds, much to the barely-disguised amusement of native Italian speaker Pavarotti (who is himself pretty rubbish in this role anyway, so pots and kettles and all that). 

 

[DTMark]

On ‎15‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 9:28 PM, Orleans said:

And, to illustrate my point, here is (in increasing order of shame) Sting, Elton and the late Whitney utterly butchering Piave's masterpiece on the subject of deluded scrapper birds, much to the barely-disguised amusement of native Italian speaker Pavarotti (who is himself pretty rubbish in this role anyway, so pots and kettles and all that). 

 

I know that facial expression when you see some of the words and think "WTF?!" They do their best, though

At an early stage with the Michel Thomas stuff, he turns to his students and says "So how would you say: I'm sorry, I can't see you tonight because I'm very busy, but, I can see you tomorrow if you like?" which is the longest sentence at that point and both the students have this "Erm..." moment. Mental buffer is full. I get that with the music, but it's coming along. I can trip stuff like that off the tongue quite readily now.

My hairdresser just happens to be Italian and seems to think my efforts with the accent aren't bad. Though I suspect some flattery is in play there.

Some more TheGiornalisti - they're superb. They get that mix of 80s synth and modern pop-rock spot on, and the lyrics on many are surprisingly dark and poetic especially "Between the Road and the Stars" - almost tearful. These are more "fun and upbeat".

 

 

[DTMark]

On ‎11‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 9:14 AM, Orleans said:

Nanni Moretti's Caro Diario (incidentally a superb film for learning Italian due to his clear diction.)  

 

Added to Amazon Wish List

[Orleans]

Yes, I'm surprised there hasn't been a syth revival a la giornalisti in the UK; people who have no interest in the current identikit chart acts (like me) may find their interest piqued again.   I've just watched an interview with Tommaso Paradiso (lead moustache; pron name or what!?) and it unsurprisingly references Human League and retro melodies.

There is sureiy a market for this;  look how many young people are here, in 2016-  take away the sea of iphone periscopes and it could be Depeche Mode 101! 

 

[Mikhail Liebenstein]

This is also by an Italian Group,  though you wouldn't know it:  

 

 

 

[DTMark]

2 hours ago, Orleans said:

Yes, I'm surprised there hasn't been a syth revival a la giornalisti in the UK; people who have no interest in the current identikit chart acts (like me) may find their interest piqued again.   I've just watched an interview with Tommaso Paradiso (lead moustache; pron name or what!?) and it unsurprisingly references Human League and retro melodies.

There is sureiy a market for this;  look how many young people are here, in 2016-  take away the sea of iphone periscopes and it could be Depeche Mode 101! 

 

Likewise I rarely find new music appealing, and it's not for want of trying. Even dance, "my" genre, is, in the mainstream - trashy, thrashy and uncreative (Calvin Harris et al). It's like sugar - hits the spot, and fades instantly. Nothing endures. Forgotten it already.

Promiscuita is such a tune. I bought the Completamente Sold Out album, one of only five new albums I've bought in the last decade or so. Well worth a listen, it's on Tidal if you have it. Even worth a free trial just for that one

If you have five minutes.. dog with the bone and all that..

The first line of the first verse of that Massa Fannelli track.. @ 00:52

The translation I have is "d'arrivate l'estate, e nuovo stagione" = "the summer is coming, a new season".

I hear "d'arrivate l'estate...uno ? ? va sole".

The next line being "Me, myself, this year I holiday in Riccione" or something similar.

But then there are plenty of other bits that, as I hear them, just don't sound like what they actually are. What do you think those missing words are? That's the only bit that still puzzles me. What I have is probably right, makes perfect sense, but the pronunciation is so odd.

Was watching the Alex Polizzi series where she goes back to Italy and its islands - and certainly the Sicilian accent is distinctly different as per your earlier points.

Looking forward to seeing that Italian film.

 

[DTMark]

1 hour ago, Mikhail Liebenstein said:

This is also by an Italian Group,  though you wouldn't know it:  

 

 

 

That's a blast from the past - and MTV Europe's "Party Zone" with the delightful Simone. Unsurprisingly I assumed that was German-produced.

Only recently did I discover that Whigfield, while Danish, was based in Italy.

[Saving For a Space Ship]

9 hours ago, DTMark said:

Likewise I rarely find new music appealing, and it's not for want of trying. Even dance, "my" genre, is, in the mainstream - trashy, thrashy and uncreative (Calvin Harris et al). It's like sugar - hits the spot, and fades instantly. Nothing endures. Forgotten it already.

 

It is when compared to 90s genius stuff like this ..

CJ Bolland - Horsepower (Original Mix)  (Bollands done some amazing stuff Uk /Belgian..not Italian ) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nkbqxr4Ht7k

 C.J. Bolland - Mantra 

 

[DTMark]

Not as musically accomplished as TheGiornalisti, but just 6 years old and perhaps the first modern Italian track I've come across where the pronunciation is clear enough for me to get the whole thing off the bat and it has a certain heartfelt beauty.

 

[Orleans]

On 18/11/2016 at 0:18 AM, DTMark said:

 

But then there are plenty of other bits that, as I hear them, just don't sound like what they actually are. What do you think those missing words are? 

 

Well, since you asked I'll have a stab at it, but I think you already know that high art it is not..... :-)

E l'estate va

Nessun mi fermera'

Io me ne vado in spiaggia in zona(1)

Ballare con le donne

E' arrivata l'estate una nuova stagione

Io passando le vacanze le passo a Riccione

Di giorno e di notte a spiaggia e' una gran figata

Si balla al tormentore(????)(2) con mojito e con patata(3)

Le onde del mare che fan dal sottofondo

Il ragazzo di colore che canta e suona al mondo...

 

1) as I understand it, all beaches in Italy are private businesses known as bagni or zone.

2) no idea. Guessing the name of a local club.

3) slang for a lady, I think.

 

Second verse is even more gibberish about suntans and beach peddling.  Can't see that video or song being played on the BBC btw, what with its dubious PCness, but in my experience it's Normal For Italy.  Bloke looks a right pillock mind.  :-)

 

[DTMark]

36 minutes ago, Orleans said:

Well, since you asked I'll have a stab at it, but I think you already know that high art it is not..... :-)

E l'estate va

Nessun mi fermera'

Io me ne vado in spiaggia in zona(1)

Ballare con le donne

E' arrivata l'estate una nuova stagione

Io passando le vacanze le passo a Riccione

Di giorno e di notte a spiaggia e' una gran figata

Si balla al tormentore(????)(2) con mojito e con patata(3)

Le onde del mare che fan dal sottofondo

Il ragazzo di colore che canta e suona al mondo...

 

1) as I understand it, all beaches in Italy are private businesses known as bagni or zone.

2) no idea. Guessing the name of a local club.

3) slang for a lady, I think.

 

Second verse is even more gibberish about suntans and beach peddling.  Can't see that video or song being played on the BBC btw, what with its dubious PCness, but in my experience it's Normal For Italy.  Bloke looks a right pillock mind.  :-)

 

The guy in question is, apparently, a successful dance DJ (of some stature in Italy) and producer who these days hosts a morning show on Radio Studiopui (Riccione) - it's totally mad, like the UK's "Steve Wright in the Afternoon".

That said, yes, it's far from high-art It is pop-cheese. That I like it has to do with the influence of the producer, Paola Peroni (Brescia, DJ, dance artist, responsible among others for that House Traffic track in the first post). It's the melodies, the rhythm, the percussion. I'm under no illusions that it's solely the catchy nature of the thing that makes me adore it.

This was actually the track that spurred me into learning Italian. I have a long way to go; it's one thing to learn "textbook" and another to be able to use the language colloquially as it is used on a daily basis and in that song. So I'm going at this from all directions

I still can't hear "nuova stagione" no matter how hard I try. Indeed the "v" in "arrivata" is very nearly silent. It sounds much more like "Rome is the place [area] to go". But this is where I bow to those who have knowledge of Italian. I'll get there. But this is going to take a fair while.. and trying to "get" the language from songs is harder; there are some songs in English which have incomprehensible lyrics..

In the meantime I bow down to you and "The Eagle", neither of you had to invest your own time answering a question posed by a total stranger and yet you did so. Thank you. (Shakes virtual hand). I'll have a go at typing up all the lyrics in Italian..

In the meantime this one has been sent to me, and I think this utterly superb. Real quality. Keyboard work as artistry. Utterly wonderful.

 

 

[Orleans]

On 20/11/2016 at 2:52 AM, DTMark said:

The guy in question is, apparently, a successful dance DJ (of some stature in Italy) and producer who these days hosts a morning show on Radio Studiopui (Riccione) - it's totally mad, like the UK's "Steve Wright in the Afternoon".

That said, yes, it's far from high-art It is pop-cheese. That I like it has to do with the influence of the producer, Paola Peroni (Brescia, DJ, dance artist, responsible among others for that House Traffic track in the first post). It's the melodies, the rhythm, the percussion. I'm under no illusions that it's solely the catchy nature of the thing that makes me adore it.

This was actually the track that spurred me into learning Italian. I have a long way to go; it's one thing to learn "textbook" and another to be able to use the language colloquially as it is used on a daily basis and in that song. So I'm going at this from all directions

I still can't hear "nuova stagione" no matter how hard I try. Indeed the "v" in "arrivata" is very nearly silent. It sounds much more like "Rome is the place [area] to go". But this is where I bow to those who have knowledge of Italian. I'll get there. But this is going to take a fair while.. and trying to "get" the language from songs is harder; there are some songs in English which have incomprehensible lyrics..

In the meantime I bow down to you and "The Eagle", neither of you had to invest your own time answering a question posed by a total stranger and yet you did so. Thank you. (Shakes virtual hand). I'll have a go at typing up all the lyrics in Italian..

 

No problem.  Some good points on textbooks vs the real world.

That DJ being based in Emilia-Romagna, there's probably a bit of a Romagnolo twist to his phrasing there, though I don't know enough of that particular dialect to say for certain; it just sounds like street Italian to my ears.   I've heard it said - and I'm trying to be sensitive here - that in popular culture, the Romagnoli are to Italy as a whole what Scousers are to the UK; that is, a people that it's socially acceptable to poke gentle fun at, so maybe he's playing to stereotype. 

As I said earlier, the clearest, purest Standard Italian accents are IMHE those originating on the A4 corridor, that is an approximate line from Turin to Venice.  Anywhere else it's a lottery; 150 years after the Risorgimento it's still like a loose union of separate little countries.   Roman dialect is difficult;  Neapolitan is impossible - though that is arguably an entirely separate language in its own right.   In Neapolitan for example, syllables are dropped and added all over the place following complex rules of gender and number (most famous example is in the title of the Cornetto song 'o sole mio, in which the first word is simply 'the').   I tried to learn and gave up!

My point: make sure you have an idea what flavour of Italian you are listening to!

God, your thread's made me want to move ... if it wasn't for the crap economy and the pizzo I would! 

[DTMark]

16 hours ago, Orleans said:

No problem.  Some good points on textbooks vs the real world.

That DJ being based in Emilia-Romagna, there's probably a bit of a Romagnolo twist to his phrasing there, though I don't know enough of that particular dialect to say for certain; it just sounds like street Italian to my ears.   I've heard it said - and I'm trying to be sensitive here - that in popular culture, the Romagnoli are to Italy as a whole what Scousers are to the UK; that is, a people that it's socially acceptable to poke gentle fun at, so maybe he's playing to stereotype. 

As I said earlier, the clearest, purest Standard Italian accents are IMHE those originating on the A4 corridor, that is an approximate line from Turin to Venice.  Anywhere else it's a lottery; 150 years after the Risorgimento it's still like a loose union of separate little countries.   Roman dialect is difficult;  Neapolitan is impossible - though that is arguably an entirely separate language in its own right.   In Neapolitan for example, syllables are dropped and added all over the place following complex rules of gender and number (most famous example is in the title of the Cornetto song 'o sole mio, in which the first word is simply 'the').   I tried to learn and gave up!

My point: make sure you have an idea what flavour of Italian you are listening to!

God, your thread's made me want to move ... if it wasn't for the crap economy and the pizzo I would! 

I have yet to visit Italy. Actually the desire to do that is one of the things that drives the learning of the language. I have some contact with said Italian music producer, but it is rather limited not least by language.

I've now reached and passed the part about tense and Michel Thomas' giggles explaining how the word endings came about to express it. Actually, it has proven to be a really entertaining hobby, like unlocking a secret code. And in English, just one example: why is it "lillies" and not "lilys"?

English must be a hard language to get right, and many who try really struggle with tense. Few Germans ever seem to manage the soft versus hard sounds of the letters "f" and "v", for example. Though this exercise has given me a lot of respect for people whose native language is something else and yet manage to speak English convincingly, accent or not.

I don't think that I could live in Italy, although I suspect that I would fit in quite well with the temperament, having been brought up in Essex

That DVD has been despatched and is on the way.

And, oddly enough, that Massa Fanelli track came on the car stereo (from a CD) and I did indeed hear "new season" clearly and perfectly for the first time. Probably the acoustics of the car rendering it differently.

And I think you might be right in that it's playing to stereotypes. It was produced in part with the (co-operation of the) Riccione tourist board. Though Riccione still wouldn't be my first choice for an Italian holiday.

Have ordered an LP of the genius that was Lucio Battisti featuring that track above.

[Saving For a Space Ship]

49ers - Touch Me (Sexual Version)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDtOWX86hBA

[DTMark]

So many classic dance tracks from Italy.

Inspector Montalbano really is superb. Some of the stories are slightly over-long but it's gorgeously shot and the interplay between him and the other staff at HQ is hilarious. "I'm not always outside your door!"

Really recommended for anyone into crime drama whether you're interested in Italian or not. Most of the people in it tend to speak about 50% faster than I can listen.

Buon Natale e buon anni.. I normally hate Christmas records, but rather like this one. Even though it's a blatant rip-off of a Baby K track.

 

[Saving For a Space Ship]

Fave piano... Grace Jones to boot  

Black Shells - The Anthem II [David Morales, Satoshi Tomiie]  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vJe4NdG-Gw

[DTMark]

Great cover version - brand new:

Theme tune to "Nebbie e Deletti" (hooked on that series) - I must be mellowing in my old(er) age

The guy from TheGiornalisti with a live version of Promiscuita

 

[Saving For a Space Ship]

Brill one ...'Lectric Workers - Robot Is Systematic (1982) 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEXZc3MWaP0

[Maynardgravy]

Ennio Morricone got the Spaghetti Western trilogy gig off the back of his pop music writing up until that point: